Antique Empire Ware Washstand Pitcher/Ewer and Bowl with Bird Motif
Antique Empire Ware Washstand Pitcher/Ewer and Bowl with Bird Motif
$210.00
A breathtaking large, antique pitcher and basin set from Empire Ware. These are such gorgeous pieces with creamy white backgrounds, gold Ombre effect edges and beautifully detailed bird imagery flying around the top edge of the bowl and on both sides of the pitcher. The pitcher and bowl are not ornate, but rather clean lined to allow the imagery to take center stage. The top rim of the bowl has an organic scalloped design. There are five birds of various sizes and coloring on the inside rim of the bowl and four birds on the pitcher. It displays beautifully and is definitely one of a kind! I found no others in my research that had this terrific bird motif and amazing presence.
This set isn't perfect; it is aged with marks and cracks of unknown origin as well as evident crazing. The bowl/basin has the most crazing in the bottom with a fairly large dark age spot. There are also hairline cracks in the bottom. The pitcher is clear of cracks but has crazing as would be expected for its age. There is some dark marks around the spout and a white line in the gold top paint on one side.
This pieces are marked on the bottom with the stylized crown logo and Empire Ware E.P.C. Empire Works Stoke on Trent England which is the mark used from the 1925-39 period. The month and year of manufacture were included. The dating on these pieces is:
Pitcher – 2 27 or February 1927
Bowl – 4 27 of April 1927
History of the company is as follows: EMPIRE PORCELAIN CO. (LTD) 1896–1967 (Inc. 1963)
Manufacturer of bone china and earthenware at the Empire Works, Stoke Rd, Stoke-on-Trent from about 1896.
Early founders of the business have not been identified, but following the Second World War, the business was owned by Lazarus & Rosenfeld Ltd a European ceramics group and founders of the Victoria Porcelain Factory at Altrouhlau, Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic). The pottery was acquired in 1951 by H. Kaufmann Ltd, a Suffolk-based manufacturer of lawnmowers, and by the Qualcast Group in 1958 as a result of its takeover of the Kaufmann Group. Empire Porcelain Co. Ltd was incorporated (1963) as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Qualcast Group. The business ceased to operate in mid-1967 despite full order books, because it proved too difficult to effectively modernise the Empire Works.
The Empire Porcelain Co Ltd was an important producer of domestic and ornamental earthenware and china for the middle of the market. In the late-1920s and 1930s the company produced interesting art deco-style tablewares and notable art deco ornamental wares decorated using the drip glaze technique. Chinz-decorated wares were produced in the 1940 and 1950s. China novelties and cottage models are other factory wares that are now of interest to collectors.
The company used the ‘Empire Ware’ and ‘Shelton Ivory’ trade names and these appear on most wares from the 1920s and 1930s in addition to the word ‘Empire’ or the full company name. The Empire ornamental wares, in particular, are little known and under-appreciated.
Dimensions:
Bowl - 16" in diameter x 4 1/2" deep
Pitcher - 12" tall x 9" spout to handle
These will be delicate to ship so I have added quite a bit of packing material to the estimated shipping costs. With the right care, we should be able to get it shipped without damage. Will insure the shipment as well.
This set isn't perfect; it is aged with marks and cracks of unknown origin as well as evident crazing. The bowl/basin has the most crazing in the bottom with a fairly large dark age spot. There are also hairline cracks in the bottom. The pitcher is clear of cracks but has crazing as would be expected for its age. There is some dark marks around the spout and a white line in the gold top paint on one side.
This pieces are marked on the bottom with the stylized crown logo and Empire Ware E.P.C. Empire Works Stoke on Trent England which is the mark used from the 1925-39 period. The month and year of manufacture were included. The dating on these pieces is:
Pitcher – 2 27 or February 1927
Bowl – 4 27 of April 1927
History of the company is as follows: EMPIRE PORCELAIN CO. (LTD) 1896–1967 (Inc. 1963)
Manufacturer of bone china and earthenware at the Empire Works, Stoke Rd, Stoke-on-Trent from about 1896.
Early founders of the business have not been identified, but following the Second World War, the business was owned by Lazarus & Rosenfeld Ltd a European ceramics group and founders of the Victoria Porcelain Factory at Altrouhlau, Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic). The pottery was acquired in 1951 by H. Kaufmann Ltd, a Suffolk-based manufacturer of lawnmowers, and by the Qualcast Group in 1958 as a result of its takeover of the Kaufmann Group. Empire Porcelain Co. Ltd was incorporated (1963) as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Qualcast Group. The business ceased to operate in mid-1967 despite full order books, because it proved too difficult to effectively modernise the Empire Works.
The Empire Porcelain Co Ltd was an important producer of domestic and ornamental earthenware and china for the middle of the market. In the late-1920s and 1930s the company produced interesting art deco-style tablewares and notable art deco ornamental wares decorated using the drip glaze technique. Chinz-decorated wares were produced in the 1940 and 1950s. China novelties and cottage models are other factory wares that are now of interest to collectors.
The company used the ‘Empire Ware’ and ‘Shelton Ivory’ trade names and these appear on most wares from the 1920s and 1930s in addition to the word ‘Empire’ or the full company name. The Empire ornamental wares, in particular, are little known and under-appreciated.
Dimensions:
Bowl - 16" in diameter x 4 1/2" deep
Pitcher - 12" tall x 9" spout to handle
These will be delicate to ship so I have added quite a bit of packing material to the estimated shipping costs. With the right care, we should be able to get it shipped without damage. Will insure the shipment as well.