Royal Worcester Porcelain Vases, 1860s, Thomas Bott, Henry VIII & Anne

A pair of Royal Worcester porcelain vases, 1860s, the enamel…
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A pair of Royal Worcester porcelain vases, 1860s, the enamel decoration attributed to Thomas Bott, Snr, each of flattened bottle shape on a spreading elliptical foot, a pair of ring 'Handles' to the shoulders, with raised jewelling to the front borders, sides, and reverse, pale blue ground with gilt details, the front of each decorated with a portrait respectively of Henry VIII and Ann of Cleves within a large reserve with gilt fleur-de-lis ground, the reverse of each with a different monochrome vignette of various attributes entwined with foliage, a rare underglaze blue printed factory mark underside, each 16.5 cm high. Condition: Henry VIII has restoration to the neck and rim and also crazing to the glaze. Anne of Cleves has some wear and flaking to the gilding especially down the sides, minor abrasions to the beading down the sides, a small surface scratch on her face and a couple of beads missing lower back

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  • Attributed - A cataloguing term where the item in the opinion of the cataloguers, is a of the period of the artist, craftsman or designer, and which probably in whole or part is the work of that person.
  • Crazing - A network of fine cracks in the glaze of a ceramic item, caused by uneven shrinking during the firing process.
  • Gilding - Gilding is a method of ornamentation whereby a thin sheet of gold metal is applied to items made of wood, leather, ceramics, glass and silver for decorative purposes.

    For furniture including mirrors, the sheet of gold is usually applied over a coating of gesso. Gesso is a mixture of plaster of Paris and gypsum mixed with water and then applied to the carved wooden frames of mirrors and picture frames as a base for applying the gold leaf. After numerous coats of gesso have been applied, allowed to dry and then sanded a coat of "bole", a usually red coloured mixture of clay and glue is brushed on and allowed to dry, after which the gold leaf is applied. Over time parts of the gilding will rub off so the base colour can be seen. In water gilding, this was generally a blue colour, while in oil gilding, the under layer was often yellow. In Victorian times, gilders frequently used red as a pigment beneath the gold leaf.

    Metal was often gilded by a process known as fire gilding. Gold mixed with mercury was applied and heated, causing the mercury to evaporate, the long-term effect of which was to kill or disable the craftsman or woman from mercury poisoning. The pursuit of beauty has claimed many victims, not the least of which were the artists who made those pieces so highly sought after today.
  • Monochrome / Monochromatic - A painting or drawing finished in a single colour, or in different shades of a single color.
  • Fleur-De-Lis - The fleur-de-lis is a stylized lily or iris flower with

    three petals that has been used as a decorative motif for thousands of years. It

    often appears in Christian iconography symbolising the Holy Trinity and as an

    emblem that reflects the purity of the Virgin Mary. In decorative art and antiques

    decoration, the fleur-de-lis is often used as a symbol of elegance, refinement,

    and good taste.



    The fleur-de-lis has a rich history and in ancient times, it

    was associated with royalty, purity, and the divine, and it was used as a

    symbol of the French monarchy for many centuries.



    It is a common design element in ceramics, silverware, jewellery,

    furniture, and other decorative objects, and it can be found in many different

    styles and forms.

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