A trio of teapots: one to use, one to display and one to tell the time
11 June 2020 Keep calm and drink tea – certainly good advice during the current lockdown. And what better way to enjoy a brew than serving it in a rare, elegant or unusual teapot?
A French Empire ormolu and patinated bronze mantel clock in the form of a teapot, estimated at £5000-8000 at Dreweatts.
But teapots and teapot forms also serve another function – that of decorative display, adding a touch of style or sophistication to an interior whether in the kitchen, dining room or somewhere else in the home.
Hundreds of teapots are available to view and buy at auctions every week on thesaleroom.com. You can view the full selection of teapots currently available here, but below we pick out three items to give just a small flavour of what’s available at upcoming sales.
1. Edwardian silver teapot
Silver teapot marked for Birmingham 1901, estimated at £80-120 at Bellmans.
It may be over a century old but this silver teapot is ready to be used. It has an oval form and curved fluted decoration, and is fitted with a black handle as well as a finial to the hinged lid.
Stamped with hallmarks for Birmingham 1901, it is estimated at £80-120 at Bellmans on June 17-20.
View the catalogue entry for this silver teapot on thesaleroom.com.
2. First Period Worcester teapot
Worcester teapot and cover from c.1756-58, estimated at £800-1200 at Woolley & Wallis.
While you could use this teapot for making a brew, we’d probably advise against it. It’s actually over 250 years old and made by a much sought-after English factory, so probably best kept for display.
This Worcester teapot and cover from c.1756-58 is an elegant design, finely painted with butterflies, moths and other insects in flight around sprays of flowers. A moth and ladybird appear to the cover beside the floral knop, while the faceted spout has small leaf sprigs.
Worcester is the most widely collected of 18th century English porcelain factories. The period from the factory’s foundation in 1751 to 1783, when it was acquired by Thomas Flight, is known as the ‘First Period’ or the ‘Dr Wall period’ after one of the original partners, Dr John Wall.
This example of first-period Worcester, that will be offered at Woolley & Wallis on June 17, has some small restoration to the spout and is estimated at £800-1200.
View the catalogue entry for this Worcester teapot and cover on thesaleroom.com
3. French Empire clock (that looks like a teapot)
A French Empire ormolu and patinated bronze mantel clock in the form of a teapot, estimated at £5000-8000 at Dreweatts.
This rare novelty is not actually a teapot. It’s on offer at Dreweatts’ Fine Clocks, Barometers and Scientific Instruments auction in Newbury on June 24.
The 10in (25cm) French Empire ormolu and patinated bronze mantel clock in the form of a teapot is an unusual offering. It has an eight-day striking movement regulated by a disc bob pendulum which is signed for Fournier, the noted horologers of Grenoble.
The case is signed for Claude Galle, Paris, who created numerous gilt bronzes for the French royal and subsequently imperial household. It is estimated at £5000-8000.
View the full catalogue entry for this mantel clock on thesaleroom.com
