A Rare Slipware Teapot, Wetheriggs, Clifton Dykes, Westmorland, England, 1909

Description

Here we have for sale a delightful two-person teapot from the Wetheriggs Pottery, dedicated to Ann Beattie. ‘Sgraffito’ written, scratched in the slip coating along with the exquisite ‘ears of wheat’ rural patterning used by Wetheriggs.

These varied from enormous teapots for afternoon teas on Sundays at local Methodist chapels to tiny single-cup size teapots, all of them totally handmade and individual.

They were made at Wetheriggs during the late Victorian era and through the Edwardian period.

Some of the late 19th c. ones were skilfully slip-trailed with the traditional sea fishing pattern, wavy lines for the sea, dots for the men and flicks for the fishes.

Keen to keep up with the changing fashions of the Art Nouveau and Edwardian period came the technique of sponging with oxides onto a white slip ground over the red clay and finished with a lead glaze over, that would run and stream in the kiln, taking the colours with it. Lead was such a powerful flux that it was a highly skilled job to ensure the correct balance of lead in the glaze to make it stream, but not run off the pot like hot butter.

Amusingly it seems as if they only had one size spout-mould that fitted all, as on the big teapots, the spout seems very small, whereas on the small teapot the spout seems a bit big – pure Country Pottery – wonderful!

Date
1909

Dimensions
6.5’’ H x 8.5’’ W O/A approx. (including spout and handle)

Condition
In good condition, with an old repair on the spout end and wear & minor faults commensurate with age and use & in the production of country pottery.

Price
£185   $241-USD

Ref Number: 420131A
Enquiries Welcome