A rare Minton Majolica ‘Crystal Palace Art Union’ ewer on stand c.1860, 15”h, 10 ½”d. Designed after a Renaissance metal original, with Della Robbia style fruit panels and portrait panels to the body and a winged caryatid to the high handle, the base of flared flutes with stylized flower heads. The stand with a border of Della Robbia style fruit panels separated by 6 portrait panels of gentlemen and a central medallion depicting ‘Juno and a Peacock’, the ancient Roman Goddess, and ‘Crystal Palace Art Union’ inscribed to a surrounding emerald green panel. The body of the stand with a spiraling flutes in a brown glaze. The Art Union was a government body set up in 1830’s to educate the general public in matters of Art and Design. The Crystal Palace Art Union, began in 1858 and was renamed The Ceramic and Crystal Palace Art Union in 1865. Due to the delicate nature of the ewer, very few have survived and even fewer examples are known to have survived with the original stand. An illustration of the stand can be seen in Nicholas Dawes, p.81.
'CURATED & CATALOGUED BY NICOLAUS BOSTON'

Condition reports are available upon request.