LATE 17TH CENTURY

Details

A LONDON DELFT BLUE AND WHITE SHIELD-SHAPED PILL-TILE
LATE 17TH CENTURY
Painted with the arms of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries with unicorn supporters, the motto OPIEFER QVE PERORBEM DICOR (sic.) on a strapwork cartouche below, pierced for hanging, some slight rim chips and glaze flaking to rim, chipping to underside of rim and top point of shield, glaze scratch
12 1/8 in. (30.8 cm.) high

Provenance

Acquired from Jellinek & Sampson Antiques, 26th July 1978.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

A similar example from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Billington was sold Christie's, London, 27th February 1989, lot 22. An octagonal example of this type is illustrated in Leslie B. Grigsby, The Longridge Collection of English Slipware and Delftware, London, 2000, p. 460, no. D411. The combination of a shield form with an oval cartouche and a strapwork label is extremely unusual; see J.K. Crellin, Medical Ceramics in the Wellcome Institute, London, 1969, pp. 143-150, Figs. 263-278 and col. pl. 3.

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