A PAIR OF MINTONS PATE-SUR-PATE PEACOCK-BLUE VASES AND COVERS, 'BELLE DE JOUR ET BELLE DE NUIT'

DATED 1894, GILT CROWNED GLOBE AND IMPRESSED UPPERCASE MARKS, SHAPE NO. 2449, VARIOUS CYPHERS AND GILDER'S V, BOTH SIGNED L.(OUIS) SOLON, ON FRONT AND BACK, RESPECTIVELY

Details

A PAIR OF MINTONS PATE-SUR-PATE PEACOCK-BLUE VASES AND COVERS, 'BELLE DE JOUR ET BELLE DE NUIT'
Dated 1894, gilt crowned globe and impressed uppercase marks, shape no. 2449, various cyphers and gilder's V, both signed L.(ouis) Solon, on front and back, respectively
Each of shield shape, the domed covers with beaded finials, the shoulder flanked by berried wreath handles, finely painted and hand-tooled in white slip with nymphs emblematic of Dawn and Dusk depicted mid-air, the first holding a hand-mirror radiating rays as birds take flight; the second holding an oil-lamp as moths draw near, the reverse with either a bust of Aurora above cockerels before a sunburst or with a bust of Minerva above an owl before the moon, on a conforming spiral-moulded socle and square base
17 in. (43 cm.) high (4)

Lot Essay

Solon's Illustrated Journal records the present pair, 'Belle de Jour et Belle de Nuit', as completed between the 11th of November and the 11th of December 1894; a second illustrated entry for one vase is entered at the bottom of the January 1895 page accompanied by the titled 'Night and Day'. The Mintons Shape Book also has two entries, one on February 1895 listing the pair and again several pages later on an undated page, '"Belle de Jour" (repeated)'. Please note it is likely that the photographic record preserves the image of the first 'Beautiful Day'.

See the archival index on page 58 for a period image front and back.

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