Lot Essay
Of the handful of cisterns that are known, no other examples could be found at the time of cataloguing either of this form or with combined Chinoiserie and Classical European elements. See Louis L. Lipski and Michael Archer, Dated English Delftware, London, p. 339, no. 1506 for an English delft hoop-molded barrel dated 1748. Also see example nos. 1509-1511 for three dated mid-17th century cisterns molded with lion masks and compare an Irish flatback example with a shell spigot terminal, circa 1750-5 preserved by The Dublin National Museum. For an image of the reverse see www.christies.com.