A PAIR OF WEDGWOOD BLACK BASALTES 'ENCAUSTIC'-DECORATED TWO-HANDLED JARDINIERE
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more STONELEIGH The original building on the present site of Stoneleigh was founded as a Cistercian Abbey in 1154 by Henry II; little of the original building remains. The abbey was leased to Richard Lord Grey in 1538 following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1535. It was subsequently sold to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. In 1561 William Cavendish, co-heir to the Duke of Suffolk's estate sold the property to two London merchants, Sir Rowland Hill and Sir Thomas Leigh, both former Lord Mayors of London for (1950. The Leigh family became sole owners of the estate following the death of Sir Rowland Hill. Sir Rowland left his estates to his favourite niece Alice, wife of Sir Thomas Leigh. The first Baron Stoneleigh was created in 1643 after Sir Thomas Leigh II was rewarded for his staunch support of Charles I. The title lapsed in 1786 follwing the death of Edward Leigh. With the subsequent death of his sister Mary in 1806, the estate passed to the Leighs of Adlestrop. The title Baron Leigh of Stoneleigh being recreated for Chandos Leigh in 1839. The present quatrangular building was built in two stages in circa 1600 and 1714-26. The grand range was built by Edward 3rd Lord Leigh for designs by the master builder and architect Francis Smith of Warwick (see above). When Edward, 5th Lord Leigh came of age in 1763, he immediately embarked on an extensive refurbishment. Records revealing the Leigh's contribution to the furnishing of Stoneleigh in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries are recorded in the Leigh family archives, now deposited at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-Avon. THE PROPERTY OF THE LATE LORD LEIGH AND THE STONELEIGH CHATTELS SETTLEMENT (LOTS 3-7)
A PAIR OF WEDGWOOD BLACK BASALTES 'ENCAUSTIC'-DECORATED TWO-HANDLED JARDINIERE

CIRCA 1778

Details
A PAIR OF WEDGWOOD BLACK BASALTES 'ENCAUSTIC'-DECORATED TWO-HANDLED JARDINIERE
CIRCA 1778
0f inverted baluster form with flared rim and cylindrical foot, the rim with a band of berried leaves above anthemion, the lower section with simulated gadrooning (one handle repaired in four sections, the other jardinière with chipping to footrim)
12 5/8 in. (32 cm.) high (2)
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

Encaustic painting refers to the matt enamel developed by Wedgwood to decorated dry bodied baslates wares in the Etruscan manner. Although the technique differs from the methods traditionally described as encautic decorating this is another example of Josiah Wedgwood's clever marketing as well as innovation. Wedgwood patented the technique in 1769 and was obliged to reveal his formula, a mixture of Cherokee clay and pigments but was unable to stop competitors in Staffordshire and London decorators copying the technique.

The technique came into its own when it was used to produce wares inspired by the Greek and Italian vases from the collection of Sir William Hamilton. Prints form the four volume work Antiquités étrusques, grecques, et romaines by Baron Pierre D'Hancarville were made available to Wedgwood in 1768 before the prints were generally available in England. The most notable of these popular early vases was the commemorative First Day's vases, made at the new Etruria works and decorated at the Chelsea atelier in 1769. The style proved popular both at home and abroad for much of the last quarter of the 18th century and was seen on vases, jardinières, decorative plaques (see lot 8 this sale) as well as tea and tablewares.

In her book Memorials of Wedgwood (London, 1874) Eliza Meteyard discusses Wedgwood's use of antique forms and illustrates several forms in section including one form very similar to that of the present jardinières, for a re-printing of this work by the Buten Museum of Wedgwood see Eliza Meteyard, Wedgwood Trio (Merion, 1967), pp. 155-6.

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