Copeland Majolica Ewer, ca. 1870
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GUEST:
I found this at Brimfield about a year ago.
APPRAISER:
So tell me right off the bat, how much did you pay for it?
GUEST:
$75.
APPRAISER:
Okay.
GUEST:
The man I purchased it from said that that's what he paid for it at auction, and he just wanted rid of it.
APPRAISER:
Well, let's talk about what it is. A lot of people would call it a jug or a pitcher, but I would call it a wine ewer. And at the time it was made, the Italian Renaissance was very much part of the modern taste.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
Even for a house like this one we're in right now, the big houses of Newport, they loved the Italian Renaissance style. And so they bought pieces of the actual Italian Renaissance that you can see in some of the great Newport mansions. And they also bought things that kind of looked in that style.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
But this would have been very popular. I'm talking about the late 19th century. The 1870s was kind of a high point of what we call Renaissance Revivalism. And a number of potters made things that spoke to that style, including the English potter Copeland. Now, when we talk about English majolica-- and this is a great example of that, majolica referring to the colors, the glazes on it-- there are a number of makers that come to mind, the best-known being Minton and also Wedgwood, made... These two big firms made great majolica. But Copeland were a slightly smaller firm, but very respectable. And they made, in my opinion, some of the best majolica that was made in England. The quality of the modeling is superb. And I looked it over, and I think it's in perfect condition. Which is unusual for something of this age and fragility, so I think you did great. It's not a hugely valuable thing, but I'm going to say, in a good auction, this is going to bring four or five times what you paid, but let's put it in an antiques shop, in a retail setting like you bought it. I think it's $700 in a good antique shop.
GUEST:
Thank you.
APPRAISER:
Very nice thing.
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