Lot #: 361
Price Realized: $690.00
($600 hammer, plus 15% buyer's premium)
PLEASE NOTE: This result is 9 years old, and the American ceramics market frequently changes. Additionally, small nuances of color, condition, shape, etc. can mean huge differences in price. If you're interested in having us sell a similar item for you, please contact us here.
Rare Large-Sized Stoneware Basin or Footbath with Relief Polar Bear, Sailing Ship, and Iceberg Motifs, attributed to Robinson Clay Product Co., Akron, Ohio origin, late 19th or early 20th century, with finely-molded relief design of polar bears atop icebergs on one side, the reverse with sailing ships and icebergs. Icicle motif around shoulder. Bung holes at base on opposite sides. Cobalt highlights throughout. This design was probably inspired by the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration, which began in the late 19th century and ended roughly two decades into the 20th century. Widely-popular stories of the harrowing travels of Antarctic explorers, such as Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton, brought images, such as that found on this basin, into mainstream culture. It is interesting to note, however, that either ignorance or artistic license was at play in the construction of this piece, as polar bears are not indigenous to Antarctica. Exceptional form. Provenance: A fresh-to-the-market example, purchased by the consignor many years ago. Chips to interior of rim. A minor nick to one bung hole and a shallow chip to one iceberg. H 8 7/8" ; Diameter (across top) 16 1/4".
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