Antique Ceramics at The Best Things

Traditionally, ceramics have been the collecting domain of the rich. European kings collected ceramics as far back as the 17th Century. Today many pieces still fall only within the reach of the wealthiest people, but the vast majority of antique ceramics are well within the range of the many collectors. Whether your taste is for the lush designs of Meissen or the classical designs of Wedgwood, we try to offer a broad selection of ceramics that will appeal to a broad cross-section of collectors. The only consistent theme here is quality.

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Brampton Salt Glaze Puzzle Jug

This is a classic Derbyshire brown stoneware salt glaze puzzle jug, probably made in the village of Brampton. These salt glaze puzzle jugs are largely evaluated based on the quality of their color. This one has fantastic color with just the kind of light and dark transitions that you want to see. The piercing is also quite good. The sprigging is unusual in that the potter has connect all of the sprigging at the base to create one contiguous scene. I don't recall seeing this done before. Clay has been had applied between each sprig at the base. You can still see the potters finger marks where this was done. The sprigging is all drinking related, with every imaginable toper sprig. This puzzle jug came out of an important puzzle jug collection that we bought and has not been on the market for 30 years. We are told that two of the nozzles have some restoration, but we would not have noticed that if it was not pointed out. It is extraordinarily done and absolutely does not detract. There is one tiny fleck, about 1/8" or less diameter, off of the base, and one similarly fleck off of underneath. In other words, great condition. There are no firing cracks, as are often scene on these Brampton puzzle jugs and Brampton tobys.

G++ with noted restorations

Price: $995.00

Wedgwood Dragon Lustre Bowl

This is a classic Daisey Makieg Jones designed piece of Wedgwood lustre ware. It is in the dragon lustre category. The shape is the popular octagonal bowl that was used on many of the Wedgwood lustre ware pieces. The width is 9 inches and the height is 4 1/2". The condition is immaculate. This piece is fresh to the market and has never been in a collector's hands before ours. (We have owned it for some years but have never offered it for sale in that time.) It was clearly never used as a bowl as the gold the bottom of the bowl is perfect. There is no noticeable wear of the delicate gold anywhere that I can see. Truly amazing condition on a very beautiful piece. The mark was hard to get a good photo of but it is the Portland Vase mark.

Fine

Price: $1395.00

Butterfly Lustre Bowl

This is a superb butterfly lustre bowl made around 1920 in Stoke-on-Trent by Fieldings, a small company producing very high quality goods. This piece is every bit as good as a Wedgwood, and was made at the same time as the famous Wedgwood Daisy Makieg Jones lustre pieces, but it is priced at about a third what a Wedgwood piece of this quality and design would be. Measures 10" in diameter. Some very light wear to the gold in the base and at the rim. The butterflies show no noticeable wear. We can not say enough about how good this piece is. The colors are spectacular, the design is exquisite, and the quality of manufacture is flawless.

G++

Price: $1595.00

Handled Majolica Dish - Gustavsberg, Sweden

This is a beautiful large plate or dish by Gustavsberg. Unusual Art Nouveau like decor in majolica glaze. 10 7/8" in diameter. The plate has crazing throughout but is in good condition otherwise. My favorite majolica plate!

G++

Price: $145.00

Majolica Plate (1), Gustavsberg, Sweden

Very pretty majolica plate, I like the more "understated" majolika colors. 9 1/2" in diameter. The plate has crazing throughout and one tiny fleabite on the rim where the top glaze has come off.

G++

Price: $75.00

Majolica Plate, Rorstrand, Sweden

Nice majolica plate by Rorstrand this time. Very decorative. 8 3/4" in diameter. The plate has crazing throughout and there are some rubs to the glaze on the leaves.

G++

Price: $75.00

Pair of Majolica Candle Sticks, Rörstrand, Sweden

Pair of 19th Century majolica candle holders by the Rorstrand factory in Sweden. Interesting and unusual design. The same mold has been used for the 2 items but the colors are slightly different. They measure 4 3/4" high and 4 1/4" wide. Both have crazing and minor glaze rubs and one of them has a larger chip to the glaze on the bottom. This can not be seen unless you lift it up. An interesting pair.