English White Salt-glazed Stoneware Camel Teapot, Circa 1745-60

English White Salt-glazed Stoneware Camel Teapot.

Circa 1745-60.

The white stoneware slip-cast teapot is modelled as a sitting camel, its legs tucked under its body.  Sitting on its back is a howdah with an image of a man sitting within.  The mouth of the camel is open to form the spout. Down each side of the spout are stylized dolphins.  The handle appears to be a snake but is decorated with molded fruits.

Reference:  A Collector's History of English Pottery, Griselda Lewis, page 75, top image for a similar teapot in the Collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a camel teapot, The Helen and Carleton Macy Collection, Gift of Carleton Macy, 1934, Accession Number: 34.165.183a, b.

Winterthur also has an example, 1958.0903 Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont (http://libraryrevealed.winterthur.org/meaning-revealed/case-study-teapot/).

The Fitzwilliam Museum has another similar example (https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/75552).

The V & A has an example from the Lady Charlotte Schreiber Collection.  They note that Lady Charlotte wrote in her 1882 journal that she bought a 'fine Camel teapot' off the dealer De Vries. She notes, 'I carried off a fine Camel teapot of salt glaze which was too good to leave behind, and which I told him I would consider a present, though of course I shall send him back a money equivalent.' This could refer to this teapot or Sch.II.113&A.

(Ref: NY10196-nrrr)

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

Condition report

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