19th Century Villeroy & Boch Mettlach Ceramic Punch Bowl & Underplate 2339-1028 Pug Dwarfs - 2 Pieces

Details

Description

Offered here is a large stoneware ceramic punch bowl with matching underplate manufactured by Villeroy & Boch at their plant … Read more Offered here is a large stoneware ceramic punch bowl with matching underplate manufactured by Villeroy & Boch at their plant in Mettloch. The impressed date code on both the bowl and the plate indicates this set was manufactured in 1898. Model No. is 2339-1028, and it is in V & B's PUG line (meaning the design was made from a printed transfer under the glaze, is smooth to the touch, and has a shiny finish). (This set originally came with a lid and ladle as well, but those have been lost to history and are not included as part of this listing).

The bottom of the bowl has a stamp, "SCHUTZ". I've been unable to definitively establish what this means. Gebrüder Schütz produced majolica ceramics in Austria in the late 1800s, but I can't find a connection between him and V & B. I also found someone named Hans W. Schultz who produced designs for V & B between 1885 and 1914, but his name is spelled SCHULTZ (with an L), while the stamp on this punch bowl is definitely SCHUTZ. So, what the SCHUTZ mark means remains a mystery ... at least to me.

The pattern on this bowl is a "dwarf takeoff" on the story, "The Boys with the Grapes," which is based on the Bible story of The Promised Land. (I'll put a portion of the story at the end of this listing). There are several vignettes happening around the belly of this punch bowl. First are two dwarfs manually turning a wooden wine press; another dwarf is catching the juice in a pitcher he holds over a wooden trough. In the next vignette, two more dwarfs are gleefully tasting the brew while sitting in front of a large wine barrel. (One of these chaps is wearing a crown and has an orb & septre next to him, so presumably is a king). Moving to the opposite side of the bowl, the next vignette shows a dwarf cutting grapes from a vine with a large curved knife and placing them in a basket behind him; then the next one shows two dwarfs carrying a very large cluster of grapes suspended from a pole, each one having one end of the pole resting on his shoulder.

Measurements of bowl: stands about 10 1/2" tall (measuring up to the top of the handles). The outer rim of the opening measures about 9" in diameter. From the outermost edge of one handle across to the outermost edge of the other handle is a bit difficult to measure with accuracy, but it's approximately 17 inches. Base footprint measures 8" in diameter.

Measurement of underplate: About 17 1/2" in diameter.

Condition: If you are familiar with antique ceramic punch bowls, you know that the interiors are nearly always covered in ugly stains. Not this one! The interior is in pristine condition!

The underplate has one shallow chip on the UNDERSIDE of the rim (see close up photo), which is not visible when the plate is upright. The underplate also has a pale, crescent shaped stain on the inner ivory colored section. (See close up photo - the stain arcs over my outspread fingers).

The punch bowl has only one flaw - at some point in its life, one of the handles broke off cleanly and was reattached. (See close up photos of the crack lines at the top and bottom of the handle where the breaks occurred). Cosmetically, this repair is nearly invisible. However, as a result of the repair, it is NOT ADVISABLE TO LIFT THE BOWL BY THE HANDLES.

It's very rare to find a set this old still together, and also in such fabulous condition. An absolutely incredible piece of history.

If you are a collector of antique punch bowls, you've just found a super rare set in fabulous condition to add to your collection. Will be packed with care and shipped with GOBS of packing material.

Please take note that this stoneware set is a weighty work of art - it weighs 15 POUNDS before adding the weight of the large box and gobs of packing material!

And now, if you've read this far and are still interested, here's a portion of the Bible story behind "The Boys with the Grapes":

“At last they came to a place just on the border between the desert and Canaan, called Kadesh, or Kadesh-barnea. Here they stopped to rest, for there were many springs of water and some grass for their cattle. While they were waiting at Kadesh-barnea, and were expecting soon to march into the land which was to be their home, God told Moses to send onward some men who should walk through the land, and look at it, and then come back and tell what they had found; what kind of a land it was, and what fruits and crops grew in it, and what people were living in it. The Israelites could more easily win the land, if these men after walking through it could act as their guides, and point out the best places in it and the best plans of making war upon it. There was need of wise and bold men for such a work as this, for it was full of danger.

So Moses chose out some men of high rank among the people, one ruler from each tribe, twelve men in all. One of these was Joshua, who was the helper of Moses in caring for the people, and another was Caleb, who belonged to the tribe of Judah. These twelve men went out, and walked over the mountains of Canaan, and looked at the cities, and saw the fields. In one place, just before they came back to the camp, they cut down a cluster of ripe grapes which was so large that two men carried it between them, hanging from a staff. They named the place where they found this bunch of grapes Eshcol, a word which means “a cluster.” These twelve men were called “spies,” because they went “to spy out the land.” See less