Wedgwood Majolica Nautilus Shell Spoon Warmer, Circa 1879

Details

Description

Wedgwood Majolica Nautilus Shell Spoon Warmer, Circa 1879

A wonderfully theatrical piece of Victorian majolica, modeled as a great nautilus … Read more Wedgwood Majolica Nautilus Shell Spoon Warmer, Circa 1879

A wonderfully theatrical piece of Victorian majolica, modeled as a great nautilus shell that lifts at one end into a tightly coiled scroll and settles onto a base of breaking waves. The ribbed exterior is striped in amaranth, a deep reddish-purple, banded with pale blue and white, and the whole thing opens onto an interior of vivid turquoise that catches the light from across a room. The upper edge and the curling tail are washed in a soft olive-gray, and the wave base finishes in a narrow ribbon of yellow glaze.

It began life as a spoon warmer, filled with hot water and set on the Victorian sideboard so serving spoons would not chill the food on their way to the table. Today it is far more useful as a piece of sculpture. Set it on a bar cart or a console where the turquoise interior can be seen, use it on a bathroom vanity for rolled hand towels or soaps, or let it hold pens and letter openers on a desk. It reads beautifully against dark wood or a deep-toned wall, and it is a natural anchor for a shelf of shells, coral, or other marine subjects. In a dining room it still earns its keep as a serving-spoon rest.

The color palette is the unusual part. Most surviving examples of this Wedgwood model turn up in yellows and browns, so the amaranth and pale blue striping makes this one genuinely hard to find.

Dimensions
Height: 5 inches (12.7 cm)
Length: 8 inches (20.3 cm)
Depth: 4 inches (10.2 cm)

Marks
Impressed WEDGWOOD above the three-letter date code WOH, with an impressed star to the left and S to the right. Painted in red script, M2954 with M below. In the Wedgwood system the final letter of the date code carries the year, and H corresponds to 1879.

Provenance
Private collection; formerly with Charles Washburn.

(Ref: ny8118-umxx) See less