RARE: Early 19th Century Wedgwood Rosso Antico Egyptian Revival Sugar Bowl
Item History & Price
An early 19th century English rosso antico stoneware Egyptian revival sugar bowl with terra cotta colored body with raised, stylized geometric lotus ornament and applied or sprigged, black Egyptian motifs, including large falcon's wings, alternating with sphinxes, Horus-like figures and various animals, a seated dog, an owl and croc...odile, with black crocodile finial. The fashion for Egyptian themed wares was inspired by Horatio Nelson’s victory at the Battle of the Nile. Wedgwood and other makers responded with a series of teawares that made use of ancient hieroglyphics, although at the time these were purely decorative as their meanings weren't discovered until 1822.
Dimensions: Height: 82mm, Width: 131mm, Depth: 110mm
This is displayed at museums. Following is the description from a museum in Australia:Sucrier (sugar bowl and lid), 'Rosso Antico', stoneware, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons, Etruria Works, Staffordshire, England, c. 1805
Physical DescriptionA circular sugar bowl of red earthenware which is designed in Egyptian style with lug handles and a domed cover. The bowl is decorated around the rim with a geometric band of applied black basaltes stoneware. The lid is surmounted by a knop in the form of a black basaltes crocodile. The rim of the lid is bordered with a frieze of applied Egyptian (and pseudo Egyptian) motifs in black basaltes. They include stylised hawk's wings, the god Horus in falcon form, two crocodiles, a canopic jar and the god Horus in griffon form. Adjacent to these motif there are a scattering of hieroglyphs (some real, some invented)MarksImpressed under base of bowl 'WEDGWOOD'