Victoria Pottery Company Majolica Strawberry Basket

Victorian

Circa 1882–1889 | England

An exceedingly rare piece of antique nineteenth century majolica by the short-lived firm the Victoria Pottery Company (see The Gen). This basket is a fine example of the work from this firm. It is beautifully moulded and glazed and the decoration leans heavily towards the examples seen in George Jones strawberry pieces. A brown basketweave basket is heavily decorated with strawberry blossoms and leaves all the way round meeting in the centre of each handle with a bunch of just blushingly ripe strawberries (see The Gen). One for the collectors!

DIMENSIONS: Length 32 cm, Height 14.5 cm.

SIGNATURES, MARKINGS & INSCRIPTIONS: Marked with an X.

CONDITION: The basket is in very good condition with wear consistent with antique age and use. There is crazing mostly in the inner centre turquoise glaze. There has been professional restoration to some leaves in the centre just below the handles and there are some slight chips to these leaves, perhaps also restoration to the handle but this is difficult to discern. There is also some staining to the base. Otherwise, it is in remarkable condition for its age.

REFERENCES: For an example of a similarly styled strawberry basket by Victoria Pottery Company see the very interesting article on the pottery at Glazed and Confused.

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THE GEN

The Victoria Pottery Company was established by partners James Robinson, Edward James Leadbeater & Robert Leason in Stoke-on-Trent in 1882. The following year Robert Leason left the business and notice of the departure was published in the London Gazette on 6 November 1883. Robinson and Leadbeater continued the business for a further six years.

In Jewitt’s Ceramic Art of Britain 1800–1900 Jewitt states “The works of this company, in Lonsdale Street, were established in 1882 by Messrs. Robinson, Leadbeater & Leason for the manufacture of the higher classes of majolica and ivory or cream-coloured earthenware. In these, they produced all the usual varieties of useful and ornamental goods; the dessert services, game-pie dishes and other articles were of more than average excellence. The firm was of a very short duration.” (Jewitt’s Ceramic Art of Britain 1800–1900, Geoffrey A. Godden, Arco Publishing Company, 1972, p. 136)

“Strawberries! The hothouse trend created a secondary craze for strawberries — home grown, with any luck. Tableware created specifically for serving the fruit was manufactured in many elegant styles, generally decorated with painted or molded strawberry plants.” (Majolica: American & European Wares, Jeffrey B. Snyder, Schiffer Publishing Company, 1994, p. 20)

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