Object Description
A rare and exceptional stylish Bretby Art Nouveau pottery ewer decorated in bronze and matt black glazes dating from around 1905.
Bretby Pottery was founded in 1882 by Henry Tooth and William Ault. Henry Tooth formerly helped to establish Linthorpe Pottery in 1879 working under the influences of Christopher Dresser and purchased some of the Linthorpe molds for use at Bretby. He very quickly gained recognition and Bretby won a gold medal at the 1884 Crystal Palace Exhibition. Henry Tooth took over the Bretby pottery on his own from 1887 and it continued until its closure in 1996.
This is a wonderful and interesting example of British Art Pottery at its best and despite the simple shape of the body the ewer is hugely embellished by the scrolling open strap work handle which originates from the base of the vase and is decorated in wonderful bronze glaze. The ewer has impressed marks to the base along with a painted T mark probably for Henry Tooth and is numbered 1584 dating it from around 1905.