A Hispano-Moresque lustre pottery albarello (drug jar), Spain, 1425-50

of waisted concave form with a narrow shoulder, short cylindrical neck and slightly everted rim, on a thick broad foot, decorated in copper lustre and cobalt blue glazes with two bands of vine motifs in alternating colours

In generally good condition, with a chip to rim and minor abrasions along rim, with resulting loss to glaze, some pitting and abrasion to surface, notably external edges, small drill hole in base, lustre strong and bright, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This albarello is a fine example of a group of ceramics which are stylistically attributed to the Valencian town of Manises. The combination of cobalt blue and copper-red lustre is rare in fifteenth-century Spanish pottery, but Manises was already famed for its production of such wares in the late fourteenth century. Along with Paterna, it developed into one of the two most important Valencian centres of production of Hispano-Moresque pottery (for a general overview, see: Caiger-Smith 1973, pp.65-80). The orange-gold coloured lustre glaze produced in Manises, which was achieved with the use of a silver pigment and about a tenth part of copper, demanded a specialised firing process at much lower temperatures than other glazes and as such, was particularly admired (ibid, p.69 and 72). This albarello may be of the type poetically described as pots blaus regalats ("pots melted with blue") in a document of 1449 (see Ray 2000, p.89). According to Caviró, the pointed leaf, the looped flower, the fern ornament and Bryonia motif all date to 1425-1450 (Caviró 1991, p.158, fig. 158).