An important West Pans armorial teapot and cover, circa 1770

the fluted ovoid body painted on each side with the unauthorised arms of Tod, or Todd, of Scotland, argent, a fess gules between three foxes heads, couped, the crest a fox rampant, within a puce leaf and scroll rococo cartouche with trailing flower sprays, beneath the motto OPORTET VIVERE on a ribbon band, damaged and repaired.

Christie's, London, 25th November 1991, lot 212
The Tony Stevenson Collection, Christie's, London, 11th March 1996, lot 68

Stoke-on-Trent, Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Digging for Early Porcelain, 1998, illustrated in the exhibition catalogue,  p. 29, fig. 14

'Miscellany of Pieces', E.C.C. Transactions, vol. 15, part 3, p. 393
Colin Hanley, 'A West Pans Teapot Bearing Unauthorised Arms of "Tod of Scotland" - but which Tod of Scotland', N.C.S Newsletter no. 156, 2009, p. 22-28.

The piece has some body cracks in the base, which have once been secured with four rivets, these have since been removed and the holes filled. There is a restored chip to the tip of the spout.
"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."

Tod is the Scots word for Fox and the majority of Todd families were based in the Highlands of Scotland. Armorials on West Pans porcelain are rare, a jug bearing the arms of Sir James Adolphus Dickenson Oughton from the Frank Wheeldon collection was sold at Bonhams, London, 23rd January 2008, lot 16. For a full discussion of this teapot see Colin Hanley’s N.C.S paper, cited above.