A rare Royal Worcester jewelled 'Countess of Dudley' service teapot and cover, dated 1867

by Samuel Ranford, James Callowhill and Thomas Scott Callowhill, the ovoid body raised on three gilt paw feet, painted with two female portrait medallions reserved against a gilt ground highlighted with graduated turquoise jewelling and raised gold dots,  the handle, spout and medallion frames with clusters of white jewelling, the feet with a red factory mark, date numeral 67 and mark T. & J. Callowhill 1867, cover repaired.

The Geoffrey Godden Collection
Acquired from Christo Antiques, London, 17th June 1992

Teapot- some typical wear to gilding around the rim.Very minor losses to white jewelling on spout. Cover- broken in two and repaired.
"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 form comes from a Déjeuner produced in 1865-66 when the then Director of the Royal Worcester Factory, R. W. Binns was approached to create a set for the Countess of Dudley. The Déjeuner was presented on behalf of the city of Worcester to the Earl and Countess of Dudley upon their marriage. William Ward, 11th Baron Ward, 1st Earl of Dudley married his second wife Georgina Elisabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Moncreiffe, 7th Baronet and Lady Louisa Hay-Drummond, on 21st November 1865. Lord Ward was a great patron of the Arts who also had a financial interest in the business.

In 1867 the original Déjeuner was borrowed by the factory to make duplicates and was exhibited at the Paris exhibition. It seems likely that this teapot was produced as a spare with the intention of showing at exhibitions. Only three additional teapots are known, the present two and another in the Worcester Porcelain Museum, Worcester, museum no. 2428. The Bridal Déjeuner was sold at Phillips London, 6th June 2001, lot 529. R. W. Binns describes the Déjeuner at great length in his Worcester China, a Record of 45 years (1897):

‘Jewelled work was decided upon as a rich and appropriate novelty in which to carry out the Dudley Presentation Service. The border of the plateau and the whole surface of the other pieces were overlaid with gold, and upon this, in geometric lines and perfectly graduated size, were set innumerable turquoises of enamel; between these, in similar form and also graduated, were tiny spots of burnished gold. This treatment formed a lustrous diaper over every piece of the service, but the surface was broken by the introduction of panels. On the plateau an inscription filled a circle in the centre, while above, below, and on either hand appeared the Arms of Worcester, the Dudley and the Montcliffe Arms, and an interlaced monogram respectively. On the smaller pieces, a medallion on either side contained a classic female head beautifully painted in enamel.’