John Watson & Son

later inscribed Maude Josepha Whyte, Nov. 16th 1919 

repair to hinge, bead border worn, has been electroplated after.
"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 teapot was a present to Lady Maude Whyte (1859-1933) on the occasion of her 60th birthday. Aunt Maudie as she was called, was the sister of Clementine's mother and Mary's maternal great aunt. Mary considered her as a 'grandmother' figure in her life and would often stay with her 'at No. 56 Lansdowne Road, W11, in an elegant but rather shabby gentility ...then... considered "very far out"', and also called by Mary's grandmother 'The Wild West.' In her biography, Mary Soames described what seems to have been the perfect childhood beach holidays at Buck's Cottage in North Devon with Aunt Maudie, her sister Sarah and Nana, their beloved nanny who was Aunt Maudie's daughter and who came to live with the Churchill family in September 1921 (Mary Soames, A Daughter's Tale, Doubleday, London, 2011, pp.53-56).