England, circa 1870, attributed to Charles Hurten, the turquoise field is decorated allover with gilt arabesques and raised enamels, the gilded handle is applied above a gilt medallion of a human mask; two flanking serpents at the lower terminus and two additional serpents at the upper terminus, their heads extending over the rim, removable socle base, the bottom printed with Copeland green mark.

16.75 in.

Private Collection, Chapel Hill, NC

Charles Ferdinand Hurten (1822-1901) was a German artist, who studied in Europe before securing a position at Spode in 1858, which was then trading under the name WT Copeland, where he achieved artistic fame.

A smaller pitcher with similar decoration on a darker blue ground was acquired in 1852 for the Victorian & Albert Museum in London, following the Great Exhibition for the Museum of Ornamental Art (museum number 453-1852).

See lot 395 in Christie's sale 1365 (23 April 2004) for a pair of ewers of similar form.

Some wear at the base of the ewer above the socle; break and repair to socle; small defect to the lower right serpent.

$400 - 800