A collection of bourdaloues sent collecting pulses racing at the recent Lincoln Collective sale on September 2nd and 3rd.
From a private collection formed over a period of years these most unusual vessels again proved if an item is rare enough and of sufficient high quality, it can command top prices and followings from buyers across the world.
It helps of course that Golding Young has a worldwide audience and with several lines of advertising from our own website to blogs and live selling, we again find the right buyers who spend big when the rare pieces come onto the market.
These ultra rare vessels are definitely not to be confused with milk or cream jugs, even though with their shaped handles and slipper form they at first glances could be.
They are in fact for a very different purpose: to relieve the 18th and 19th century ladies of the day whenever they were caught short, in a nutshell they are the Portaloo of the day.
Of course hygiene and fashion were different then. It was not easy to relieve yourself in a crinoline dress with many layers and to do it as lady like as possible when out and about was made more possible by these inventions.
Discreet enough to be carried in coaches or by servants (there were even some carry cases for these most personal of objects in the sale) they revolutionised the ability to go out without any unfortunate accidents occurring.
The humour of the day and the day in question was around 1780 onwards led to the foremost potters and porcelain designers making these and the sale included a number of rare pieces from Meissen to Chinese export porcelain and a selection of early 19th century blue and white examples from the best potters.
The travelling chamber pot would be a status symbol and these producers wanted to show off their wares hence the exquisite quality on what are humble potties.
Prices reflected this with £650 securing a lidded 18th century example beautifully decorated with landscapes, £100 bought a late but nicely decorated Meissen example sparsely adorned with summer flowers, A similar but earlier Sevres offering had the bidder at £450 caught short when £500 secured it and all in all solid prices for the many examples prove good advertising of rare and desirable items always pay dividends.
It puts to bed the notion that all porcelain and pottery is no longer wanted and also highlights the importance of using an RICS accredited firm like Golding Young in creating the highest bids for the most unusual of items.
