Figural Émaux Ombrants Tiles by George Cartlidge
Style/technique: Figural émaux ombrants Manufacturer: Sherwin & Cotton Artist: George Cartlidge Dimensions: 6" x 12" Date: circa 1900   A rare and superb pair of tiles modelled by the famous sculptor and designer George Cartlidge. Featuring the excellent subjects of classical musicians, a violinist and a flautist. In superb condition and of excellent manufacture and signed with the artist's monogram an interlocking G & C. Glaze pooling can be distracting with the highly translucent glazes used but these pair have just a little pooling along one edge which is hardly noticable. Raised relief is very slight, most of the detail is achieved by moulding into the body of the tile known as indented or intaglio. The glaze colour is a wonderful mid brown which shows the detail superbly. Émaux Ombrants is a truly difficult technique to manufacture, a literal (as possible) translation of the french gives a good clue to the complexity; "enamel shadows". Like majolica and other glazing techniques it uses the transparency of glazes to produce it's effect but it is the negative transparency, the shadows, that define Émaux Ombrants. The glazes had to be highly translucent but rich in colour to give intensity and depth where pooled, and also had to be self levelling. The best use for the technique is images of nature; portraits and plants, the superior moulding and glazing gives the vision of lifelike shadows behind the subject. Unlike majolica tiles the glaze surface of an Émaux Ombrants tile is almost flat, not embossed. The effect therefore is almost magical, the surface is smooth and almost flat but the image is crisp and has great depth, rather like a modern day holograph. It is a truly inspiring technique. These are quite the best pair of Émaux Ombrants by George Cartlidge we have seen for some while. Not the somber politicians and military men in dark, somber glazes albeit they are outstanding works of art. Here the subjects are happy in their work, the glaze is warm and appealing, the manufacturing quality and condition is excellent. The detail is fantastic, even the bottom string on the violin is depressed where touched by the bow. It would be nice to sell these tiles as a pair but we can see them equally well gracing two homes, especially those of a flute player and a violin player.
Condition: Very fine Price: £550 (approx $1100) Ref: 01781 Extremely light surface marks, some rubbing and light scratches. None can be seen when the tile is viewed normally, only when tilted to the light at an acute angle. UK Special Delivery £560 US and World Airsure £570 Click for full order Information Click to contact for more information
Condition: Very fine Price: £525 (approx $1050) Ref: 01782 Extremely light surface marks, some rubbing and light scratches. None can be seen when the tile is viewed normally, only when tilted to the light at an acute angle. UK Special Delivery £535 US and World Airsure £545 Click for full order Information Click to contact for more information
The image is full size at 72 dpi (about 430 pixels wide) in maximum quality JPEG format. A larger 120 dpi image also in maximum quality JPEG format can be forwarded by email if required. The image is a little oversize rather than cropped close to the edges so that the edges can easily be seen and any chips etc can be quickly spotted. Other marks described are usually not visible at all when the tile is viewed straight as one normally sees it and can only be seen with a critical eye when the tile is tilted to catch imperfections in reflected light. For more details of how we describe marks see Condition. To see current dollar price and convert price to other currencies try this Universal Currency Converter.

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