Collectable Tiles

Very Rare Wedgwood 8" Fox Print & Majolica Tile

Style/technique: Pictorial transfer print with majolica glazes

Manufacturer: Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Pattern number: M1602A

Dimensions: 8" x 8"

Date: circa 1885

A superb and rare illustration of a fox peering out from behind an oak tree, one of a limited series known as Fresco Heads produced by Wedgwood. Brilliantly glazed in highly translucent and richly coloured glazes. This series is rare in six inch plain prints, in eight inch majolica glazed prints it is exceptionally rare.
Very possibly from a design by Henry Hope Crealock who was a noted military man and war artist and reached the rank of Lt General. He is also noted for his drawing of hunting scenes and in his 'off-peak' times on military deployments he illustrated wild animals in their natural habitat. It is unlikely that he designed these specifically for Wedgwood, the ceramic trades around Stoke on Trent were in the habit of copying illustrations from books and other sources.

Usually found on six inch tiles this is rare as an eight inch. Rarer still are the translucent glazes overpainting a transfer print, a technique that only Wedgwood and Marsden used to any extent. Probably the influence of George Marsden as he was then employed at Wedgwood pressing the company to keep up to date with technical and material advances in tile manufacture. Often suggested to be 1870s I am not convinced that these glazes were then technically possible, mid 1880s seems more likely although the patterns in single colour print may have been introduced earlier. The translucent pink inglaze colour for the fox's tongue and eye was especially difficult and generally not found inglaze until around 1890 and even then infrequently.

Verso a little grubby and slightly stained, clear embossed Wedgwood etc, pattern number written in stain.

Condition: Fairly good
Price: £260 (approx $535)

Ref: 02803

Quite a few chips around the edges, perhaps a couple of dozen in all though none at all large. One deep scratch near the fox's right ear whch breaks through the glaze and general light scratches and light wear where the glaze is a fraction higher, mostly the dark outline so it doesn't show too much. Most marks not visible when viewed reasonably directly from normal viewng distance (2 - 3 feet), the tile displays excellent as seen in the image.

UK Special Delivery £270

US and World Airsure £280

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The image is full size at 72 dpi (about 570 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. Surface 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.

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