One very tiny and three minute rim chips,
decoration very nearly flawless. Style: Aesthetic Movement Japanesque These are really rare tiles, aesthetic
japonesque waterscapes of cranes feeding and
bamboo growing on islands, wonderfully free hand
painted with a black outline and coloured with
gold, platinum and rhodium. Austwicks report
that Mintons employed two japanese artists
around 1880 and this may be their work,
certainly captures the feel of japanese art
rather than an anglicised version, really superb
sensitive artwork.. Probably from a series of twelve, all have
the same pattern number (Mintons Ltd used one
number per series/colourway) others have seen
decorated in colour which were probably tinted
prints but it's been a while and I can't recall.
These precious metal tiles are certainly hand
painted, no evidence or possibility of a print
with the sensitivity of the gilt lines little
more than a hair's breadth. The pattern number
has the 'S' prefix which is rare and which I
have only seen on freehand painted tiles by
established artists for example Antoine
Boullemeir and likely stands for 'special'. Platinum of course has the metallic
appearance of silver, the catalogue descibes
similarly decorated tiles as gold and silver but
silver would oxidise in the atmosphere. Platinum
hadn't found many uses in the late 19thC, a by
product of the refining of then useful metals
like copper and nickel it was probably
relatively inexpensive compared to nowadays. It
was pretty much unheard of and of course
customers seeing the effect would say silver and
so it was called. Gilding is usually burnished as decoration,
it is left unburnished on things like urn
handles but when used to fill in prints or
painted decorations it is usually burnished with
agate tools. That only works as filling in
because without the reflected light it looses
it's appeal, slender burnished gilt lines
disappear. So this platinum and gold is
unburnished that the artwork may be seen and yet
still catches the light with brilliance, a kind
of silky shine rather than bright metallic shine
of polished metal. Quite unique really. And lets
not forget the rhodium red, like dragon red,
rich and alive it is a fabulous colour. These precious metals are rare in nature and
so are highly priced, chemically quite inert
they are often used as jewellery. They,
especially gold, are not so hardwearing
particularly when compared to glaze which is
essentially glass or molten sand which is so
hard that it is used as abrasive material
(sandblasting, glasspaper) so the decoration on
such tiles is often subject to wear but these
are in fine or better condition. The tile
biscuit and glazing is excellent too, some
minute glazing flaws but these would not have
been considered flaws at the time for otherwise
they would not have been used for such exclusive
tiles, they are first quality. A very rare group
of tiles. Half a dozen minute rim chips, the fine gilt
lines of the background hills and ripples on the
water worn towards the left side. A solitary minute chip left edge. Four minute rim chips, some slight touches of
wear to the fine gilt lines of the background hills
and ripples on the water towards the left side. How the decoration catches the light.
Condition: Near perfect
Price: £480 (approx $614)
Stock number: 03786
Technique: Painted in presious
metals
Manufacturer: Mintons
Dimensions: 6" x 6"
Date: circa 1880
Condition: Very fine
Price: £380 (approx $486)
Stock number: 03787
Condition: Near perfect
Price: £495 (approx $634)
Stock number: 03788
Condition: Near perfect
Price: £485 (approx $621)
Stock number: 03790
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