Style/technique: Art nouveau arts &
crafts
Manufacturer: Craven
Dunnill
Dimensions: 2" x
6"
Date: circa
1900
A rare and fascinating tile, a dramatic
design handpainted with flair and movement, the
lines of the stems foretelling art nouveau. The
line painting is in ruby (copper) lustre and the
leaves a most rare platinum set on a mushroom
coloured background. Excellent skill of the
artist and feel of the subject for the lines
have perfect flow despite the complexity of the
curves.
The nature of the process being unpredictable
the results were uncertain, the platinum appears
slightly worn in the image this may be the
artist's intent but with such rare arts &
crafts tiles it can be difficult to determine
what the artist intended and whether the effect
seen is what the artist intended.. As there is
no surface wear and the red lustre which is
usually vulnerable to scratches and wear is
perfect as is the glaze surface it seems
inconceivable that solely the platinum would
have worn and so must be intended or at least an
acceptable result of the technique.
Darker marks towards the right are in
manufacture, the glaze is most unusual,
difficult to describe. Such mushroomy colours
were technically difficult to achieve and the
smudges appear to be concentrated stain for the
glaze almost as if the artist was mixing the
glaze as they painted. There is some colour
variation, intended, in the glaze and so one
would expect the cause being pooling but it is
prefectly level.
A superb, interesting near unique tile, much
more appealling in the hand than in the image
natural light bringing out the colour and
reflection of the lustres. I must do better
pictures!
Condition: Near
perfect
Price: £125 (approx
$202)
Stock number: 03147B
A few minute glaze flakes right edge, the
smudge lower right looks like the artist spilt a
drop of stain and wiped it off, the darker mark
upper right corner looks like that was how the
glaze was mixed, a variability that expresed
itself as seen.