My Score of the Week

I was at a small dinner for John Robshaw a few years ago, and the host of the dinner asked the disparate group of guests to each answer the same question – what would you do with your life if you didn’t need to worry about anything. My answer was that I’d like to have a small shop. It was a top-of-the-head answer, but I realized that’s one thing I’d like to do. And further, I realized that I am a hunter – I love the process of hunting up great finds, and then once I have them, most of the thrill is gone.

Of course, all of this is a long way of telling you what I found last week at a sale I attended.

As soon as I spotted these pitchers with their old pewter lids, I snatched them right up and started making a pile. I got a few other treasures, but these were the first thing that caught my eye.

Each of the pitchers is very detailed, and the pewter lids fit perfectly. They date from the mid-1800’s and are in perfect condition.

Their shapes are so classical and at the same time, sculptural.

Even the lids are great looking. When I went to load everything in the car, one of the lids fell open and I found a piece of paper stuck inside. These are apparently antique English syrup pitchers, although I am slightly suspicious of that description, as I think that they’re rather large to have served syrup (10” to 15” tall). These aren’t marked, but since they’re from a reputable company, I am taking their word that they’re English antiques. I have a suspicion that they’re Parian Ware, a bisque porcelain because of their matte sort of glaze. I found a very similar piece on 1st Dibs. I got a great bargain on this, something like 98.3% off the price listed in the catalogue!