Cobalt Blue and White Ceramic Duck-Shaped Lidded Tureen

At 17.5 cm tall and 32 cm wide, this cobalt blue and white ceramic duck-shaped lidded tureen, with its feather-style decoration and scroll accents, is part serving vessel and part sculpture, the confident whimsy of the duck form combined with the quality of the cobalt and white decoration producing a piece that is as much a decorative object as a functional one.

Made in the 20th century by an unidentified maker, this duck tureen belongs to the tradition of novelty and figural ceramic serving vessels that has been a feature of European decorative pottery since the 18th century, when the great porcelain factories of Meissen, Sevres, and Chelsea produced elaborate figural tureens in the forms of animals, birds, and vegetables for the aristocratic table. The duck form, with its rounded body, upswept tail, and distinctive head forming the lid handle, is one of the most enduring subjects in this tradition, and this example, in cobalt blue and white with feather-style decoration and scroll accents, renders the form with a decorative richness that gives the piece considerable visual appeal. The feather-style decoration, which covers the body of the tureen with a pattern that suggests the texture of the duck's plumage, is rendered with care and precision, and the scroll accents add a formal note that connects the piece to the European decorative tradition. The piece is in very good condition throughout.

• Maker: Unknown
• Dimensions: 17.5 cm (H) x 32 cm (W)
• Condition: Very Good
• Features: Duck-shaped lidded form, cobalt blue and white feather-style decoration, scroll accents
• Period: 20th century
• SKU: SKU-00167

A striking and unusual decorative piece for the collector of blue and white ceramics or figural serving vessels. Pairs naturally with the blue and white geometric floral ginger jar and the wider Blues and Whites collection.