Derby Porcelain Cotton Stem Painter Water Bottle Guglet c.1760

A rare early Derby porcelain water bottle, known contemporaneously as a guglet because of the sound of the water pouring from it. Of bulbous shape, decorated in the style of the cotton-stem painter with four large floral sprays around the main body and many scattered smaller sprays dotted all over. With a flared neck with raised rib for gripping, edged in gilt with a sawtooth gilt rim. c.1760.

Reference: Ceramics Of Derbyshire edited by Bradley, plate 122 for a similarly decorated example of this form.

It measures 23cm (9") high and 12.5cm (4 7/8") wide. 

Condition is very good: there has been a neat repair to a small area of the rim and a small, shallow chip to the foot rim. This latter coincides with one of three evenly spaced grooves in the foot which would have assisted in the firing process to prevent the foot sticking or to free it from the kiln floor and so the chip may have occurred during this manufacturing process. No other damage and no restoration. The gilt to the rim has faded somewhat and a little also to the gilt bands around the neck. Otherwise handling wear is very light with the enamels showing minimal loss.