AA Auctions Ltd

Pot Lid:   'CIVET CAT, OXFORD'

Description:  A simply superb early lid from this world-famous university city which features a detailed picture of prowling civet cat in the centre. Single line border. Great quality print. 

Only a handful recorded and apparently never before offered on the open market. This example was dug up very recently and may be your only chance to add one to your collection!

The dried secretions from a gland on the rear end of a civet cat were used (and still are) in the perfumery business. This North American mammal was in fact not a cat but from the raccoon family. 

(see copy of extract from the book below regarding fascinating research re F. Rose & Co)

** Invaluable help and support has been provided to these pot lid listings by the authors of the fabulous book: 'Historical Guide to Advertising Pot Lids' by Houghton, Layden & Taylor - Thoroughly recommended at just £70 (softback) **

Era:  c1860-1870's

Diameter:    78mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Good  Just has a pretty insignificant small (3mm x 9mm) chip/flake on the underside of the outer rim (at 5 o'clock) which is only just visible on display and the odd one or two tiny old fleabites on the rim edge at the back (which as can be seen in the photos are all very minor) and is otherwise excellent.

Grade :   7.8       Estimate:   £1200-1500+     Reserve:     £1200

Pot Lid:    'GENUINE RUSSIAN BEARS GREASE, LONDON'

Description:  An attractive small Bears Grease pot lid (similar to lot #4) featuring a standing bear in its natural habitat. Superb fine quality print. Domed top. Unusual in having no retailer's name but still mentioning 'London'. Nice fancy border

** ONE OF 20 BEARS GREASE LIDS IN THIS SALE **

Era:  c1860-1870's

Diameter:    60mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Fair/Good   Just has a medium (3mm x 28mm) chip/chunk off the back rim (which doesn't show at all on display), 2 totally insignificant and very small (2-3mm) shallow flakes on the very inside of the back rim, a microscopic (<1mm) pinhead fleabite on the back rim edge and just a faint patch of subtle stain on the side wall in one small area only and is otherwise very good. (the tiny line between the 'U' & 'I' of Genuine is in the print) 

Grade :  6.8         Estimate:   £100-150     Reserve:    N/R

Pot Lid:    'WHITAKER & GROSSMITH'

Description:  Another bears grease from a London chemist. This time a large version featuring a detailed standing bear. Particularly good quality print. Fancy border. Scarce in this size.

Era:  c1870-80's

Diameter:  85mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Fair/Good  Has a medium (3mm x 19mm) old chip off the back rim (not visible at all on display), a much smaller (3mm x 15mm) shallow chip also on the back rim (as well as 4 insignificant fleabites) and some equally insignificant glaze-lines/hairlines/glaze-crazing on the side wall and some superficial glaze-wear in the odd place on the very edge of the outside rim (hardly worth mentioning) and is otherwise very good indeed 

Grade :    6.8       Estimate:   £150-180     Reserve:    N/R

Pot Lid:   'GENUINE RUSSIAN BEARS GREASE'

Description:   One of over 20 pictorial bears grease lids in this sale, this appealing small example featuring a standing bear with mountains in the background and from an unknown London retailer. Nice thick 'wrap-around' border. Good strong print. Scarce and desirable (not dissimilar to lot #2 which has a domed top)

Era:  c1860-1870's

Diameter:    61mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Repaired   Has had professional restoration undertaken but the full extent is very difficult to ascertain due to the sheer quality. If you look very carefully you can just make out parts of the front face (between around 12 o'clock and 3 o'clock) has some repainting, but this is only really evident when viewed under a magnifying glass or the photo enlarged. Any restoration on the back flange is even more difficult to pin down (you can just make out some thin laquer on the back as well as some rust lines showing through too on the underside). Looks great on display

Grade :   Ungraded       Estimate:   £100-150     Reserve:     N/R

Pot Lid:   'BAYLEY & COMPys, LONDON'

Description:  Another superb pictorial lid (which also seems to feature a civet cat?) Fancy double border. Scarcely seen for sale, especially in such great undamaged condition. 

The dried secretions from a gland on the rear end of a civet cat were used (and still are) in the perfumery business. This North American mammal was in fact not a cat but from the raccoon family. 

Era:  c1870-1880's

Diameter:    85mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Excellent/ Mint  Superb condition with just some very subtle stain on the back rim only (hardly worth mentioning) and a totally superficial tiny (2mm max.) scratch on the very surface of the glaze on the face at 2 o'clock (which is so minor many people wouldn't even mention it, it's also barely visible without a magnifying glass) and would otherwise have been 10/10

Grade :   9.7       Estimate:   £600-800     Reserve:     N/R 

Pot Lid:      'GENUINE RUSSIAN BEARS GREASE'

Description:  Another decent bears grease lid, this time a 3" 'two bruins' example with a large fancy border and featuring a standing bear with another (with its tongue out) lying beside. Superb quality print. Unusual to see without damage. Delicately made. You'll struggle to find a better all round example. (see lot #14 for larger 3.25" version)

Era:  c1870-80's

Diameter:   75mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Mint  Superb mint condition 

Grade :  9.9        Estimate:   £100-150     Reserve:     N/R

Pot Lid:     HUNTING BEAR

Description:  Another scarce early bears grease lid this time a small 2.5" blue print example featuring a standing bear being attacked by uniformed men with sticks and a solitary dog. Particularly good print for one of these. Fancy beaded border.

** One of over 20 bears grease lids in this auction! **

Era:  c1870-80's

Diameter:   60mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Restored  It's nigh on impossible to tell for sure, but I've been told this has been in two halves. It's very difficult to see the join (even under a magnifying glass). The work that has been undertaken is to the very highest quality (possibly even Simon Bennett at his best). There is also meant to be some repair at the back. The only clue is that the back rim is slightly misshapen for around 2-3cm so it could be a chunk out of the rear rim that has also been restored. There is also a tiny (<1mm) totally insignificant fleabite on the back rim edge. The face seems totally original. Even after scrutiny it still looks mint, but is restored.

Grade :  Ungraded        Estimate:   £60-80+     Reserve:     N/R

Pot Lid:    'JAMES ATKINSON'S' BEARS GREASE'

Description:  A classic bears grease lid featuring a bear in chains from this popular London retailer. Superb quality print. Fancy herringbone border. (see other lots for larger variations)

** One of 20 bears grease lids in this sale! **

Era:  c1880-1890's

Diameter:  62mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Very Good/Excellent   Superb condition with just a very insignificant small (4mm) flake on the inside of the back rim which is impossible to see when on display and is otherwise mint

Grade :  9.0       Estimate:   £30-50     Reserve:     N/R

Pot Lid:   'JOHN GOSNELL & CO' BEARS GREASE

Description:  A very appealing early blue print lid featuring a standing bear from this famous chemist in Lombard Street, London. Very characterful bear. Beading outside a single line border. Scarce to find in such great condition

Era:  c1860-70's

Diameter:  67mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Very Good/Excellent   Superb condition with just two very small flakes on the very back of the rim (that could even have been caused during manufacture when taking the lid out of the kiln)

Grade :  9.0         Estimate:   £250-350      Reserve:     N/R

Pot Lid/Base:   'VERITABLE GRAISSE D'OURS'

Description:  A very appealing pictorial pot lid (text translated from French as 'Real Bears Grease') featuring a fabulously detailed single bear in its natural habitat with mountains and pine trees in the background and also featuring no less than 4 bears (also in great detail, albeit worn in places) in their natural surroundings on the matching base (a couple playing like bear cubs). Thick black line border. Really attractive pictorial bears grease lid/base combination.

Era:  c1860-80's

Dimensions:  Lid: 68mm diameter / Base & lid: 63mm tall  

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  LID:  Mint   Superb undamaged mint condition / BASE:  Very good  Just a small (2cm) curved glaze-line on the side, a tiny stain and small bruise on the very top of the rim (totally hidden when lid on top anyway) and some wear in places as mentioned above (where the print has come off) but pretty minor and is otherwise excellent.

Grade :  LID: 10.0 / BASE: 8.7     Estimate:   £200-300     Reserve:    N/R

Pot Lid:     'JAMES ATKINSON'S, LONDON'

Description:  Another fabulous example of a genuine Atkinson's Bears Grease pot lid. This time the 4 shilling variant also featuring the detailed bear in chains on grass but with a smooth dark coat. Superb print quality. Not so often seen in such great condition with decent print.  

Atkinson bears grease lids have been reproduced in the past but only in the 5/- size and rarely would they fool anyone as the repros have such a modern 'light' feel to them.

** One of over 20 bears grease lids in this auction! **

Era:  c1870-80's

Diameter:   68mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Excellent  Superb condition with just the tiniest (<1mm) of old pinhead fleabites on the back rim edge (which is not visible at all on display) and is otherwise mint

Grade :  9.3        Estimate:   £150-200     Reserve:     N/R

Pot Lid:     'JAMES ATKINSON'S, LONDON'

Description:  Another great example of a genuine Atkinson's Bears Grease pot lid. This time the 5 shilling variant also featuring the detailed bear in chains on grass but with a slightly rougher coat. Decent print quality. Part remnants of gold band.  

Atkinson bears grease lids have been reproduced in the past but only in the 5/- size and rarely would they fool anyone as the repros have such a modern 'light' feel to them.

** One of over 20 bears grease lids in this auction! **

Era:  c1870-80's

Diameter:   78mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Very good  Just a very small (<2mm) fleabite flake on the back rim edge (which is not visible at all on display) and some 'yellowing' on the surface of the glaze on the edge/side (very light so barely visible on display) and is otherwise excellent

Grade :  8.7        Estimate:   £100-150     Reserve:     N/R

Pot Lid:   'ROSS & SONS'

Description:  A fabulous Bears Grease pot lid from this London retailer manufactured by F & R Pratt (having the alignment dots at 3 & 9 o'clock on the face edge) and features 2 bears on a ravine in their natural habitat being shot at by a poacher while trying to protect their cubs. Full colours. Exceptional quality print. Very appealing.

Era:  c1860-1880's

Diameter:    73mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Very good  Just has a few very minor pinhead fleabites on the very back rim edge and is otherwise excellent

Grade :  8.7        Estimate:   £100-150     Reserve:    N/R

Pot Lid:      'GENUINE RUSSIAN BEARS GREASE'

Description:  Another scarce bears grease lid, this time a large 3.25" 'two bruins' example with a fancy border and featuring a standing bear with another (with its tongue out) lying beside. Superb quality print. (see lot #6 for smaller 3" version)

Era:  c1870-80's

Diameter:   83mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Good/Very good  Great condition with just a small (3mm x 9mm) chip on the inside of the back rim that has been filled at sometime (and which is 99.9% hidden from the side view anyway) and is otherwise excellent

Grade :  8.0        Estimate:   £80-100+     Reserve:     N/R

Pot Lid:   'GENUINE RUSSIAN BEARS GREASE'

Description:  Another attractive bears grease lid this time featuring a couple of dogs attacking a bear (one being held by it) and another bear emerging from the background. Great quality print. Double black border lines outside of internal border. 

** One of over 20 bears grease lids in this sale! ** 

Era:  c1850-70's

Diameter:  67mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Restored   A good quality repair job has been undertaken where you can just make out an area (around 5 o'clock on the face where the lettering has been touched in) and has had restoration on the back rim too, but all to a very high standard so it's difficult to ascertain the whole extent. Some light glaze wear on the rim edge on one part has been overpainted to a high standard. 

Grade :  Ungraded        Estimate:   £80-100     Reserve:     N/R