AA Auctions Ltd

Pot Lid:   'J. CARPENTER,STOKE NEWINGTON, N'

Description:  An outstanding and impressive 'Potted Cods Roe' pot lid from this north London retailer with a superb pictorial of a fish (cod) above centre. Fine quality print. Fancy rope-like border. An exceptionally important discovery! 

A plate of this lid appears in Dale's original pot lid book but no examples had surfaced before this one, so is not mentioned in the new pot lid book (please see below)

** One of several superb lids from not one but two large and significant pot lid collections, all to be spread over 2/3 auctions **

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).  

Provenance:  Was in a London collection from the 1970's and has been hidden away since.

Era:  c1880-90's

Diameter:    92mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Good   Just has a smallish (37mm) glaze-line/hairline on the face (that doesn't go all the way through to the back and is only from the 'T' of Newington diagonally across to the edge of the rope border at about 4 o'clock), another very subtle and pretty insignificant small one from the 'E' of Roe to the very edge (and which does go down the side edge and is only just visible on the inside back rim too) and two very small (12mm) and subtle light side-edge hairlines. There are some fairly minor chips on the very back rim (which is quite thin), one of which is just (4mm x 9mm) and mainly on the inside, another smaller (3mm x 7mm) is also mainly on the inside of the back rim and apart from a couple of very minor small (2mm x 3mm) flakes on the back rim is otherwise very good indeed.      

Grade:  7.0       Estimate:  £400-600+      Reserve: N/R

Pot Lid:   'BICKFORD'S'

Description:  Another fabulous lid, this time featuring a detailed standing horse and advertising 'Bickford's Blistering Ointment'. Believed to be from an Australian retailer, this has always been a very desirable pictorial lid on both sides of the globe and avidly chased too. Excellent quality print with fine detailing to the horse. Very scarce

Era:  c1880-90's

Diameter:    74mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Restored   Has had complete professional restoration to the rear to a very high standard indeed (it's nigh on impossible to tell how much has been repaired on the back due the high standard of restoration, but it certainly looks like the face is all original) nb the odd tiny mark on the face is under the glaze and totally in-manufacture    

Grade:  Ungraded   Estimate:  £300-400+   Reserve: N/R

Pot Lid:   'DR ZIEMER'S'

Description:  A scarce larger variant of this popular lid featuring Princess Alexandra. This time a 3.5" example with her pictured facing the left. Unusually all of the original gold band is still remaining. Very good quality print.

Era:  c1880-1890's

Diameter:    92mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Very good   Great condition with just a tiny (2mm) and subtle slightly raised spot near the centre that does look in manufacture (on the inside of her right eye so it blends in anyway and is so small it's hardly noticeable) and is definitely not damage or anything to detract and is otherwise mint 

Grade :   8.9       Estimate:  £100-120       Reserve:   N/R

Pot Lid:   'PRICE & CO, LATE PRICE & GOSNELL'

Description:  A scarce and desirable lid depicting Princess Alexandra with a necklace and rear veil. Beaded border. Excellent quality print (with just the odd very small smudge). 

This is the actual lid (#88) that is featured on page 371 of the new 'Historical Guide to Black & White Pot Lids' book

Era:  c1870-1890's

Diameter:    86mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Very good  Just has a small (18mm across) subtle hairline bruise on the very back rim (99% hidden from side view anyway), a thin area of glaze on the rim edge where there's a very small (5mm) glaze scrape and a equally subtle tiny (2mm) glaze rub (at around 5 o'clock and 6 o'clock, but are difficult to spot and do little to detract) and is otherwise excellent  

Grade :  8.0       Estimate:   £400-600      Reserve:   N/R

1pm Mon 30th Nov - Condition report updated 

Pot Lid:   'PRICE & CO'

Description:  A fabulously detailed early Bears Grease pot lid from this London retailer. Large bear pictorial. Scarce 'Montpelier House' variant (without mention of 'London'). Excellent quality print. Not so often seen without damage

Provenance:  Sticker on back reads  'x MINING MUSEUM, BALLARAT, GREG 13/1/96 C/W BASE ENS-'

Era:  c1860-1870's

Diameter:    68mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Excellent   Great condition with just two totally insignificant tiny pinprick fleabites on the back rim only (that in no way detract) and is otherwise mint (nb the odd subtle small darker area in the print is only where the glaze is slightly thinner and is totally in-manufacture, so hence the very small area at 1 o'clock on the edge is not a repair and the slightly orange colour is in the actual glaze)

Grade :  9.2       Estimate:   £300-400+     Reserve:    N/R

Pot Lid:   'DR ZIEMER'S'

Description:  An appealing smaller (3") variant of this popular London lid with Princess Alexandra pictured facing the left (see lot #3 for larger variant). Not so often seen in such great condition

Era:  c1880-1890's

Diameter:    75mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Excellent   just has a couple of microscopic pin-prick fleabites on the inside edge of the back rim (barely visible and hardly worth mentioning as completely hidden anyway on display) and the odd very light superficial scratch and is otherwise mint

Grade :   9.5       Estimate:   £40-60      Reserve:   N/R

Pot Lid:   'HOLLOWAY'S'

Description:  A superb example of this impressive (3.25") lid with the early '244 Strand' London address and having the scarce wording '...almost all respectable medicine vendors' (as opposed to 'all'). Fabulous decorative surround. Great quality print. Very rarely seen without some sort of damage.

Era:  c1849-1860's (at the 244 Strand address)

Diameter:    82mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Excellent/Mint   Superb condition with just a totally insignificant pinprick glaze-rub on the back rim edge (barely visible and hardly worth mentioning) that looks like it was caused in-manufacture anyway as it replicates two other small stilt marks on the back rim

Grade :   9.7      Estimate:   £60-80+     Reserve:  N/R

Pot Lid/Base:   'GRAISSE D'OURS DU NORD'

Description:  A very appealing pictorial pot lid (text translated from French as 'Bears Grease from the North') featuring a lovely dark detailed single bear on a large mountain precipice in its natural surroundings with a pine tree and foliage. Also featuring various scenes (also in exquisite detail) of several bruins in their natural surroundings on the matching base (one climbing a tree, another growling, and a standing bear on a leash being 'trained' by a man in a top hat with a stick and whip). Number '71' painted in green on underside of lid and inside of base. Triple line border with 2 original gold bands on lid. Very rare and desirable variant.

One of two fabulous French lids with pictorial bases in this sale

Era:  c1860-80's

Dimensions:  Lid: 65mm diameter / Base & lid: 62mm tall  

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  LID:  Mint   Superb undamaged mint condition (with just very minor wear in the odd place on the gold band) /  BASE: Mint  Also in superb undamaged condition.

Grade :  9.9 (lid) / 9.8 (base)  Estimate:  £150-200+     Reserve:  N/R

Pot Lid:   'S.M. & Co'

Description:  An appealing 'S.M. & Co' Cherry tooth paste pot lid featuring a pictorial figure of 'Lady justice' (or Justitia) in the centre along with a small bunch of cherries in the border either side. Striking design and use of shading to great effect. Scarce

Era:  c1880-1890's

Diameter:   70mm  

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Very good   Just has a very small (2mm) old chip/bruise on the back rim edge (which could even have been caused by a tiny dark foreign body inside the clay) and apart from one of the in-manufacture stilt marks having a tiny fleabite next to it (very likely in-manufacture) is otherwise excellent

Grade :  8.5      Estimate:   £50-70       Reserve:  N/R

Pot Lid:   'LORIMER & CO, LONDON & NEW YORK'

Description:  A fabulous large version of this popular lid with a bunch of cherries design in the fore and Lorimer's arm and globe trade mark below. Particularly good print for one of these. Far more detailed and rarer than the smaller examples

Provenance:  Sticker on back reads  'x LANCRS, LOT 918, 17/2/07, OSD-'
Era:  c1880-1890's

Diameter:   82mm  

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Mint   Superb undamaged mint condition (with just a totally insignificant small patch of light stain on the underside) - nb the tiny dot in one of the cherries is in manufacture

Grade :  9.8       Estimate:   £60-80      Reserve:  N/R

Pot Lid:    GENUINE RUSSIAN BEARS GREASE

Description:  An appealing bears grease lid featuring a single dark bear looking quite fierce in its natural environment with a couple of trees and a mountain in the background. Exceptional quality print. Beaded border

Era:  c1870-1880's

Diameter:  76mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Restored   Has had complete professional restoration to the rear to a very high standard indeed and if you look very carefully witha  stromg magnifying glass you can only just make out a small (4mm x 12mm approx) section of the outer edge on the face (at 4 o'clock) which has also been restored toa  high standard and is otherwise excellent on the face (it's nigh on impossible to tell how much has been repaired on the back due the high standard of restoration)

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

Pot Lid:      'GENUINE RUSSIAN BEARS GREASE'

Description:  An appealing 'two bruins' bears grease lid with a large fancy border and featuring a standing bear with another behind (with its tongue out) lying beside. Exquisite print quality. Delicately made.

Provenance:  Sticker on back reads  'x ROYCROFT, Lot 280, 10/95 OSD.'

Era:  c1870-80's

Diameter:   75mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Very good  Just has a very small (2mm x 5mm) chip on the very back rim (which is mostly on the inside so 90% hidden from side view) and is otherwise exxcellent

Grade:  8.8       Estimate:   £80-100      Reserve:   N/R

Pot Lid:   'WRIGHT & CO, GREAT YARMOUTH'

Description:  An appealing large 'Potted Bloaters' lid from this famous seaside town in Norfolk featuring a fabulous whole herring in detailed print. Some minor print-miss in places. Has 'EAST LONDON RAILWAY' written on a small sticker on the underside which could denote where it was dug? Comes with base

Unlike kippers which were filleted, bloaters were whole cold-cured herring hung out and just lightly smoked.

Era:  c1880-1890's

Diameter:    98mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   LID: Very good/ Excellent   Just has some minor glaze rubbing on the back rim edge in a few places and is otherwise excellent (there are a few subtle grey spots on the face which are in-manufacture and hardly noticeable) / BASE: Excellent  Just a a tiny flake on the inside rim is completely hidden when lid on top and is otherwise excellent.

Grade:  8.9 (lid)    Estimate:   £60-80    Reserve:   N/R

Pot Lid:    'S.H. PLATTIN, NOTTINGHAM'

Description:  A lovely pictorial ointment pot lid featuring a native Indian's head (with head-dress). For chapped hands, sore nipples, scurvy and other ailments. One of three variations, this one being the one of 'Plattin' at 10 Derby Road, Nottingham. Particularly fine print

Era:   c1890-1900's

Dimensions:   71mm diameter

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Fair/Good   Just has a medium (5mm x 6mm) chip on the back edge, another much smaller (2mm x 3mm) also on the back edge and some glaze-wear on the very top rim edge (only just visible on display) for around a quarter of the circumference

Grade:   6.9        Estimate:   £40-60       Reserve:  N/R

Pot Lid:   'ST PAUL'S'

Description:  Another pleasing pictorial lid, this time of this iconic London landmark. Great quality print. Attractive layout (see lot #17 for other variant)

St Paul's Cathedral on Ludgate Hill was designed by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London (1666) fuelled a major rebuilding program in London a few decades later.  

Era:  c1880-1890's

Diameter:    77mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Fair/Good  Just a smallish (4mm x 7mm) chip on the underside of the side rim (only barely visible at 10 o'clock on the face) and a medium (5mm x 5mm) chip on on the very back of the rim (and another smaller 4mm one nearby) and 3 pretty insignificant very small fleabite flakes also on the back rim and is otherwise very good 

Grade:   6.5       Estimate:   £30-50       Reserve:   N/R