AA Auctions Ltd

Pot Lid:   'J. COUSINS, PLYMOUTH'

Description:  A fabulous example of this scarce and very sought after lighthouse pictorial pot lid. This variant having the single 'George Street' address and unusually comes with flat sides (ie. without an outer rim). Great quality print (you can just make out a  tiny sailing ship on the horizon). Double line border. One of the south west's best pictorial lids and one that tends to evade most people!

** One of several superb lids from various significant pot lid collections, all to be spread over successive 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).  

Era:  c1880-90's

Diameter:    84mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):    Very good   Just has a few pretty insignificant tiny (1-2mm) and light glaze-rubs on the top/side edge of the lid (which as can be seen in the photos do little if anything to detract and are almost impossible to spot from the top view) and is otherwise excellent

Grade:  9.0       Estimate:   £800-1k       Reserve:  N/R

Pot Lid:   'P. HALL, NEWCASTLE'

Description:  A very rare and impressive lid from this NE England pharmacy featuring the Cathedral Church of St Nicholas in Newcastle in the centre. Very attractive overall design. Excellent quality print. Rarely seen for sale, especially in such great condition! 

P. Hall (pharmacist) - 118 Grey Street, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne

Era:  c1890-1900's

Dimensions:    86mm diameter

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Mint   Superb condition with just a totally insignificant tiny (2mm) glaze-rub on the inside of the back rim that is nigh on impossible to spot anyway and barely worth mentioning) and is otherwise 10/10

Grade:   9.8     Estimate:   £800-1k       Reserve:    N/R

Pot Lid:      'J. ORD SMITH, LONDON'

Description:   Another superb pictorial lid, this time an oblong example from this pharmaceutical chemist in East London and featuring a great upper set of false teeth. Great quality print. Double line border. One of only a handful recorded. Another one not to miss!

Era:   c1880-90's

Dimensions:    72mm long and 64mm wide 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Good   Just has a very small (3mm x 4mm) flake/chip on the outside edge (bottom right) of the face, a small patch of purple glaze crazing/stain on the bottom left corner, a tiny (<1mm) pinhead fleabite on the very back edge (barely noticeable) and the odd very minor tiny (<1mm) glaze rub on the outside edge and the odd spot of subtle stain (very minor) and is otherwise excellent  

Grade:   7.0     Estimate:   £600-800+     Reserve:   N/R

Pot Lid:   'J.E. STILING, NEWTON ABBOT'

Description:  A fabulous building pictorial 'Cherry & Areca Nut' pot lid from this South Devon town featuring the 15th century 'St Leonard's Tower' in the centre. Particularly well printed for one of these very scarce lids and rarely seen in such great condition. 

The 'Clock Tower' in Newton Abbot (as it's referred to locally) was constructed in the 15th-century as part of a gothic-style church and was the site of William III's first proclamation in England. The adjoining nave was demolished in 1836 to improve traffic flows but the tower was saved by a local petition.

** One of several superb lids from various significant pot lid collections, all to be spread over successive auctions **

Era:  c1880-90's 

Diameter:    74mm

Condition (please see detailed photos):    Excellent  Superb condition (with just a tiny (1-2mm) pinhead fleabite on the inside on the back rim (nigh on impossible to spot and totally insignificant) and some light crazing and glaze-lines on the front and back that are definitely not hairlines)

Grade:  9.0      Estimate:  £400-600+     Reserve:  N/R

Pot Lid:   'PRICE & CO, LONDON'

Description:  An extremely rare lid (in fact possibly one of only two recorded examples in this larger size) from this well documented perfumer in London featuring a great portrait pictorial of Prince Albert in the centre. Fabulous overall design. Superb quality print. Fancy border.

Era:  c1870-1880's

Diameter:    100mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Fair/Good   Has a medium (5mm x 9mm) chip on the underside of the outside edge (which can only just be seen at 2 o'clock on the face), two faint arched hairline bruises (35mm) on the side/back rim, two medium long (3mm x 12mm) thin chips on the back rim (mostly on the inside so mostly hidden from side view anyway), an area of rust stain also on the back/side rim (with a (3mm x 12mm) thin chip on the back rim within) and apart from several old small rubs/flakes on the very back edge of the rim and a what looks like a small (11mm) subtle in-manufacture split in the glaze/clay (just above the prince's head) is otherwise very good with just some very light rubbing on the outside edge of the rim (barely noticeable)

Grade:  6.9         Estimate:  £800-1k        Reserve:  N/R

Pot Lid:    WHITAKER LIMITED

Description:  An appealing bears grease pot lid from this chemist in London featuring a standing bear in great detail. This being the 'Whitaker Limited' variation (and not Whitaker & Grossmith' and from their '22 Silk Street City' address. Excellent quality print. Fancy border. 

Era:  c1870-80's

Diameter:  78mm 

Condition (please see detailed photos):  Very good  Decent overall condition with just a small (2mm x 5mm) subtle hairline bruise on the outside edge of the outer rim (very hard to spot), a line of glaze rubs above the back rim edge (35mm long) and some areas of light grey glaze crazing/spots of very light stain and is otherwise excellent

Grade:  8.7      Estimate:   £100-120+      Reserve:  N/R

Pot Lid:   'DR ZIEMER'S'

Description:  The smaller variant of this popular lid with Princess Alexandra facing to the right. Exquisite quality print, in fact you'll struggle to find a better printed example with so much detail. 

Era:  c1880-1890's

Diameter:    69mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Good   Just has a smallish (4mm x 4mm) chip on the back edge (so not seen on display) and apart from two totally insignificant very minor rubs on the back rim (barely visible and hardly worth mentioning) is otherwise mint  

Grade:   7.0       Estimate:   £80-100     Reserve:     N/R

Pot Lid:     'JAMES ATKINSON, LONDON'

Description:  A superb and impressively large (3.5") 10s 6d variation of this popular Atkinson's Bears Grease pot lid. Featuring a detailed bear with a muzzle, chains and dark coat. Excellent print quality. Large herringbone border. Rarely seen for sale

Era:  c1870-80's

Diameter:   93mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Repaired  Has had an area to the side professionally restored to a very high quality indeed with some repainting on the border edge of the face (between about 2 and 6 o'clock) and the gold band looks like it has been repainted. Due to the quality of the repair and the overpainting it's difficult to know the full extent of the former damage, but it's possible it was a large chunk/s off the back rim

Grade:  Ungraded  Estimate:  £200-300+  Reserve: N/R

Pot Lid:   'DANIEL MELIA'

Description:  Another classic lid, this time featuring an attractive girl with long wavy hair and a nice smile (no doubt attributable to using this brand of toothpaste). Good quality print (with just the odd small smudge). Scarcely seen in such great condition.

Era:  c1880-1890's

Diameter:    76mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Mint   Superb undamaged condition (there's just a tiny (4mm) totally insignificant almost impossible to spot U-shaped line of tiny dots in the glaze on the outside rim edge (possibly remnants of print?) and barely worth mentioning other that it would otherwise have scored 10/10)

Grade:   9.8      Estimate:   £300-400+    Reserve:   N/R

Pot Lid:   'HUMPHRY, DARTMOUTH & BRIXHAM'

Description:  A very attractive Tooth Paste pot lid from these South Devon towns featuring Dartmouth Castle and the 'Mouth of the English Rhine'. This being the small two town variant (see lots #12 & #19 for other two examples in this sale). Particularly good print for one of these

Era:  c1880-1890's

Diameter:  62mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):    Very good   Just has a very small (2mm x 3mm) fleabite flake on the back rim edge on the very back rim edge, a small area of rust crazing on the side wall (that looks like it will easily clean out if so desired) and a small area of grey stain on the very back rim and as can be seen in the photos, nothing at all to detract when on display

Grade:   8.9       Estimate:   £120-150     Reserve:   N/R

Pot Lid:   'PRICE & CO, LONDON'

Description:  A striking early bears grease lid from this world famed London perfumer featuring a dark standing bear in its natural habitat. Attractive wide beaded border. Decent print. Features earlier '28 Lombard St' address. Extremely rare

Era:  c1850-70's

Diameter:  73mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Repaired   Has had restoration to a very high standard, in fact so much so that it's difficult to determine the full extent. The print looks like it's pretty much all as original (with maybe the odd small spot of touching up)

Grade: Ungraded   Estimate: £150-200+    Reserve: N/R

Pot Lid:   'HUMPHRY, DARTMOUTH'

Description:  A rare large size tooth paste pot lid from this South Devon town featuring Dartmouth Castle and the 'Mouth of the English Rhine'. This being the largest 'single town' variant (see lots #10 & #19 for other two examples in this sale). Wide fancy border. Excellent print for one of these

Era:  c1880-1890's

Diameter:  92mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):    Excellent   Superb overall condition with just a tiny (1-2mm) fleabite on the very back edge (possibly even caused during manufacture as there's a small lump of glaze next to it, but is totally insignificant anyway) and another almost impossible to spot , also on the back rim edge and other than a very subtle light stain on the face (under the word 'English' which is hardly noticeable and in no way detracts is otherwise mint

Grade:   9.1       Estimate:   £300-400     Reserve:   N/R

4.45pm Sun 29th Nov - Historical info added (and copy advert)

Pot Lid:      'DAVIES, SWANSEA'

Description:   A truly superb and striking pictorial rectangular lid from this chemist in South Wales featuring a fabulous old bristle tooth brush with 'J. T. DAVIES, SWANSEA' name printed along it. Fabulous quality print. Single line border. One of only two or three recorded and very rarely seen, let alone for sale. Certainly one not to miss!

See copy advert from the South Wales Daily Post - 13th March 1893

Era:   c1880-90's

Dimensions:    91mm long and 58mm wide 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Good   Just has two consecutive (4mm x 10mm) chips/chunks off the back rim at the side (so can't be seen on display as can be seen in the photos) and is otherwise excellent (with just some very faint rust crazing on a part of one of the side walls) 

Grade:   7.0    Estimate:   £600-800+      Reserve:   N/R

Pot Lid:     'F. NEWBERY & SONS, LONDON'

Description:  An impressively large (3.5") building pictorial pot lid from the capital featuring 'Old London from the Health Exhibition'. A classic lid. Excellent quality print. Retains most of original gold band

Era:    c1880-1890's

Diameter:    88mm  

Condition (please see detailed photos):   Good/Very good  Just has a medium (5mm x 12mm) shallow chip on the very back rim (99% hidden from side view and not visible from front display at all), a small (3mm x 4mm) subtle in-manufacture touch-mark on the face (above the 'D' of London which is barely noticeable), a small patch of subtle stain on the back rim and the odd very minor tiny glaze rub on the outer edge of the rim that in no way detracts and is otherwise excellent

Grade:  7.5     Estimate:   £200-250+      Reserve:   N/R

Pot Lid:   'RIMMEL'S'

Description:  A Cherry Tooth Paste pot lid from this famous London perfumer featuring 7 cherries unusually in B&W and not colour. There's no guarantee that this lid didn't originally have coloured cherries etc added over the glaze, but there are no traces of any colour on this one and it has been said that B&W examples do exist. Either way it really is a very appealing cherries pictorial lid

Era:  c1880-1890's

Diameter:  72mm 

Condition (please see detailed photos):    Good/ Very good   Just has a shallow small (4mm x 7mm) chip on the very back of the rim (which is 95% hidden from side view) and a very small (2-3mm) fleabite flake on the back rim edge (with two tiny fleabites either side of it) and is otherwise excellent 

Grade:   8.5        Estimate:  £80-100       Reserve:  N/R