Pot Lid:   'JULES HAUEL, PHILADEPHIA'

Description:  A striking and unusual 'LION POMADE' pot lid from this large city in Pennsylvania featuring a fabulous detailed pictorial of a standing lion. Great print quality. Decorative border. Not often seen for sale, a rare opportunity!

Invaluable help and extra information 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 - The update of which is now available at just £20 a copy (plus £3.49 UK P&P  ask re overseas) - Contact (Jim): jimlayden1@gmail.com

Provenance:  From the superb Lindsay Evans collection (one of the very best worldwide pot lid collections of which we have been asked to disperse over several sales) 

Era:  c1880-90's

Diameter:  74mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Very good  In great overall condition with just the odd fleabite flake/nibble on the back rim edge, with a tiny (2mm) pretty insignificant light glaze-rub above one of them (as can be seen in the photos these are all pretty minor), a very subtle and faint small (22mm across) hairline bruise on the back (mostly on the inside of the back rim so barely seen on display) and an ultra fine curved glaze-line also on the back rim edge doesn't go all the way through (and is nigh on impossible to spot anyway). The face and top rim edge are 100% perfect with no stains or marks

Grade:  8.6       Estimate:  £300-400      Reserve:   N/R

9.15am - Mon 18th Nov - More accurate dating and book refs

Pot Lid:   'COLLEY, LONDON'

Description:  An exceptionally rare and significant offering of a previously unrecorded bears grease lid from this perfumer in London featuring two bears in their native climate. Decorative border. Strong decent print. Still the only known example of this lid. One-off bears grease lids rarely come onto the open market

This actual lid appears under 'Stop Press' in the appendix of the main pot lid book (p710) and historical info about the company on p712

Provenance:  From the superb Lindsay Evans collection (one of the very best worldwide pot lid collections of which we have been asked to disperse over several sales) 

Era:  pre-1859 (no listings of Colley after this date, see book)

Diameter:  64mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Fair/Good   Just has a smallish (4mm x 7mm) chip on the top edge (not touching any of the wording so should be easy to repair but hardly worth it as it looks fine as it is) and is otherwise very good with just the odd minor fleabite flake/nibble on the back rim edge and an ultra fine and very hard to spot small (2mm x 7mm) oval hairline bruise on the underside of the outer rim which is almost invisible (nb the tiny marks on the outer edge are just miniscule dots in the glaze and totally in-manufacture and do nothing to detract)      

Grade:  6.9      Estimate:   £400-600      Reserve:   N/R

Pot Lid:   'JULES HAUEL, PHILADEPHIA'

Description:  Another striking lid from this large city in Pennsylvania, this time featuring a superbly detailed pictorial of a single bear standing in its natural habitat. Exquisite print quality. Decorative border. Flat top. An exceptionally rare opportunity to acquire a bears grease to rival that of any British example!

Provenance:  From the superb Lindsay Evans collection (one of the very best worldwide pot lid collections of which we have been asked to disperse over several sales) 

Era:  c1870-80's

Diameter:  74mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):    Very good  In great overall condition with just the odd old fleabite flake/nibble on the back rim edge (some on the inside) which as can be seen in the photos do little if anything to detract on display and is otherwise excellent with just some fine surface scratches on the face that only really show at certain angles (nb. still some dirt and spots of surface rust which is always good to see)

Grade:  8.7        Estimate:  £600-800        Reserve:   N/R

Pot Lid:   'HENRY BURTON, SOHO, LONDON'

Description:  An appealing bears grease pot lid from the West End of London which features a seated bear with her two cubs in their natural surroundings (together with what looks like a boat with two men inside in the background). Fancy border. Decent strong print. Scarce.

Era:  c1860-1870's

Diameter:    74mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Fair/Good  Has some grey stain (mainly on the back rim and just a little on the face edge), a couple of minor fleabites on the rim edge at the back and a 60mm wavy hairline crack across the back (that can also be seen on the front but subtle and mostly hidden by the print) and is otherwise very good 

Grade:  6.9      Estimate:   £300-350     Reserve:   £300

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

Description:  An appealing pictorial pot lid (text translated from French as 'Genuine Bears Grease from the North') featuring a dark single bear in its natural habitat with mountains and pine trees in the background and also featuring 4 bears (in great detail) in their natural surroundings on the base (which is well printed but not so dark as the lid). Original gold band intact on lid (albeit very slightly faded). 

Era:  c1860-80's

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

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  LID:  Excellent   Just the odd totally insignificant tiny glaze-rub and mark in the glaze but nothing at all untoward / BASE: Good  Just has an old (7mm x 10mm) thin flake/sliver on the base edge, a small (5mm x 9mm) chip on the very bottom (99% hidden from side view) and a hairline bruise on the top rim (which is completely hidden when lid on top) and is otherwise excellent 

Grade:  9.6 (Lid) / 7.0 (Base) Estimate:  £100-120+     Reserve:  N/R

Pot Lid:     'HIGHLY PERFUMED BEARS GREASE'

Description:  A small 2.5" 'two bruins' bears grease pot lid featuring a standing black bear with another lying behind (with its tongue out). Exceptional print quality. Fancy border. Scarce in this smaller size

Era:  c1870-80's

Diameter:   69mm 

Condition (please see detailed photos):   Fair/Good  Just has a medium (4mm x 19mm) chip mostly on the inside of the back rim (which is 95% hidden from side view and not seen at all on display) with a small (20mm) hairline showing on the back (and a couple of smaller ones on the inside of the back rim measuring just 10mm) and is otherwise excellent with just the odd glaze-line 

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

Pot Lid:   'X. BAZIN, PHILADEPHIA'

Description:  An appealing 'Beef Marrow Pomatum' pot lid from this large city in Pennsylvania featuring an attractive detailed pictorial of a standing bull. Great print quality. Decorative leafy border. Not often seen for sale

Provenance:  From the superb Lindsay Evans collection (one of the very best worldwide pot lid collections of which we have been asked to disperse over several sales) 

Era:  c1880-90's

Diameter:  79mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):    Excellent  Superb condition with just a small (3mm x 7mm) in-manufacture flake on the very back of the rim (which is all but glazed over) and two tiny stilt-marks also on the back rim that are also in-manufacture and a small patch of totally insignificant grey glaze crazing on a part of the side wall but nothing at all untoward and is otherwise mint

Grade:  9.5      Estimate:  £100-150+     Reserve:   N/R

Pot Lid:    'JULES HAUEL, PHILADELPHIA'

Description:  This impressively large (4") and imposing lid really is a work of art with a great use of contrasting dark and light shading to accentuate the clouds over the Houses of Parliament in London on the banks of the River Thames (depicted soon after the 1851 Great Exhibition where Hauel enjoyed exhibiting his wares). Exceptional print quality. Appealing type face around the border. Very few lids are as striking as this

Provenance:  From the superb Lindsay Evans collection (one of the very best worldwide pot lid collections of which we have been asked to disperse over several sales) 

Era:  1860-80's  

Diameter:  105mm  

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Fair/Good  Has a smallish (4mm x 15mm) chip on the outer edge at 1 o'clock (above the 'AU' of Hauel) and a smaller (3mm x 9mm) one on the underside of the outer rim (both of which have been amateurishly repaired but good enough to not really be noticed on display), a medium/large (5mm x 20mm) chip off the back rim, a small (5mm x 9mm) shallow flake on the back rim, a few faint scratches on the face (only really seen at certain angles) and the odd spot of surface rust/glaze rubbing but nothing at all major and is otherwise very good. It may well be worth soaking in rust remover and then having the old repairs removed and redone, but saying that it is great on display still

Pot Lid/Base:   'VERITABLE MOELLE DE BOEUF'

Description:  Another very appealing French pictorial pot lid (text translated from French as 'Real Beef Bone Marrow') featuring a very detailed standing steer/bull in a field (with buildings behind) in a slightly sepia looking print. Also comes with matching base featuring various scenes (in detail) of several bulls in their natural setting on the base (although one is being attacked by a dog). Fine exquisite print with just minimal signs of wear in places (mostly near the top of the base, but little to detract). Original gold band (albeit slightly faded in places). 

Provenance:  From the superb Lindsay Evans collection (one of the very best worldwide pot lid collections of which we have been asked to disperse over several sales) 

Era:  c1860-80's

Dimensions:  Lid: 66mm diameter / Base & lid: 60mm tall  

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  LID:  Mint   Superb undamaged mint condition. /  BASE: Good/Very good  Just has a large (6mm x 22mm) chunk off the upper thin rim that is completely hidden when lid on top and is otherwise excellent

Grade:  9.9 (lid) / 7.9 (base)  Estimate:  £80-100+     Reserve:    N/R

Pot Lid:   'JOHN GROSSMITH & CO, LONDON'

Description:  A particularly striking and exceptionally rare offering of this previously unrecorded bears grease lid variant from this well documented London perfumer featuring an incredibly well detailed dark bear climbing a tree. Elaborate border. Exquisite quality print (the photos really don't do it justice, don't hesitate to ask if you would like high resolution images sent). Now the smaller of only two recorded examples. You'll struggle to find a better bears grease lid that is more striking! 

See p307 Historical guide to Advertising Pot Lids where it shows the larger 88mm version with slightly different ivy (which is looped at the bottom in the larger variant) and the lower part of the tree is different in both too

Era:  c1870-80's

Diameter:  75mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Excellent   Superb condition with just a pretty minor tiny (1mm) pinhead fleabite on the outer edge of the rim at 3 o'clock (the close up photo makes it look far bigger than it actually is!) and a miniscule (<1mm) totally insignificant glaze-rub on the back rim edge (hardly worth mentioning) and is otherwise mint with just the usual clear glaze crazing  

Grade:  9.2        Estimate:   £4-5k+       Reserve:   N/R

Pot Lid:   'PRICE & CO'

Description:  A very appealing small (2.75") early bears grease lid featuring a standing bear carrying a sash. Superbly detailed print. Fancy border. 

Era:  c1860-70's

Diameter:  69mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Repaired   Has had some rear restoration to a very high quality indeed (in fact it's nigh on impossible to tell until you see a tiny scratch in the paint on the side wall) and is great on display with just a minor thin scratch on the face just above the bear

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

Pot Lid:   'INGRAM & CO, LONDON'

Description:  You'd be forgiven for thinking this was a large Lorimer's at first glance but it's an exceptionally rare lid from this Finsbury Square perfumer in London. Familiar bunch of cherries design in the foreground with a circle containing a standing lady with dog (and centurion's helmet on ground below). Excellent print quality. Rarely seen for sale

Provenance:  From the superb Lindsay Evans collection (one of the very best worldwide pot lid collections of which we have been asked to disperse over several sales) 

Era:  c1880-1890's

Diameter:   105mm  

Condition (please see detailed photo's):   Good/Very good   Just has some grey staining (mainly around parts of the back rim, but a limited amount (very subtle) on the face edge too and a some rust stain/crazing also on the rim edge in one area (only just seen at 8 o'clock on the face, please excuse glare in photo) and a totally insignificant fleabite on the very back rim (on the inside) but as can be seen in the photos very little to detract from this impressive lid   

Pot Lid:      'GENUINE RUSSIAN BEARS GREASE'

Description:  A scarce mini-sized (1.75") version of this familiar 'two bruins' bears grease lid with usual standing bear with another behind (with its tongue out). Fancy barley twist type border. Particularly dark print. Very rarely seen in this particularly small size

Provenance:  From the superb Lindsay Evans collection (one of the very best worldwide pot lid collections of which we have been asked to disperse over several sales) 

Era:  c1870-80's

Diameter:   47mm 

Condition (please see detailed photos):   Excellent   Just has a totally insignificant barely noticeable tiny pinprick fleabite on the back rim (with a few others that are totally glazed over, also on the back rim and hardly noticeable) and is otherwise mint

Grade:  9.3     Estimate:   £200-300       Reserve:   N/R

Pot Lid:   'DELICATELY SCENTED, RUSSIAN BEARS GREASE'

Description:  A striking early bears grease lid variation featuring a dark standing bear carrying a sash, this one being the 'Delicately Scented' version in a larger 4" size. Attractive fancy border. Excellent detailed print. Always very popular due to the sheer size of the rat-like bear. 

 Era:  c1860-70's

Diameter:  100mm 

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Fair/Good   Has a medium (4mm x 15mm) chip on the back rim, a smaller (4mm x 10mm) chip also on the back rim and 4 very small (2mm-5mm) flakes on the back rim edge and the odd spot of tiny glaze rubbing on the outer rim edge (very minor)

Grade:  7.0        Estimate:  £250+        Reserve:   £250

Pot Lid:   'S. PURVES, EDINBURGH'

Description:  A very appealing small buildings pictorial pot lid from Scotland's capital city which features a detailed picture of Donaldson's hospital in the centre. Superb quality print (with just a little print miss and smudge). Scarce and desirable.

The Donaldson's Hospital building in Edinburgh was designed by architect William Playfair and inspired by Elizabethan manor houses. The whole building is built around a quadrangle in Tudor architecture style with large corner towers which themselves are each made up of four smaller towers. Queen Victoria opened the building in 1850 and is reputed to have said that the building was more impressive than many of her own palaces

Era:  c1890-1900's 

Diameter:   65mm

Condition (please see detailed photo's):  Very good/ Excellent   Great condition with just a tiny fleabite on the outer edge of the rim (mostly on the underside) and one on the back rim, neither doing anything to detract and is otherwise mint

Grade:  9.0      Estimate:   £200-300       Reserve:  N/R