George Eyre, British (1818-1887) Wedgwood Creamware Plates Biblical Scenes - Set of 2

Details

Description

An outstanding pair of very unique antique dishes
Slightly oval with scrolled rim creamware, aka Queen's ware plates
Made by … Read more An outstanding pair of very unique antique dishes
Slightly oval with scrolled rim creamware, aka Queen's ware plates
Made by Wedgwood and masterfully hand painted by the renown Staffordshire Potteries decorative artist George Eyre
George Eyre (1818-1887), a British painter and designer, from 1845 Art Director of Minton Hollins, the tile makers. He married Betsy Stone in 1847 and had three children, including the watercolorist John Eyre, R.B.A., R.I. (1850-1927)
Both plates feature different polychrome hand painted biblical scenes: Rebecca at the Well and Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Esau
The reverse of each displays a hand written Italian inscription, the George Eyre's monogram (entwined G and E), and old paper labels, one intact reading Barnicott / Crystal Palace / Sydenham/ Banfield. Rebecca at the Well plate bears impressed mark Wedgewood
Both inscriptions are from The Genesis of the Old Testament
On one of the plates, Rebecca at the Well, the Italian text reads: "Et ella repose: Boni Signore mio, et prestemente si prese l'idria sul suo braccio, e diegli da here" The verse is from the Old Testament, Genesis: Chapter 24, verse 18, and translated will roughly read: "And she replies: my good Lord, and promptly puts the hydria (jug) on his arm and told him from here..."
On the other plate with Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Esau the text is: "Dia a te il Signore la ragiada del cielo e la pinguedine della terra e l'abbondanza di frumento e di vino", which is also from the Old Testament, Genesis Chapter 27, verse 28, and translates into English as: "Give you Lord the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth and an abundance of wheat and wine"...
The depicted scenes are both illustrations of the respective biblical chapters
The little blue round paper label on the back gives us a lot of history:
The Crystal Place was a cast iron and glass structure originally built in Hyde Park, London to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. After the exhibition, the Palace was relocated to an area of South London known as Penge Place and rebuild at the top of Penge Peak next to Sydenham Hill. It stood there from 1854 until its destruction by fire in 1936. It regularly hosted a big variety of festivals and exhibitions, all of which well described in many contemporary guides and publications. One such publication: "Guide to the Crystal Palace and Park by Samuel Phillips (L.L.D) from 1860 (reference: Google Books), mentions Messrs. Barnicott and Banfield among the top-tier dealers and merchants in the Ceramic Court, where they display China, Glass and Earthenware. Both dealers are mentioned as exhibitors of the best and newest productions of the English manufacturers in later similar publications, 1862, 1864, 1871, 1874
Circa 1865-1875, England
Measurements: Approx. 9.5" x 8.5" x 1"
Weighs about 1 lb. 8 oz. the pair
Condition: Very Good overall. Please see photos. All original. No issues or restorations to be noted See less