The eclectic William De Morgan was the most important ceramic artist of the Arts & Crafts Movement, which was born as a sort of reaction to the industrialisation of the late 19th century. A refined potter, his works featured the use of enamels and innovative techniques and often featured intricate motifs, with fish, birds and exotic animals among the recurring themes.
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One of de Morgan's vases set an auction record for the artist at Christie's British Art: Innovation and Craftsmanship sale on May 25 when it sold for £65,000 with fees ($81,000) as part of the collection of noted banker and collector Sir Nicholas Goodison (1934-2021). The estimate was between £15,000-25,000.
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38.8cm tall, this circa 1890 vase was painted by William De Morgan's chief decorator Fred Passenger (whose initials are visible on the base), with three stylised peacocks and Persian-style manganese carnations in a background dark blue. The vase had previously belonged to Louis Montagu, 2nd Baron Swaythling (1869-1927) and somehow passed into the hands of the merchant Richard Dennis in 1967. According to a paper label on the vase, at the time it was sold for the price of £45. Nicholas Goodison bought it in 2005 from Sylvia Powell, a dealer in ceramic art, glass and fine arts.
