This 12in (30cm) diameter Wedgwood Queen’s Ware ‘Boat Race’ bowl, designed by Eric Ravilious, appeared at a recent sale held by Robertson’s of Kinbuck, near Dunblane.
It was one of the rare original
series, made shortly before the onset of the Second World War in
which Ravilious, serving as a war artist, would perish while
accompanying an RAF air-sea rescue mission off Iceland that failed
to return to its base.
Examples turn up only occassionally
at auction and this one sold to a private buyer for £2500.
While Wedgwood continued production
of other Ravilious designs after his death, the Boat
Race bowl was made only in 1938.
It is known as one of his most
complex ceramic designs with the creamware bowl printed in black
underglaze, and painted overglaze in different coloured
enamels.
It is decorated to the sides with
views of three stages in the race and the central well has an oval
view of the busy London scene of Piccadilly Circus on Boat Race
Night.
It was later reissued in a 1975
limited edition of 200, examples of which can now command close to
£1000.
The buyer's premium for the sale on February 21 was 15%.
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