They say fairies don’t exist but a discovery made in a Cheshire kitchen brings them magically to life in porcelain form.
Uncovered from a cupboard was this important Wedgwood bowl – fit for the finest festive table. It shimmers with blues, mauves, greens and golds. And, amidst the trees and greenery, fairies flutter.
It showcases Fairyland Lustre, a design introduced at the Wedgwood factory during the First World War by Daisy Makeig-Jones. Such is its rarity, it enters Hansons’ October 7 Fine Art sale with an estimate of £2,000-£4,000.
Yorkshire-born Makeig-Jones (1881-1945) attended the Torquay School of Art before joining Wedgwood as an apprentice painter in 1909. Her talent soon emerged. She started designing tableware in 1911. Attracted to the fanciful, she moved on to Oriental dragon patterns in 1913. Then in 1915, amid the misery of First World War, she created her signature Fairyland Lustre.
It was just what Wedgwood needed. Business was slack when the series was released. According to Nicholas Dawes, a New York antiques dealer, many Europeans were seeking something to escape the horrors of war. Makeig-Jones’ goblins and floating fairies amid the pottery’s neon landscapes appealed.
Her rise at Wedgwood was unusual not only because she was a woman but also because she rose from within the ranks. Top designers were normally recruited externally. Fairyland Lustre proved popular across the Atlantic during the Roaring 20s. It gave Wedgwood a high-end product to penetrate the lucrative American market. However, Makeig-Jones’ Art Nouveau fairies eventually faded from fashion. The line was discontinued in 1929. Her multi-coloured lustrous glazes were expensive to produce amid the 1930s’ economic downturn.
Nevertheless, nearly a century later, Makeig-Jones’ mystical designs are more popular than ever – particularly in America. It’s easy to see why. These collectors’ items are, quite simply, beautiful.
She was inspired by prints in the British Museum connected to Chinese and Japanese legends. This bowl tells a story about a castle where two boys lived. They found a hole, went down it and emerged in a land filled with fairies of curious shapes and colours.
Aside from the fantastical stories, the decorative pedigree shines bright. Scenes were printed and outlined and all the colours, gold and lustre were painstakingly hand applied. Thanks to being carefully tucked away in that Cheshire cupboard, the bowl’s condition is good. I hope it makes someone’s day at Christmas.
Free antique valuations will be available at The Coach & Four, 69-71 Alderley Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 1PA, on October 21 and November 18, 11am-2pm. Entries invited for Fine Art, specialist and general sales. To find out more, call 01283 733988 or email service@hansonsauctioneers.co.uk.
Hansons’ October 7, 2021 Fine Art Auction catalogue is due live on October 1. All catalogues: www.hansonslive.co.uk
