Sotheby's to sell well known collection of Scottish pottery

LONDON: A sale of pottery and porcelain collected by one of Scotland's best known and most idiosyncratic antique dealers is expected to raise 250,000 pound and the proceeds donated to charity. Edinburgh eccentric, Iris Fox built up her huge collection over 60 years. It will be dispersed in a two-day sale of more than 850 lots, to be held at the Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh on Nov. 7 and 8.

Mrs. Fox, who died in 1992 at the age of 79, outlived all her relatives. As a result, and in accordance with her wishes, the proceeds of the sale will be divided equally between four charities: The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals; The Royal Blind Asylum and School; the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion and The Diabetic Trust at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Iris Fox (1913-1992) Nee Fudge, was born in the Welsh valleys and began collecting pottery and porcelain at the age of 16 when she invested a hard-earned sixpence in a figurine.

She married Stanley Fox and they moved to Edinburgh and set up a boarding house for students. With very little aptitude for reading or writing but an immense capacity for hard work, Mrs. Fox built a business based on rooms and flats to let and an antique shop, "Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe," initially in Morrison Street and latterly in the West Bow off the Grassmarket.

The heart of her collection was Wemyss, Dunmore and other Scottish pottery which she began to buy long before its true worth was recognized. Friends remember how she was prepared to sacrifice all creature comforts to fund her acquisitions.

Her home became the focus of the collection: the bathroom was given over to Robert Burns memorabilia; the finest bedroom, which she referred to as "Buckingham Palace" housed Meissen figures, enamels and objects de vertu and a further one, the "Wemyss Room" provided the core of her superb collection.

A number of pieces in her collection have been left to the Newport Museum in South Wales but the remainder has been consigned for sale.

Wemyss ware

The highlight of Sotheby's sale is undoubtedly Mrs. Fox's vast collection of the highly sought after and decorative Wemyss ware. The colorful domestic wares were produced in the late 19th and early 20th century by the Fife Pottery in Kirkcaldy founded by Robert Heron. The factory owner, Robert Heron and his manager, Robert McLaughlan, established the range under the influential patronage of the Earl of Rosslyn and Lady Eva Wemyss of nearby Wemyss Castle. This patronage opened up the upper class market for this relatively expensive were which was hand painted in a labor-intensive manner.

Some of the designs were named after these patrons including the "Lady Eva Vase", examples of which are included in the collection.

One of Robert Heron's great coups was to employ a talented Czech decorator named Karel Nekola who came to Scotland and quickly established himself as a naturalized British citizen, marrying Heron's cook. His skills as a painter were highly important in creating the distinctive designs, such as the cabbage roses, which are today synonymous with Wemyss ware.

The most important piece in the Iris Fox collection is undoubtedly a rare Oriental garden seat dating from around 1900 which is decorated with various wild flowers and may have been painted by Nekola himself. The seat is expected to fetch 5,000- 7,000 pounds.

Among a wide variety of nearly 100 Wemyss pigs is a large example dating from the turn of the century seated on its haunches and sponged with black markings which is estimated at 2,000-3,000 pounds. Another Wemyss pig appears to have been "customized" specially for Mrs. Fox as it has been inscribed "I. Fox Ye Old Curiosity Shop" (estimate: 1,000-1,500 pounds).

Cats also feature strongly and one example in pink glaze modeled with a smug smile is expected to fetch 2,000-3,000 pounds.

The influence of the Wemyss family is demonstrated by a rare and important Wemyss Carp tureen which is believed to have been modeled by Nekola on an original Chinese tureen at Wemyss Castle (estimate: 1,500-2,000 pounds). A jug and basin inscribed "Molly" was also believed to have been made for Molly Wemyss, the daughter of Randolph and Lilian Wemyss (estimate: 400-600 pounds).

Mrs. Fox's collection encompasses virtually every design and pattern that the factory produced. There are matchbox holders, vases, bowls, beakers, mugs, hatpin holders, dog bowls and preserve jars and covers. Painted designs include, among others, the traditional pink roses, irises, foxgloves, thistles, plums, strawberries, and farmyard animals such as cockerels, geese and cattle.

There are many commemorative and inscribed items with the particularly affectionate mottos. One mug for example, carries the rhyme "A little health, a little wealth, a little house with freedom and at the end a little friend, with little cause to need him". The mug is expected to fetch 400-600 pounds.

Mrs. Fox's Wemyss collection of Wemyss and Scottish pottery will be sold on Nov. 7 and her collections of Continental ceramics, pot lids, glass and Staffordshire pottery and porcelain will be sold the following day.

Highlights of the second day include a good Meissen mantel clock which dates from around 1880 and which is expected to fetch 3,000-4,000 pounds and a pair of large 19th century Potschappel vases and covers (estimate: 2,000-3,000 pounds).

The afternoon of the second day's sale includes an extensive range of Staffordshire pottery and figures including an interesting documentary Staffordshire pig which may have been used as an advertising symbol by Sir Thomas Lipton in one of his original Glasgow based Lipton supermarkets. The pig is painted with scattered shamrocks -- Lipton's favorite motif -- which strongly suggested that the figure may have been used in this way (estimate: 300-400 pounds).

Typical of the good range of affordable Staffordshire figures is a late 19th century group of Romeo and Juliet modeled beneath an arbor which is expected to fetch 100-120 pounds.

David Battie, Sotheby's Director and star of the BBC's Antiques Roadshow will be giving a slide lecture about Mrs. Fox and her Ceramics Collection at The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, Queen Mother Conference Center, Queen Street, Edinburgh.

-- Sotheby's