Royal Doulton 1934 The Apothecary Loving Cup 484 of 600 For Sale

Royal Doulton Limited Edition Loving Cups and Jugs - written by Christopher Evans

Charles Noke, Doulton’s then Art Director was hailed in the 1930’s as the leader in pottery production. Having established the successful production of figurines and producing world famous glazes such as Flambé and Titanian, Noke’s attention moved to other forms of pottery decoration. Thus between 1930 and 1938, and again in 1952 and 1977, limited edition Jugs and Loving Cups were introduced in numbers between 250 and 2,000.

Doulton’s loving cups and jugs were startlingly different to anything else hitherto produced. Their style, the body being slip cast with low relief modelling, enhanced by vibrant under glaze colouring. The bases to these cups and jugs are an art work in themselves as anyone who is lucky enough to possess examples will attest. Scenes relating to their subject matter were printed on the base together with their title and piece number.

The jugs and loving cups served to commemorate legendary heroes such as Sir Francis Drake, Admiral Lord Nelson and Captain Cook. Other jugs were targeted at Doulton’s most popular markets in North America and South Africa, with national heroes such as Captain Phillips (1938), Jan van Riebeek (1952) and George Washington (1932) being celebrated. In 1933 two further commemoratives celebrating the literary greats Wordsworth and Dickens were introduced, both in unlimited editions but due to their rarity today, they must have been made in much smaller numbers than the other jugs.

The supplier of love potions and poisons as well as medicinal drugs, the apothecary played an important role in Elizabethan times. If his potions were held to be particularly powerful he could become a wealthy man; although it was best not to ask what went into them! Romeo, hearing that Juliet is dead, remembers an apothecary from whom he can buy poison for himself:
In tattered weeds with overwhelming brows
Culling of simples; meagre were his looks;
And in his needy shop a tortoise hung
An alligator stuf’d and other skins
Of ill-shaped fishes.
The apothecary depicted on the lovingcup is a successful man. He is seen talking to a richly dressed lady while two dandies wait in an ante-chamber as another customer is admitted by a page. There are pots of ingredients, a pestle and mortar and a large globe. Skeletons adorn the walls and the ghostly faces of lovers are moulded in relief around the rim and on the handles. On the base are the words spoken by Romeo before he takes his poison “0 true apothecary Thy drugs are quick”.

Issued 1934

1934; Ltd. Ed. of 600

Dimensions Approx 6" height, 5" across not including handles

6"H

Thanks to two websites for that info. Please look at the photographs carefully and base any possible offers upon the photographs. Ask questions before offerding as this is an as is listing with no returns. Shipping will be $27 with insurance, proof of delivery, double boxing and cushioning. Thank you for your time