A Watcombe Terracotta Company sterling silver mounted ice bucket
Designed by Dr Christopher Dresser
Printed factory marks to base : Watcombe Torquay.
With sterling silver mounts and drainer
Hallmarked: Sheffield 1875
Maker:Jehoiada Alsop Rhodes, Sheffield
Height:10cm.
Mr G. Allen, the founder of the Watcombe Terracotta Clay Company discovered the local red clay unique to this part of south Devon when building watch be House and set up his art pottery venture there in 1867. The evidence for Dr Christopher Dresser's connection with the pottery is circumstantial but overwhelming. Not only was terracotta one of his favourite material at this point in his career, but the shapes are similar to those used in. other media throughout his design practice. Plain terracotta pieces decorated with gilding and a distinctive turquoise-blue enamel as well as glazed black-and-brown vessels with stylised flower and leaf ornament, in shapes bearing unmistakeable stamp of his work were produced between 1869 and 1880.