Antique Wedgwood Creamware Veilleuse Tea Warmer Painted Birds Butterflies c1820

A Wedgwood creamware veilleuse (night-light tea warmer), early 19th century, comprising a small teapot and cover, a pierced cylindrical stand with an arched aperture for the burner, and a small cup and burner base — all hand-painted with exotic birds, butterflies and insects in naturalistic colours within thin blue-lined borders. Overall height approximately 34cm.

Marked WEDGWOOD. The veilleuse was used to keep a tisane or tea warm through the night at the bedside; the pierced stand allowed the heat and light of a small oil lamp to escape. Wedgwood creamware examples with painted bird and insect decoration are a good deal rarer than the plain form and this one is complete with all its components (see the group photograph).

Condition: Please see images for condition — the photographs form part of the description and show every angle, the base and any faults. Age-related wear to the painted decoration and some wear and small chips to the foot and interior of the stand as photographed; I have not noted any cracks. Please look at every image before bidding.

From a large private collection of early 19th-century English ceramics, acquired over many years and now being dispersed.

Please note: there are other pieces of the same style and period from this collection for sale in my shop — see my other listings.

Carefully packed and dispatched from the UK. International buyers welcome — postage is calculated by the rate table at checkout. Please ask if you would like further photographs or measurements.