Fighting Cock Tureen (one of a pair)
Factory: Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory
Soft-paste porcelain tureen and cover, moulded in the form of a fighting cock, and painted overglaze in polychrome enamels.
History note: Possibly from the collection of the Duchess of Cleveland. It is possible that the pair of tureens was sold on 30 March 1922, lot 91, as part of the 'Catalogue of Oil Paintings, Tapestries, Porcelain and Furniture' auctioned by Mr W. Rendall Darby, of the firm of Messrs. J & R Kemp and Co., 125 High Holborn, WC1. A pair of 14 1/2 in Old Chelsea tureens and covers in the form of fighting cocks, enamelled in colours (no price or purchaser given). Robert Gelston, Limerick; his brother, Dick Gelston
Bequeathed by Dick Gelston in memory of his brother Robert Gelston, Civil Engineer, Limerick.
Height: 9 in
Length: 15 in
Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1958-10-16) by Gelston, Dick
18th Century, Mid
George II
Red anchor period (1752-1756)
Circa
1755
-
1756
This rare tureen and its pair probably resembled lot 52 on the sixteenth and last day of the Chelsea sale held on 27 March 1756 which was described as 'A very curious TUREEN in the form of TWO FIGHTING COCKS big as the life.', but seems likely to have been two tureens, as no example of one tureen in the form of two fighting cocks has been recorded. There is one more example in the Art Institute of Chicago, European Decorative Arts Department, accession no. 1964.1142.
Decoration composed of enamels ( polychrome)
presumed lead
Lead-glaze
Soft-paste porcelain
Moulding
: Soft-paste porcelain, moulded in the form of a fighting cock, and painted overglaze in polychrome enamels
Glazing (coating)
Accession number: C.4.2 & A-1958
Primary reference Number: 131417
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Fighting Cock Tureen (one of a pair)" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/131417 Accessed: 2025-05-07 13:17:08
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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/131417
|title=Fighting Cock Tureen (one of a pair)
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-05-07 13:17:08|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
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