From a distance there at the auction house, the vintage stoneware washbasin in the cobalt blue floral design looked to be Flow Blue. It was on a shelf against a back wall with the “slightly better” items at the auction house.
“Slightly better” are items that are more vintage and antique, not like the box lots in the other room at one of my favorite auction houses. In terms of price, though, some of the items in this room end up selling for the same amount as box lots.
Take the washbasin or washbowl, for example. It could go cheap or it could go high, depending on who wanted it badly. Right then, it was whispering to me, not calling out my name, just a come-hither look beckoning me to at least drop by, pick it up and check it out.
And so I did. The basin was large – 5 ½” deep and 15″ in diameter, and looked to be ceramic or stoneware – and sat on an oval china platter that I’m sure was not its mate. The glazed basin had cobalt blue flower-trailers in separate groupings around the curved wall of the inside, and a ring of smaller flowers and curlicues in a trellis design around the top of the outside. Also on the exterior were splashes of gilding/gold leafing. It looked like Flow Blue, but I’m wasn’t sure if it actually was.
A manufacturer’s name and logo of what looked like a crown was stamped on the bottom: “Columbia, C&H, Tunstall, England.” The white platter – measuring 20″ x 16″ – had no marking.
I Googled but could not find out anything about the maker, but I did learn that Tunstall referred to a town that was part of “The Potteries” in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Also called Staffordshire Potteries, the six towns represented the center of the British pottery industry, which dated back in the area to the 18th century, according to the website thepotteries.org. The major pottery producers Wedgwood, Royal Doulton and Spode are located there.
I had no idea what I’d do with the wash basin. But I did love its vintage and much-used appearance, and its presence of oldness: nicks, dents and scratches, a slight hairline crack and some rubbing-away of the gold leafing. I couldn’t tell how old it actually was, but I’m sure that it had been used many times to wash a face or a body or the whole of a baby. It could’ve also been used to wash small articles of clothing.
Likely, it once sat atop a wash stand with a matching water pitcher that’s long gone. Or that pitcher could show up on an auction table next week.
Maybe I could use it a sculpture or planter in my back yard. I knew I’d have to be creative with it because I certainly wouldn’t use it as a washbasin. For someone who’s redecorating a house, it could be used as a bathroom sink – after some cleaning with hot water and a long bout of scrubbing.
At the auction house, I waited around ‘til the end, not necessarily to bid on the basin but for some other items. There were so few of us, the auctioneer allowed us to pick items we wanted to bid on. I watched to see if anyone would choose the basin. No one did, so I asked that it be put forth.
The auctioneer started at my automatic bid price of $5. I was the only bidder and got both items. For so little cost, I’m certain to find a nice place for them.
Afterward, another bidder wondered how much I had paid for the lot. He didn’t say it, but he seemed a little surprised that they didn’t generate more bids.
“Good buy,” he said. I know.
