This exquisite Victorian pink birds wash set once reposed upon a dressing table of a Parisian Grande Dame, it was retained by the family for generations until recently when the family apartment in the elegant 2ème arondisement of Paris was sold. I bought from the family directly.
 
Made by Brown-Westhead, Moore & Co., Staffordshire, in the beloved Canova pattern. Decorated in soft blush-pink transferware with delicate birds and naturalistic foliage, on a warm ivory ground. This charming set embodies the romance of the Aesthetic Movement.
 
A beautiful example of late Victorian transferware with the graceful bird motifs, different on each side. Make sure you peek inside the bowl for the delightful flock of pink birds sitting on a country fence that would have greeted Madame every morning for 'sa toilette' routine.
 
Used for daily washing rituals, today it makes a striking decorative statement in a powder room, boudoir or any layered antique interior. The set was manufactured in England c1880, but interestingly it is stamped with the French Déposé mark, indicating it was imported to Paris, probably for the Grand Depot.
 
The bowl is 14" in diameter and 5" tall, the pitcher is 10" tall. There is a chip inside, not visible from the outside and one small area of slight discolouration. The bowl has a small chipped area at the base, also indicated with an arrow. Small signs of a long family life.