This is an English Prattware pottery pot lid, 4" in diameter, 7-1/4" with the frame which is 1-1/8" thick. The wide oak frame, which is probably original, has a split, which is an indication of age. This lid is listed as No. 192 in Under Glaze Colour Picture Prints on Staffordshire Pottery by Harold George Clarke and described as "seven circular scenes, depicting Shakespeare's seven ages from 'As You Like It' . . . . We see first the child in his mother's lap . . . .; then the reluctant school-boy dragging his books on the floor, and a dog by his side; next the love-sick swain composing lines to his fair one; and after that the stern soldier storming a fort at the head of his men. The next little picture shows the justice, with an ample meal before him, and then the old slippered man with his stick and a boy at his side; and finally the toothless invalid, all wrapped-up, sitting in his arm-chair, while a woman attends on him. . . . The spaces between the circles are purple . . . .' The edges of the lid are covered by the frame which obscures the title "The Seven Ages of Man" and "As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII" at the bottom. The condition of the lid is excellent, with three stilt marks on the back. There is fine, overall crazing, which, according to Clarke, is a sign that the lid is genuinely old and not a later reproduction. The lid dates to about 1880 and is rated Very Rare by Clarke.

Originally small pots with lids were used in the mid 19th century to hold bear grease, which was used as a pomade for hair. Later in the 19th century the pots were used for fish paste, potted shrimp and meat. The lids came to be prized for their own sake. The fine detail in the pictures results from the transfer printing from copper plate engravings. Each color is applied in a separate, painstaking process which demanded great skill. These lids are truly miniature works of art.

I have several more interesting pot lids, so please inquire.

Antique Porcelain & Pottery
Misc. Antique Pottery