Soap dish and cover

1835-1860

Measurements

3-1/2 in x 5-1/4 in x 4-1/8 in

Materials

Glazed, enameled, and gilded porcelain

Credit Line

Historic Odessa Foundation, The David Wilson Mansion, Inc.

Accession Number

1971.779

Condition Notes

The tail of the gilded foo dog finial has broken off.  The soap tray inside the box has broken and is repaired with staples and in-fills.

Provenance

Ex coll. Mrs. E. Tatnall (Mary Corbit) Warner

Comments

The three-part soap dish has a lid and a liner or tray for soap.  The liner is pierced with a regular pattern of holes to allow water to drip from the soap into the dish.  Pink and green motifs decorate the inside of the liner, and a richly painted floral band decorates the border.

The box lid is decorated with a scene showing Chinese figures against a Chinese pavilion.  A molded and gilded foo dog finial is in the center.  The outside of the the box is lushly decorated with Chinese fruits and flowers, birds and butterflies, all against a gilded background. The color palette of the box –namely pink, blue, aqua, green, yellow, and orange-red, with some gilding—is associated with the many and diverse Rose Medallion wares.  The outside bottom of the soap dish is unglazed.

The soap dish is part of a set of similarly decorated toilet wares including a water bottle and lid (accession no. 1971.774), an accompanying water basin (accession no. 1971.775), and a rectangular box (accession no, 1971.778).  A mug (accession no. 1971.777) also has similar decoration.