An extremely rare Minton porcelain Robin teapot and cover, c.1876, designed by William James Goode

An extremely rare Minton porcelain Robin teapot and cover, c.1876, designed by William James Goode and modelled as a fluffed-up robin with tail erect and beak agape, standing on a mossy ground applied with berried holly, its plumage naturalistically coloured, printed and impressed marks including for T. Goode & Co., restored, the cover a replacement, 16.3cm high. (2)

Provenance: formerly in the collection of Archibald Brabazon Sparrow Acheson, 4th Earl of Gosford (1841-1922).

It seems likely that this teapot is the one commissioned from William Goode in 1876 by the then Princess of Wales (Alexandra of Denmark) for her husband, later Edward VII. That teapot is no longer in the Royal Collection and, since the 4th Earl of Gosford was Vice-Chamberlain to Queen Alexandra, it is entirely possible that she gave the teapot to him, since she was in the habit of regularly gifting high value items to her staff and friends.

Illustrated: Philip Rayner, Thomas Goode of London 1827-1977, p 13; see also Paul Atterbury and Maureen Batkin, Dictionary of Minton, p 215.

Cf. Bonhams, Selected Items from the Minton Museum Collection, 5th October 2004, lot 65 for a near identical example, believed to have been made at the same time as the Princess's commission and retained by the factory.