Lady of Spain. . .

Right from the night I first saw you

My heart has been yearning for you

What else could any heart do?

Lady of Spain, 1931

And who could not yearn for this lovely lady by the Spanish porcelain firm of Lladró. Entitled "La Maja," this beautiful bust was sculpted by Juan Huerta and introduced in 1970. Lladró retired this piece in 1985. Although "maja" now generally means a pleasant and attractive woman, in the time of the Spanish painter Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (1746 –1828), the word referred to a pretty and vivacious young woman of the lower classes who dressed in a vibrant and bold manner. Goya featured majas in a number of his paintings, the most famous of which are his La Maja Desnuda and La Maja Vestida. 

Her raven tresses are adorned with two realistic roses. These roses were formed petal by petal, hand-molded out of clay and carefully applied to the figurine before the piece was fired. This delicate detail and workmanship are typical of the finest of Lladró's creations. Lladró was founded in 1953 by three brothers, Juán, José, and Vicente Lladró. Educated at the Valencia School of Arts and Crafts, where they studied sculpture and painting, the brothers first began producing ceramic flowers and decorative items for sale in the local market, but by 1956 they began creating the sculptural figurines for which Lladró is world famous. After expanding their workshop several times to meet growing demand, in 1958, the brothers relocated to a factory in Tavernes Blanques, where Lladró still resides today.

This delicate damsel comes in her own display case. 

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

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Here Be Dragons!

This elaborate antique pewter tea set from China is intricately engraved with dragons flying amidst exotic flowers and swirling waters.  

Pewter is an alloy of tin and lead. The softness of the metal makes it malleable and it can be polished to a soft sheen. Pewter appeared in China some 2,000 years ago. Tea caddies made of pewter were preferred for storing the valuable tea leaves and some tea connoisseurs argued that pewter tea pots made 

for superior brewing. 

In addition to the Chinese markings, the set is also stamped "Kut Hing Pewter Swatow." The City of Swatow, now known as Shantou, was opened as a foreign port in 1860 and quickly became an important export market, with many local artisans creating wares for the foreign trade. Beginning in the late 19th century, a number of workshops produced elaborate pewter items for the Western market, including everything from traditional tea sets to modern cocktail sets, often covered in intricate engraving. The Kut Hing company was one of the prominent pewter makers of the era.

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

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