Description
A small creamware pottery teapot made by Josiah Wedgwood and decorated in underglaze black with John Manners, the Marquis of Granby.
The half portrait of the Marquess shows his name and title in capitals along a scrolling ribbon flanked with war trophies. The reverse has a dramatic print with two military men on horseback engaged in combat within a cartouche surrounded with a profusion of flags, banners, and emblems of war. The prints are from Sadler and Green, a workshop often used by Wedgwood in the 18th century.
The piece is exceptionally rare, and there are few commemorative of the Marquess despite his popularity in Great Britain following his military success and his reputation for concern over the welfare of his troops. The Marquess of Granby is one of the most famous names for taverns in Britain and stems from the help he gave to his old soldiers in setting up a business.