WEDGWOOD - Trinket Dish
Blue Jasperware
Circa 1950's (estimated)
Design name: Gemini Twins
White neoclassical relief decoration, central is a depiction of "the twins" sitting on a bench seat embracing.
Who are the twins and why are they embracing? Here is the Greek mythology behind this scene ...
Gemini (sign of the Zodiac) is depicted by the twins Pullox and Castor. According to Greek mythology, the twins were said to have different fathers. Castor was the mortal son of the king of Sparta and Pollux was the divine son of Zeus. They are said to have been born from the same egg. When the mortal Castor was killed, Pollux, being a demigod, asked Zeus (his divine father) to let him share his immortality with his twin to keep them together. They were then transformed into the constellation Gemini.
Geminis are thus said to have a dual personality ... it's nice to know the 'story' behind the artwork!
DIMENSIONS:
112mm diameter (Small)
BACKSTAMP DETAILS:
(Impressed/stamped into the clay)
WEDGWOOD ®
MADE IN
ENGLAND
To the side and set at an angle is the letters OH (or it could be ( ) H, also stamped (not printed)
This type of stamped impression underneath dates from the period 1908 ~ 1969 so the true year of manufacture could be anywhere in this time period, although we 'favoured' 1950's as most likely.
COSMETIC CONDITION:
CLEAN
NO chips
NO discolouration
NO cracks
NO damage to the relief artwork
