Josiah Wedgwood’s famous Jasperware – unglazed stoneware, encircled by classical bas-relief motifs – is a familiar sight to us all. I think everyone has a grandmother or an aunt with a dish or small box on display and I can’t remember a large group antique store that didn’t have a piece in stock. I even find it floating around shrine sales in Japan and I am sure there are some die-hard Japanese collectors. Colors include blues, greens, purples, browns, yellows and black, with the light blue being the most common. What is unusual this summer is my sightings of a rare form – the cheese keeper – a plate with a large covered dome, similar to a cake stand with cover, but narrower and higher, traditionally used to keep one’s Stilton fresh. They are not often seen and tend to be quite expensive, as one might expect from their rarity.
Whether it is my own selective perception or simply supply and demand, I cannot turn around these days without stumbling across one. First, there was this dark green example with dancing maidens at the tag sale I visited earlier this summer…
…then there was this tall brown one with oak leaf and horse motif at Shore Antiques Center in Allenhurst…
…followed quite quickly by this blue neoclassic version up at The Antiques Center of Red Bank.
I can’t think of an interior featuring a cheese keeper, but I think one would make a dramatic decorative statement. I did check my inspiration files and found this photo of stacked Jasperware tins from Martha Stewart.
And I spy a cheese keeper (albeit not Jasperware) atop the china cabinet in this charming blue and white room.
For the record, I would happily take the Gustavian painted sideboard and the glass door china cabinet from these two photos. They would make the perfect finishing pieces for my dining room.
It’s quite a paradox. As cheese keepers are hard to find, they are expensive. Because they are expensive, they are not often purchased. But if not bought, are they no longer rare? Hmmm…
Image credits: 1-3. me, 4-5. Martha Stewart
Addendum: September 29, 2011
I know this is well after the writing of this post, but in the last two days I have some across three great examples and photos of these unusual items. The first is a photo from the August World Of Interiors. I didn’t see it this summer because the issues come here to Japan.
The next I came across catching up on reading back columns of Michael Penney’s blog at Canadian House & Home. He has a great post on on a shop called Cynthia Findlay Antiques in Toronto that makes me want to go there! She certainly has quite a bit of jasperware…
And the very next day I saw these on a great post about white marble in the kitchen (I vote a major yes!) that Joni did over at Cote de Texas.
Absolutely dying for this kitchen. I’d take it exactly as is for the beach house!!!
Robin
I’d take that selective perception or the effect of supply & demand as a sign and purchase one for yourself to ensure their rarity 🙂
Margaret Lambert
I admit to being a little surprised that jasperware finally resurfaced again, after spending a few decades being undesirable. And it’s a pleasure to see something which is not particularly useful- enormous cheese keepers- be appreciated for its’ form and design alone.
Yes, I’d take the Texas kitchen. The monochromatic combination of marble and metals is sublime.
Tokyo Jinja
Secretly I always loved it. even when it was uncool….
Cynthia
What a thrill for me to see a Jasperware Cheese Keep just like the one I purchased in Edinburgh! It’s the dark blue one in the photo from World of Interiors. Mine is sadly missing the acorn finial, would love to know if it can be replaced. I just love mine, use it for small cakes and pies.
Tokyo Jinja
I’d keep my eye open for a finial without a dome. Also, I’d love to know how it attaches. Is it broken off? Is there some sore of screw connector?
Cynthia
Thank you, you are very kind. I checked in the closet after I posted, it is actually missing just the small white tip of the acorn. The lid is all one piece, they attached the acorn with the same clay. I have found two services online that do repairs, looks like I could have it repaired pretty easily. I have been trying to research online, it looks like it could be as eary as 1860. Glad I didn’t know that when I was carrying it all over Scotland and England-I could have dropped it so easily as it is REALLY heavy.
penelope buckley
I have a brown and white cheese keeper with the same pattern of horses etc., there is a chip in the base but otherwise in very good condition. I am thinking of selling it but I just don’t know how much it is worth. Everybody admires it but we must downsize and this is far too big to live in a small house. It came from my husbands family home, Ravendale Hall, now an old peoples home.
Please could you give me some idea of value and should I put it on E Bay?
Thank you.
jim
What’s up, I check your blog like every week.
Your writing style is awesome, keep it up!