Date & Origin
England, c1870
Condition
No chips or cracks, age-related wear, clean and clear. There is some white enamel missing from the face of the bird.
Dimensions
Height: 12.5cm Width 4.5cm Length : 6cm
Technical Description
A highly unusual 19th-century glass perfume bottle. It has its original clear facet cut stopper above a satin blue ribbed body. Polished pontil to base.
One side of the bottle has been hand-painted with a colourful Thornbird, sitting upon a gold gilt thorn tree.
From Wikipedia, the "Thornbird legend is that of a bird which sings just once in its life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves the nest it searches for a thorn tree, and does not rest until it has found one. Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. And, dying, it rises above its own agony to out-carol the lark and the nightingale. One superlative song, existence the price. But the whole world stills to listen, and God in His heaven smiles. For the best is only bought at the cost of great pain.... "
The myth alludes to the Parable of the Sower in the Synoptic Gospels and chapter 9 of the Gospel of Thomas.
Its a fantastic piece and we have never come across another example.
This item is out of stock.
