Teapot, patented December 21, manufactured c.1882 (porcelain)

Designer: Attributed to Richard William Binns, English, 1819-1900; Manufacturer: Worcester Royal Porcelain Co., founded 1751; Modelled by: James Hadley, British, 1837-1903 Two-sided figural teapot modeled as a male & female English Aesthetic Movement characters as portrayed in the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta 'Patience.' (a) Main body: small, conical, two sided, figural teapot shaped as the upper body of a male (on one side) and female (on the other side). Male side: (Oscar Wilde inspired character) upper body with a three button green/yellow jacket with applied to one side at breast, a large, yellow sunflower with large green leaves, at neck a thin purple string tie and large white square collar. Female side: (Patience) upper body of a woman with a high neckline green/yellow gown with several rows of smocking at bustline, at neck a multilayered white ruffle collar and applied to one side of breast, a large white calla lily with dark green leaf. Spout is formed with one arm in long green/yellow sleeve bent at elbow with lower arm raised and hand bent at wrist, hole for liquid under palm; handle is formed with other arm in long green/yellow sleeve bent at elbow downward with wrist at waist level. (b) Lid: stopper like lid with figural upper section as head of man on one side and woman on other, both with heads tilted to one side. Male head with long, light brown/yellow wavy hair and with long dropping mustache wearing a floppy purple velvet hat; reverse a female head with long, light brown/yellow wavy hair wearing a ruched purple bonnet and narrow frill collar. Gilbert & Sullivan opera 'Patience' first performed in London April 1881 at the 'Opera Comique'' and later at the 'Savoy Theater', London in October 1881.