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A Life in Ceramics

The Peter and Mary White Collection

1 December 2025 | starting at 13:00 GMT

"The White Collection vividly reveals the dialogue between Asian craftsmanship and European imagination."
- Professor Christiaan Jörg

Bonhams are honoured to present A Life in Ceramics: The Peter and Mary White Collection. Over more than thirty years, Peter and Mary have brought together a remarkable collection which includes ceramics from around the world and reflects their fascination with how the medium transcends cultures. In this inaugural live sale, we trace how Chinese, Japanese, European and British potters influenced one another and their markets.

For a foreword to the auction from Mary White herself and an essay by leading scholar Christiaan Jörg, please see the pdf catalogue.

Mary White will be in conversation with Anna Burnside and Sebastian Kuhn, 30 November 2025, at 101 New Bond Street. Please join us from 3pm, the talk will begin promptly at 3.30pm.
RSVP: leni.howard@bonhams.com

A Life in Ceramics

Auction highlights

Lot gallery

1 — A London delftware 'Bleu Persan' mug, circa 1680-1700

2 — A pair of Nevers faience candlesticks, circa 1680

3 — A Nevers faience pierced oval basket, late 17th century

4 — A faience model of a recumbent spaniel, possibly German, circa 1770

5 — An Alcora faience model of a seated dog with a mouse, circa 1800

6 — A Portuguese faience pear-shaped jug, dated 1636

7 — A large faience tureen and cover modelled as a cockerel, possibly eastern French, mid 18th century

8 — A large Viterbo maiolica deep dish, first half 17th century

9 — An Urbino maiolica istoriato dish, workshop of Guido Durantino, circa 1540

10 — A rare Saintonge, La Chapelle des Pots, green-glazed earthenware two-spouted vessel, first half 17th century

11 — A Wrotham slipware tyg by George Richardson, dated 1648

12 — A London delftware fuddling cup, circa 1630-50

13 — An English delftware barber's bowl, circa 1700-20

14 — A rare English delftware bird feeder, dated 1751

15 — A pair of Dutch Delft flower tubs, mid-18th century

16 — An English delftware teapot and cover, circa 1750

17 — A rare Elers Brothers redware mug, circa 1695

18 — A Dutch red stoneware, Ary de Milde, teapot and cover, circa 1720, together with a Yixing teapot and cover, 17th or 18th century

19 — A Böttger stoneware hexagonal teapot and cover, circa 1710-13

20 — A Staffordshire solid agate teapot and cover, circa 1750

21 — A Staffordshire white saltglaze teapot and cover, circa 1750

22 — A rare Staffordshire white saltglaze teapot and cover, circa 1750

23 — A Yorkshire pearlware frog mug from the 'Portrait Group', dated 1781

24 — A Staffordshire creamware cauliflower coffee pot and a cover, circa 1760-80

25 — A Meissen Böttger porcelain white pagoda figure, circa 1715-20

26 — A pair of Saint-Cloud figures of Chinese men, circa 1720

27 — A rare Villeroy figure of a seated Chinese man, circa 1740

28 — An Arita figure of a boy, Edo period (1615-1868), circa 1660-1690

29 — A Saint-Cloud figure of an actress, circa 1730-40

30 — An Arita circular VOC plate, Edo period (1615-1868), circa 1680

31 — An Arita armorial circular saucer, circa 1690

32 — An Arita armorial deep circular plate, circa 1710

33 — A Chinese, Kangxi period, 'Scheveningen' dish, circa 1720

34 — An Arita mug, circa 1680-1700

35 — A rare Arita two-handled octagonal butter box and cover, late 17th century

36 — An Arita blue and white porcelain plate, Kanbun (1663–1673) or Enpô Era (1673 - 1681)

37 — A rare Arita rectangular sander, circa 1680-1700

38 — A rare Arita drum-shaped teapot, Edo period, (1615-1886), early 18th century

39 — An Arita porcelain model of a lion-dog or 'Shishi', circa 1680

40 — A very rare Dutch Delftware dog kennel, dated 1725

41 — A large Arita circular dish, Edo period (1615-1868), circa 1690

42 — A Dutch Delftware brushback, dated 1753

43 — A Dutch Delft octagonal bottle vase, late 17th century

44 — A very rare and documentary Chinese Export Dutch-decorated bowl, dated 1741-42

45 — A Chinese export porcelain 'Pronk Ladies with Parasol' dish, Qianlong period, circa 1740

46 — An Arita circular plate, after Cornelis Pronk, circa 1740

47 — A large bottle vase, the porcelain Edo Period (1615-1886), circa 1690, the decoration applied in the Netherlands, circa 1720-40

48 — A Chinese, Qianlong, tea canister and cover painted in Bayreuth in the workshop of J.F. Metzsch, circa 1745

Specialist contacts

Sophie von der Goltz

Anna Burnside

Nette Megens

Ghislaine Howard

Sebastian Kuhn

Porcelain (UK)

Jim Peake

Raphael Machiels

Fergus Gambon

Bids (UK)

News and stories

The Classics | Winter 2025

Additional information

Auction information

Related Departments

Auction Viewings

Conditions of Sale

1 —
A London delftware 'Bleu Persan' mug, circa 1680-1700

2 —
A pair of Nevers faience candlesticks, circa 1680

3 —
A Nevers faience pierced oval basket, late 17th century

4 —
A faience model of a recumbent spaniel, possibly German, circa 1770

5 —
An Alcora faience model of a seated dog with a mouse, circa 1800

6 —
A Portuguese faience pear-shaped jug, dated 1636

7 —
A large faience tureen and cover modelled as a cockerel, possibly eastern French, mid 18th century

8 —
A large Viterbo maiolica deep dish, first half 17th century

9 —
An Urbino maiolica istoriato dish, workshop of Guido Durantino, circa 1540

10 —
A rare Saintonge, La Chapelle des Pots, green-glazed earthenware two-spouted vessel, first half 17th century

11 —
A Wrotham slipware tyg by George Richardson, dated 1648

12 —
A London delftware fuddling cup, circa 1630-50

13 —
An English delftware barber's bowl, circa 1700-20

14 —
A rare English delftware bird feeder, dated 1751

15 —
A pair of Dutch Delft flower tubs, mid-18th century

16 —
An English delftware teapot and cover, circa 1750

17 —
A rare Elers Brothers redware mug, circa 1695

18 —
A Dutch red stoneware, Ary de Milde, teapot and cover, circa 1720, together with a Yixing teapot and cover, 17th or 18th century

19 —
A Böttger stoneware hexagonal teapot and cover, circa 1710-13

20 —
A Staffordshire solid agate teapot and cover, circa 1750

21 —
A Staffordshire white saltglaze teapot and cover, circa 1750

22 —
A rare Staffordshire white saltglaze teapot and cover, circa 1750

23 —
A Yorkshire pearlware frog mug from the 'Portrait Group', dated 1781

24 —
A Staffordshire creamware cauliflower coffee pot and a cover, circa 1760-80

25 —
A Meissen Böttger porcelain white pagoda figure, circa 1715-20

26 —
A pair of Saint-Cloud figures of Chinese men, circa 1720

27 —
A rare Villeroy figure of a seated Chinese man, circa 1740

28 —
An Arita figure of a boy, Edo period (1615-1868), circa 1660-1690

29 —
A Saint-Cloud figure of an actress, circa 1730-40

30 —
An Arita circular VOC plate, Edo period (1615-1868), circa 1680

31 —
An Arita armorial circular saucer, circa 1690

32 —
An Arita armorial deep circular plate, circa 1710

33 —
A Chinese, Kangxi period, 'Scheveningen' dish, circa 1720

34 —
An Arita mug, circa 1680-1700

35 —
A rare Arita two-handled octagonal butter box and cover, late 17th century

36 —
An Arita blue and white porcelain plate, Kanbun (1663–1673) or Enpô Era (1673 - 1681)

37 —
A rare Arita rectangular sander, circa 1680-1700

38 —
A rare Arita drum-shaped teapot, Edo period, (1615-1886), early 18th century

39 —
An Arita porcelain model of a lion-dog or 'Shishi', circa 1680

40 —
A very rare Dutch Delftware dog kennel, dated 1725

41 —
A large Arita circular dish, Edo period (1615-1868), circa 1690

42 —
A Dutch Delftware brushback, dated 1753

43 —
A Dutch Delft octagonal bottle vase, late 17th century

44 —
A very rare and documentary Chinese Export Dutch-decorated bowl, dated 1741-42

45 —
A Chinese export porcelain 'Pronk Ladies with Parasol' dish, Qianlong period, circa 1740

46 —
An Arita circular plate, after Cornelis Pronk, circa 1740

47 —
A large bottle vase, the porcelain Edo Period (1615-1886), circa 1690, the decoration applied in the Netherlands, circa 1720-40

48 —
A Chinese, Qianlong, tea canister and cover painted in Bayreuth in the workshop of J.F. Metzsch, circa 1745