RARE TEA SET HAS A TOUCH OF CHANEL
Wedgwood set was owned by Lagerfeld
A ONE-OF-A-KIND Wedgwood tea and coffee set which previously belonged to fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld is now on display in Staffordshire.
The ‘Campanula’ set, above, can now be seen at the V&A Wedgwood Collection in Barlaston and was owned by the controversial creative director for Chanel until his death in 2019.
Designed by Paul Follot for Wedgwood, the hand-painted set was made around 1923 and includes 16 cups, 15 saucers, a teapot, a coffee pot, a milk jug and a sugar pot. The pieces are thought to be the only examples of this pattern and shape in existence, as only a very small number of Wedgwood products were made in the art nouveau and art deco styles.
While the V&A declined to reveal how much the set was acquired for, the Sotheby’s website shows that it was sold in the first auction of items from Karl Lagerfeld’s estate, which took place in Monaco in December last year, where it appears to have sold for 6,300 Euros.
It’s thought that the set was probably used by the German designer as it shows some signs of wear. The V&A’S conservation team cleaned the pieces, including the gold decoration, and repaired a small crack. One of the lids belonging to the teapot is missing but experts at Wedgwood are currently looking into whether they could make a replacement.
Follot’s design drawings for the bone china set, which show the journey from concept to production, have also been acquired by the museum. The V&A also has in its collection – although not currently on display – a woman’s black wool suit designed by Lagerfeld in 1987 whose pattern resembles the Campanula set.
There are four different shapes of cups and saucers – two sizes of coffee cup, a hot chocolate cup and a tea cup – and the handpainted decoration features black enamel stripes highlighted with a gilded stripe motif, on a gilded base with a scroll pattern.
Catrin Jones, chief curator at the V&A Wedgwood Collection, said: “This glamourous art deco set is a rare and unusual example of Paul Follot’s designs for Wedgwood, reflecting the tastes of its collector, fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who is known for his love of monochrome as well as his interest in ceramics.
“These extraordinary pieces and their design drawings fill an important gap in the V&A Wedgwood Collection, and are a wonderful example of the Wedgwood company’s tradition of working with innovative artists to create their designs, and of inspiring tastemakers such as Karl Lagerfeld.”
Lagerfeld, below, was the creative director of the French fashion house Chanel from 1983 until his death in 2019 at the age of 85. He controversially told a French television programme that ;the greatest thing Germany invented was the Holocaust; and attacked Angela Merkel’s opendoor migration policies.
He also faced allegations of Islamophobia and fatphobia, and was criticised for his support of fur. But it was announced last month that the theme for next year’s Met Gala – a highlight of the fashion calendar – will be ‘Karl Lagerfeld’.
Despite the set’s controversial former owner, a spokesperson for the V&A said the museum’s focus was on enhancing the Wedgwood collection. He said: “No other examples of the pattern or even the shape are known to exist. They have been acquired and preserved to be enjoyed and studied for years to come within the context of the wider collection.”
The set joins other highlights from the V&A Wedgwood Collection including Josiah Wedgwood I’s Portland Vase and First Day’s Vases, to modern designs by Keith Murray, Eric Ravilious and Daisy Makeigjones. The V&A Wedgwood Collection can be found at World of Wedgwood in Barlaston, and is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Admission is free.