Description
Beautiful old water tank or cistern intended to humidify the home in hot weather. Made of white ceramic in Conimbriga (near Condeixa, Portugal).
This impressive hand decorated cistern is composed of a main body/water tank, with lid/cover mounted on a wooden base. The tank still has the original faucet (UK: ‘tap’) made of brass alloy and in full working order The separate matching bowl is mounted underneath the tap so that the water in the bowl can be topped up.
Signed with factory details on the base and decorators mark.
Both parts have brightly colored, finely hand painted decoration, showing a masque around the water-fittings, surrounded by birds and floral motifs extending across the entire surface in the style of the 17th century, the Golden Age.
The ceramic shows no signs of chips or crazing at all, in very good condition with the original base and wall-hook.
