Antique English Sunderland "To the Wife" Lustre Decorated Chamber Pot

This 1830s Sunderland lustreware chamber pot with both hand-painted and transfer decoration is quite an amazing thing--hilarious, irreverent, and with a lot going on! Admittedly there are plenty of condition issues with this piece----the examples I've seen in very good condition have sold for $1K and up--but I think still pretty fantastic, and worth having for the image of the pajama-ed figure at the center of the interior alone!

This chamber pot would have been made as a gift to newlyweds, and as I understand it represents a humorous variation on the popular loving cups of the time. On either side of the exterior is a poem (in full below), on one side representing the voice of the gifter of the pot: "...And when you init want to P-ss, Remember them who sent you this," and on the other the voice of the husband: "...So let it be as they have said, We'll laugh & P-ss & then to bed."

But best is the interior of the chamber pot, with a sculptural frog perched on one side as if to swim in the liquid falling its way, and figure at the center speaking in the voice of the vessel: "Use me well, keep me clean, I will not tell, what I have seen!" So good!

Nearly 200 years old, this pot has definitely seen some things! See photos for condition details. It has been repaired at least once in the past: there is a repaired break in one handle, and repaired cracks to one area on one side of the exterior, near the base over the poem. Unrepaired is a large chip to one leg of the frog, fairly close to the surface, but which lost the brown glaze with it (if one were to repair something, that would be it.) Otherwise, one chip to to the glaze on the lip, and various hairline cracks all over. All that said, what a super piece to display (and provide reading material) in the guest bathroom!

5 3/4" tall x 13" across at handles; 9 1/2" diameter at lip; 5 5/8" across at base.

Here's the full poem:

Poem 1: A Present...This pot is a present sent, Some mirth to make is only meant, We hope the same you'll not refuse, But keep it safe and of it use, And when you init want to P-ss, Remember them who sent you this".

Poem 2: "To The Wife . . . Dear lovely wife pray rise and P-ss, Take you that handle and I this, This present which to you is sent, To make some mirth it seems is meant, So let it be as they have said, We'll laugh & P-ss & then to bed".