Jim Bailey Signed 1997 Miniature Figural Teapot (Dinner Table Theme) 🍽️🕯️🍷

This is a High-Value Miniature Figural Teapot designed by the renowned novelty artist Jim Bailey, explicitly marked 1997. It is uniquely molded as a Draped Dinner Table set for a romantic meal.

• Artist/Maker: Jim Bailey (Signed and Dated 1997).

• Theme: Dinner Table / Trompe-l'oeil Novelty.

2. Item Details & Design ✨🎨

This teapot is a masterful piece of novelty ceramic with meticulous detail:

• Body/Tablecloth: The vessel is draped in a white ceramic tablecloth with painted blue flower (bellflower/bluebell) designs and a contrasting blue fringe/trim. The four table legs are visible beneath the cloth, painted in a speckled brown glaze.

• Tabletop/Accessories (Lid): The top is set with permanently molded ceramic accessories: a golden candlestick with a lit candle, a baguette on a silver platter, a gold and silver salt/pepper shaker, and a purple wine bottle.

• Handle/Spout: The handle and spout are finished in a highly glossy, textured brown speckled (spatter) glaze, giving the impression of wood or bark.

• Mark: Clear gold stamp: © J. Bailey 1997 and signature. The bread/baguette piece is the removable lid.

3. Historical/Period Context 🌏🕰️

• Period: 1997 (Contemporary Collectible). The late 1990s marked the apex of the highly thematic and detailed novelty teapot market.

• Significance: As a signed and dated work from a specialized collector's series, this piece holds a higher documentary and artistic value than generic novelties. It reflects a very specific trend in home decor and collecting.

4. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐

This item is perfect for:

• Collectors of Signed and Dated Novelty Teapots, specifically works by Jim Bailey.

• Enthusiasts of Dinner/Food Themed Figurals or Trompe-l'oeil Ceramics.

• Buyers seeking a high-quality, documented piece from a specialized Collector's Series.

5. Condition & Valuation 💎💰

• Condition: Excellent Contemporary Condition. The intricate accessories are intact, the gold and silver paints are bright and unworn, and the high-gloss glaze is flawless. The only possible minor flaw is crazing (minor crack) visible in the white tablecloth glaze, common in earthenware.

• Rarity: High (Signed, dated, and part of a known collector's series by a prominent artist).

• Valuation Strategy: Price is maximized due to the Artist Signature, Date, and Provenance (the triple advantage) combined with the complex, desirable figural theme.