Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones (1833-1898) for Morris & Co.

glazed earthenware, painted with the figure of a woman holding a sword, mounted in a wood frame

Mrs. Lucius Gubbins, after 1934

Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Morris Centenary Exhibition, 1934
William Morris Gallery, Waltham Forest, 1996-7

The top and bottom tile from this panel have been restored due to overpainting. The extent of the original damage is not clear. The frame has a chip to the left hand side as can be seen in the catalogue illustration. The frame and the backing boards appear to be original and bear the Morris stamped mark 'MORRIS 449 Oxford Street London W'. A rare panel with interesting provenance.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Burne-Jones designed a number of tiles in the early years of Morris & Co., when the company was importing Dutch blanks and firing them in their kiln at Red Lion Square (Catalogue of the Morris Collection, William Morris Gallery, Walthamstow, 1969, p. 24).
The figure of Lucretia, whose rape and suicide led to the establishment of the Roman Republic, also appears in Burne-Jones's studies for Chaucer's 'Legend of Good Women'. Six of these became stained glass windows for the Combination Room, Peterhouse College, Cambridge. The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery has a drapery study for the figure, dated circa 1863 (1904P15), and a finished watercolour of 1867 (1931P61).

Etta May Gubbins (1871-1955), who purchased the tiles after the 1934 exhibition, was a New Zealander who had settled in Eastbourne with her husband Lucius Gubbins after the First World War. She became a considerable patron of Morris & Co.