Rhinemaidens' a rare Pilkington's Lancastrian vase designed by Walter Crane, compressed form, cast in low relief with three mermaids joining hands around the neck of the vase, covered in a graduated matt blue glaze, impressed factory mark to base and artist monogram to the side of the vase, 10.5cm. high Provenance Private collection Literature Greg Smith, Walter Crane, Artist, Designer & Socialist, Lund Humphries/Whitworth Art Gallery, K18 for an example, from The collection of Peter Rose & Albert Gallichan Collection, illustrated. Brian Coleman The Best of British Arts and Crafts, Schiffer Books, page 216 for a comparable, possibly the same example, from the collection of Peter Rose and Albert Gallichan collection. Victoria & Albert Museum for an identical vase covered in a matt olive glaze, (accession number C138-1980).

Composed of several subsidiaries, the Drouot Group is a major player in the art market. Hôtel Drouot, located in the heart of Paris, has been the world's largest public auction center since 1852. 15 salerooms are available to more than 70 auction houses. The emulation generated by an annual offer of 230,000 artworks from 21 major specialities - from Antiquity to street art - attracts some 3,000 visitors every day. The Group's digital platform, Drouot.com, offers digital sales - Live auctions (live broadcasting and participation in auctions), Online-only auctions (dematerialised auctions) and Buy Now sales (sales of lots at fixed prices). Nearly 2 million items are offered annually by 600 auction houses. Auction news is reported every week in La Gazette Drouot, the leading weekly magazine for the art market and culture published by Auctionspress.