De Sphinx, Maastricht | Voortrekker Centenary Commemorative Bowl | 1838–1938 | Issued by Uniewinkels, Pretoria

De Sphinx, Maastricht | Voortrekker Centenary Commemorative Bowl | 1838–1938 | Issued by Uniewinkels, Pretoria

An object made to mark a centenary carries two dates simultaneously — the event it commemorates and the moment it was made — and both matter.

The year 1938 marked the centenary of the Battle of Blood River and coincided with the laying of the foundation stone of the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria, events commemorated across South Africa with unusual scale and coordination, including the re-enactment of the Great Trek by ox-wagon from Cape Town to Pretoria. This period produced a wide range of commemorative material, among which ceramics manufactured in Europe for the South African market hold a distinct place.

De Sphinx of Maastricht developed from the pottery established by Petrus Regout in 1836, and adopted the De Sphinx name in 1899. It was one of the Netherlands’ principal export potteries, producing transfer-printed earthenware in large volumes for international markets throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This bowl was issued by Uniewinkels (Diens), a South African retail chain based in Pretoria, specifically for the 1938 centenary, placing it firmly within that moment of national commemoration.

The bowl is footed and hemispherical in form, made of cream-toned earthenware with a glazed interior. The exterior carries a continuous transfer-printed scene in terracotta red on cream, depicting imagery associated with the Great Trek: ox-wagon trains moving through mountainous terrain, mounted figures with livestock, and a prominent rendering of the Voortrekker Monument during its construction phase on its elevated plinth. A central cartouche shows a lit candle flanked by hanging chains, with the dates 1838 and 1938 — symbolic of continuity, memory, and historical connection.

The base carries the full transfer backstamp: "De Sphinx — Maastricht / Uniewinkels / diens / Pretoria / Made in Holland."

There are no chips or cracks. The transfer is well-preserved and clearly legible throughout. The interior shows light age-related patination consistent with careful use.

Key Details

• Maker: N.V. De Sphinx, Maastricht, Holland
• Issued by: Uniewinkels (Diens), Pretoria
• Occasion: Voortrekker Centenary (1838–1938)
• Material: Earthenware
• Decoration: Terracotta transfer-print — Great Trek scenes, Voortrekker Monument under construction, commemorative cartouche
• Backstamp: "De Sphinx — Maastricht / Uniewinkels / diens / Pretoria / Made in Holland"
• Diameter: 11 cm
• Height: 6.5 cm
• Weight: 176 g

Condition
No chips or cracks. Transfer decoration intact and unfaded. Minor interior patination consistent with age and light use.

Collector Appeal

The bowl depicts the Voortrekker Monument during its early history, commemorating the centenary year of 1938, when its foundation stone was laid. The monument would not be inaugurated until 1949. With its full backstamp and clear transfer decoration, the bowl records a Dutch pottery producing a commemorative piece for a South African retailer.

An object that records not only what was being remembered in 1938 — but what was still in the process of being built.