To Serve and Project: The Pugin Staffordshire Plate, 1848

Gothic Revival Plate
A.W.N. Pugin
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This plate was designed by the celebrated architect and writer A.W.N. Pugin, known for his association with the Palace of Westminster and as a leading figure in the Gothic Revival. This plate, with its trefoil and quatrefoil ornament, is a perfect example of Pugin's Gothic style sensibilities. According to the V&A, "Pugin had a long-standing relationship with Herbert Minton of Minton & Co. and produced many ceramic designs for the firm, including tiles as well as tableware."

The eight-lobed white plate feautures a rim decorated with raised quatrefoils in a buff color and gilding on blue ground. The playe's center shows raised vine leaves and grapes in gilding and green on a buff ground around a central circle containing a  green tudor rose surrounded with a band of trefoil shapes in gilding on blue.

It was made in Staffordshire, England around 1848.

The Home Beautiful: A Hand-Painted Wedgwood Dish Featuring Mr. Punch

Wedgwood Dish
Painted by Vivian Cooke
Nineteenth Century
All images from The Victoria & Albert Museum

"Mr. Punch," states this cream-glazed Wedgwood pottery dish.  Heralding from Staffordshire, it's been painted in red overglaze with an image of our Punchinello, as he was when performed by Professor Piccini.  He's framed within a handsome scalloped border.

The reverse of the dish  is stamped with the mark: "Wedgwood of Etruria & Barlaston" and painted by the artist: "DECORATED BY VIVIAN COOKE."

Click images for larger versions

The Art of Play: A Child's Chafing Dish, 1912-1918

Chafing Dish
1912-1918
Staffordshire
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Teddy bears had become very popular very quickly at the beginning of the 20th century.  Not only were the actual bears themselves all the rage, but depictions of teddy bears began to appear on a variety of objects.

Of great interest to many was the idea of bears behaving like humans.  This was a popular theme for many a drawing, and such images began to adorn all sorts of items—both for adults and children. 

Here’s one such item designed for a child.

On this dish, we see images of bears performing various sporting activities including cricket, football, skating and golf. It’s a chafing dish--when filled with hot water, the metal base kept the child's food warm.  Seems like a recipe for scaling to me.  But, what do I know?  Other such dishes showed bears dressed in suits and gowns for an elegant  ball.

The dish was made in Staffordshire between 1912 and 1918 by John Aynsley & Sons Ltd.  

To Serve and Project: The Pugin Staffordshire Plate, 1848

Gothic Revival Plate
A.W.N. Pugin
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This plate was designed by the celebrated architect and writer A.W.N. Pugin, known for his association with the Palace of Westminster and as a leading figure in the Gothic Revival. This plate, with its trefoil and quatrefoil ornament, is a perfect example of Pugin's Gothic style sensibilities. According to the V&A, "Pugin had a long-standing relationship with Herbert Minton of Minton & Co. and produced many ceramic designs for the firm, including tiles as well as tableware."

The eight-lobed white plate feautures a rim decorated with raised quatrefoils in a buff color and gilding on blue ground. The playe's center shows raised vine leaves and grapes in gilding and green on a buff ground around a central circle containing a  green tudor rose surrounded with a band of trefoil shapes in gilding on blue.

It was made in Staffordshire, England around 1848.

To Serve and Project: La Chapellerie; Hatmaking, 1828

Design for a Dessert Plate
Jean-Charles Develly, 1828
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This design of pencil, ink and brown wash by Jean-Charles Develly was made in 1828 for the decoration of one of the plates intended to be added to a dessert service known as the Service des Arts Industriels which was made at the Royal Porcelain Manufactury of Sèvres France between 1820 and 1835.

The drawing shows the interior of a hat-works and depicts men in a workshop steaming, shaping and ironing top hats. Finished examples are displayed on a shelf above. The design is typically known as “La Chapellerie.” The entire porcelain service was meant to illustrate, in an attractive and picturesque way, the progress of technology and its application to different crafts. It would be the equivalent of a dish decorated with a designer using an iPhone now.

King Louis-Philippe famously bought the service and gave it to Prince von Metternich in May of 1836.

The Art of Play: A Child's Chafing Dish, 1912-1918

Chafing Dish
1912-1918
Staffordshire
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Teddy bears had become very popular very quickly at the beginning of the 20th century.  Not only were the actual bears themselves all the rage, but depictions of teddy bears began to appear on a variety of objects.

Of great interest to many was the idea of bears behaving like humans.  This was a popular theme for many a drawing, and such images began to adorn all sorts of items—both for adults and children. 

Here’s one such item designed for a child.

On this dish, we see images of bears performing various sporting activities including cricket, football, skating and golf. It’s a chafing dish--when filled with hot water, the metal base kept the child's food warm.  Seems like a recipe for scaling to me.  But, what do I know?  Other such dishes showed bears dressed in suits and gowns for an elegant  ball.

The dish was made in Staffordshire between 1912 and 1918 by John Aynsley & Sons Ltd.  

To Serve and Project: The Pugin Staffordshire Plate, 1848

Gothic Revival Plate
A.W.N. Pugin
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This plate was designed by the celebrated architect and writer A.W.N. Pugin, known for his association with the Palace of Westminster and as a leading figure in the Gothic Revival. This plate, with its trefoil and quatrefoil ornament, is a perfect example of Pugin's Gothic style sensibilities. According to the V&A, "Pugin had a long-standing relationship with Herbert Minton of Minton & Co. and produced many ceramic designs for the firm, including tiles as well as tableware."

The eight-lobed white plate feautures a rim decorated with raised quatrefoils in a buff color and gilding on blue ground. The playe's center shows raised vine leaves and grapes in gilding and green on a buff ground around a central circle containing a  green tudor rose surrounded with a band of trefoil shapes in gilding on blue.

It was made in Staffordshire, England around 1848.