To Serve and Project: The Summer Tile, 1881

Tile of "Summer"
Kate Greenaway, 1881
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In the late Nineteenth Century, ceramic wall tiles were considered quite fashionable and the demand for them grew considerably, especially to be used in conjunction with fireplaces since the new cast-iron grates that began to appear during this period were specifically designed to be set with tiles. The tiles were fitted to metal panels that bolted onto the frame. At the start of this trend, pictorial tiles with pastoral scenes were especially popular and, often, tiles with series of different scenes were used.

The invention of “dust-pressing,” which developed in the 1840s, aided the mass production of tiles. The process allowed tiles to be formed by compacting powdered clay under high pressure in a screw-press. As many as 1,800 tiles a day—of a consistently high quality--could made on a single press, operated by two people. The result was tiles which were much less prone to warping than earlier examples.

Here, we see a tile made in such a manner—in 1881. It is one of a set of four tiles of the seasons. In this example, a woman is in her garden watering flowers, wearing a Japanese hairstyle and clothing. The style of the figure on this tile is close in appearance to figures drawn by one Kate Greenaway (1846-1901)-- one of the most celebrated children's book illustrators of the period. It is highly likely to have been her work since she often lent her talents to especially commissioned tile pieces.

To Serve and Project: The John Addis Jun Ware Bottle, 12th C.

Jun Ware Bottle, Song Dynasty, 12th C.
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This celestite blue bottle is representative of a type of Chinese ceramics known as Jun ware. Overall, Chinese ceramics are typically categorized by the geographical area in which they were made since the kilns of a particular region usually only produced one or two types of ceramics at any given time in history. 

Jun ware was a product of the kilns of the Henan province, reaching its apex during the Song dynasty (960-1279). This pottery is identified visually by its coarse stoneware body and its shiny blue glaze. Another identifying characteristic is the presence of a red spot or spots on the vessels, a visual cue evident in this example. This is due to the copper-rich pigment on the ceramic body beneath the glaze.

While some types of Chinese ceramics were made exclusively for the imperial household, Jun ware, conversely, was produced for popular. By the Qing dynasty the status of these ceramics had elevated since the Qianlong emperor (reigned 1736-95) was an admirer of them and used them for decorating his home.

Mr. Punch in the Arts: Drunk Punch, 1990

Drunk Punch
Richard Slee
Victoria & Albert Museum

Contemporary studio potter Richard Slee was inspired by English ceramics of centuries past and their relationship to British culture. Driven to create a modern adaptation of English “Tobies” (jugs, or large drinking mugs in the form of a stout man), Slee inverted the popular phrase, “Punch Drunk” and created this figure of Drunk Punch. What’s more British than Mr. Punch?


Here, we see Mr. Punch, clearly in his cups, made of coiled earthenware and colored glazes. He is surrounded by spent cobalt blue bottles which refer to Slee’s famous modern reworking of vase shapes.

Located in the Victoria & Albert Museum, Drunk Punch is usually exhibited at the end of a display of antique Tobies which show the progression of the vessel over centuries.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Fontana Inkstand, c. 1550

Inkstand
Fontana Workshop, c. 1550
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in the mid-Sixteenth Century, this tin-glazed earthenware inkstand comes from the Fontana Workshop in Urbino, Italy. The inkstand is surmounted by a figure of a young man playing an organ. He is joined by his faithful spaniel who is getting his ear scratched by his master. An inkstand such as this would have been made to appeal to a young gentleman for use in his private study. During this era, a class of urban professional men was developing and many workshops created specialized items to appeal to them. Desk accessories and ink stands were the centerpieces of these collections. Very often, these stands were fitted with compartments for pen, pounce, a paper knife, and scissors. This example once had a sliding drawer which is now missing. 


The scene depicted here shows a fashionable young gentleman dressed in the “uniform” of a nobleman. He sits at an architecturally-designed organ which is being operated by a boy at the reverse operating bellows. The entire group rests on a rectangular stand supported by lion's paws at the corners. At one point in the last five hundred years, the stand was broken, and, then, restored. There’s evidence of restoration to the chair, the brim of the hat, one of the capitals of the organ’s pilasters and the boy’s toes and bellows. 

Unusual Artifacts: The George Robey Toby, c. 1930

Toby Jug
Royal Doulton, 1930
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This earthenware Toby Jug features a bowler hat as a lid. This is among a popular line of Toby Jugs which was manufactured in the 1930s and based on music hall performers.  This example is modeled on George Robey (1869–1954), who is considered one of Britain’s most successful music hall comedians--a master of comic songs, caricatures and sketches, who became known as “the Prime Minister of Mirth.”

George Robey was known for his trademark stage appearance, a costume which is captured in this jug - a long collarless frock coat, a semi-clerical bowler hat, a walking stick and enormous black eyebrows which he raised quizzically to “great comic effect.”

This glazed earthenware jug  boasts a pale green handle and base, and depicts George Robey, dressed in his usual black suit, a white shirt and a red spotted handkerchief, and carrying a cane under his left arm. His nose is glazed in a reddish hue and he has his trademark crescent-shaped eyebrows. The plinth of the toby bears the incised inscription “GEORGE ROBEY” and the initials “AHCH.F.F.RA.”  It was made in Stoke-on-Trent, England by Royal Doulton.

And, yes, for the last twenty minutes I've been muttering "Robey Toby, Robey Toby, Robey Toby..."

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Tin-Glazed Earthenware Tea Tray, 1743

Tea Tray
Delftware, 1743
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This delicate tea tray of tin-glazed earthenware depicts a scene of a tea-party in an interior, the whole of which is surrounded by an attractive foliate and scroll border. A Greek key pattern accents the lip around the edge. The reverse is marked with the inscription: 17- : E + A : -43. Two of the tray's original seven bun feet are missing.

Such tea trays were important items in the home as they were employed to carry the teapot and other utensils to the table. Since, in the early Eighteenth Century, tea was an extravagance few could afford, it was prepared by the staff of a wealthy household directly in front of guests and family (as opposed to in the kitchen) as a display of prestige. As the price of tea began to fall, the theatricality of tea-making became less fashionable.

Very few delftware tea trays like this one survive. This example is especially interesting in that the shape is based on silver trays made between about 1710 and 1730. Humorously, a tray of the same shape is shown in the tea-party scene which has been painted on the tray itself. A teapot and tea bowls are also depicted on the tray.

Items of tin-glazed earthenware were fired twice--the initial firing was done before any decoration or glaze was applied. The result of this "biscuit" firing was a hard and slightly porous object which was then dipped in glaze and set on boards to dry. They were then painted and decorated before being fired for a second time.

The Home Beautiful: The De Morgan Punch Bowl, 1900

The De Morgan Punch Bowl
De Morgan Pottery
1900
The Victoria & Albert Museum

No, this is not a bowl for Mr. Punch to sit in, it’s a bowl from which Mr. Punch could have enjoyed a glass of punch.

This rather monumental bowl was described on its acquisition as a punch bowl but it was certainly never used as such. It’s lived a more decorative life than a practical one.  The bowl’s large size made it a perfect medium for scenic decoration and the subject matter of the design are taken from the celebrated Hispano-Moresque ship bowls of Fourteenth Century Malaga.  These ship bowls are among the most prized of ceramics for collectors of such things and museums.

This is the work of William De Morgan (1839-1917) whose ceramics were avidly collected by admirers. De Morgan was a close friend of William Morris (1834-1896) and the two collected ceramics, textiles and other art works from Persia (or, as we now call it, Iran), Turkey and China.  The pair was very much influenced in their own work by the designs of the pieces they collected.

This earthenware bowl is painted in deep turquoise blues and purples, and is an excellent example of De Morgan's "Persian" wares.   De Morgan finished the piece around 1900 at the De Morgan pottery, Sands End, Fulham, London.  It was painted by Frederick Passenger (active  1898-1907).

Sculpture of the Day: The Commedia dell'Arte Doctor, 1850

The Doctor
Italy, c. 1850
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Here, we see a glazed figurine which depicts a grey-mustached Commedia dell'Arte character, most likely the Doctor. He has donned an elongated, brimmed maroon hat, a cream neck ruff, a black doublet and hose, with a black cape that is lined in yellow. He takes a foppish stance, with his left hand on his waist, and his right hand at his side. He is holding a roll of documents. His pedestal is decorated with two comedy masks and very rococo style shell-like patterns.


This figurine was probably manufactured in the second half of the Nineteenth Century, and is one of a set representing various characters from the Italian the Commedia dell'Arte. The Doctor, or Dottore, was traditionally portrayed as a pompous scholar from Bologna, and was essentially an academic version of the greedy Pantalone. He spoke in a haughty manner peppered with malapropisms and gibberish. This stock character was adopted into the Punch & Judy tradition and remains a part of the mythology of Mr. Punch to this day.

Sculpture of the Day: A Staffordshire Figural Group of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, 1840-1850

Figural Group
Staffordshire, 1840-1850
The Victoria & Albert Museum

As we’ve seen, the very first Staffordshire figures depicted Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The two continued to be popular subjects throughout the manufacturing of such figures, and these are the figures which claim the highest prices today.


Here, we see a figural group of a man and woman who are meant to represent Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as they would have been seen taking a stroll in Hyde Park. The figures are lead-glazed earthenware and date to about 1840-1850.

Painting of the Day: A Minton Plaque of Prince Albert, 1879

Prince Albert
Hand-painted on Porcelain Plaque
1879
Minton
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This image of Prince Albert is based upon a portrait of the Prince Consort painted by Franz Xaver Winterhalter which depicts His Majesty in his garter robes wearing the Star of the Order of the Garter and a bright red cravat.


The portrait has been recreated on an oval porcelain plaque by Minton and Company. Interestingly, this is one of several such plaques which were hand-painted by female students at Minton who were learning their trade. This would have greatly pleased the Prince who was much interested in education and particularly in the education of Britain’s young ladies.

Figure of the Day: The Duke of York in Staffordshire Porcelain, 1810-20

Bust of Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Earl of Ulster
Staffordshire, 1810-1820
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in Staffordshire, England, between 1810-1820, this bust of lead-glazed Earthenware depicts the Duke of York and is marked as such. This piece pre-dates the flatback pieces which made Staffordshire porcelain famous.

At this time, the Duke of York was Prince Frederick of the House of Hanover who was also styled as the Earl of Ulster.

The Home Beautiful: The Fontana Salt Cellar, 1575-1580

The Fontana Salt
1575-1580
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Salt cellars held an important place in the home of the wealthy well into the Nineteenth Century. Salt, as hard as it is to imagine today, was a precious commodity and, because of that, elaborate containers were made to hold it. The salt cellar was placed on the table nearest to the head of the household. Those seated closest to the salt were the most honored guests—hence the phrase, “above the salt.” These cellars took a variety of ornate forms and were made from a host of interesting materials.


Here, we see a salt cellar from Italy in the Sixteenth Century. It is boat-shaped and molded in relief, with a goat's head above a lion's mask at either end. Constructed of tin-glazed earthenware, it is polychrome painted with reclining figures of Neptune and Amphitrite, a Triton and a Nereid. In the well, above the initials AZ, a shield with a cut scroll-work border, is rendered with a helmet and mantling. Though the imagery seems strange, it is actually quite commonplace since, as salt was derived from the sea, sea-gods were thought to be appropriate decorative elements.


This sort of colorful tin-glazed earthenware was known in Italy as “maiolica.” Urbino was a famous center for the manufacture of maiolica and it is believed that this salt cellar came from a workshop in that area.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Henry V Trying on the Crown, 1847

Henry V Trying on the Crown
Staffordshire, 1847
The Victoria  Albert Museum

"Flatbacks," as they are known for the shape of their backs, and Earthenware figurines for mantelpiece decoration by Staffordshire became popular in the mid-1830s. We’ve looked at the earliest datable figures by Staffordshire—those of Queen Victoria—and we’ve seen that until about 1905 many figures were produced of popular people and scenes representing a wide variety of subjects. 

This figure dates to 1847 and depicts Henry V trying on the crown. This, obviously, is meant to mimic a scene of Henry V from the play which bears his name. According to the V&A, “Although the play Henry V was staged in the early 19th century, by Macready in 1819 and Kean in 1830 and 1839, who both starred as the King, we do not know if this figurine represents any specific actor.”

Clearly, however, the figure is modeled on an engraving which itself was based on a painting that had been displayed at the Westminster Hall in 1847. The painting was John Calcott Horsley's painting Henry V and showed the moment when the Prince of Wales, believing the King to be Dead, takes the crown from the cushion and places it on his head.

Of course, much drama ensued. However, this quiet figurine exists simply to look lovely and does a fine job of it.

Figure of the Day: Samson and the Lion, 1860

Samson and the Lion
Staffordshire Group, circa 1860
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Painted with enamel colors, this Staffordshire figure group of a lion tamer may depict Samson forcing open the jaws of a lion. Made circa 1860, this molded lead-glazed earthenware flat-back was just one of many popular scenes produced by the Staffordshire factory.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Commedia dell'Arte Doctor, 1850

The Doctor
Italy, c. 1850
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Here, we see a glazed figurine which depicts a grey-mustached Commedia dell'Arte character, most likely the Doctor. He has donned an elongated, brimmed maroon hat, a cream neck ruff, a black doublet and hose, with a black cape that is lined in yellow. He takes a foppish stance, with his left hand on his waist, and his right hand at his side. He is holding a roll of documents. His pedestal is decorated with two comedy masks and very rococo style shell-like patterns.

This figurine was probably manufactured in the second half of the Nineteenth Century, and is one of a set representing various characters from the Italian the Commedia dell'Arte. The Doctor, or Dottore, was traditionally portrayed as a pompous scholar from Bologna, and was essentially an academic version of the greedy Pantalone. He spoke in a haughty manner peppered with malapropisms and gibberish. This stock character was adopted into the Punch & Judy tradition and remains a part of the mythology of Mr. Punch to this day.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Fontana Inkstand, c. 1550

Inkstand
Fontana Workshop, c. 1550
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in the mid-Sixteenth Century, this tin-glazed earthenware inkstand comes from the Fontana Workshop in Urbino, Italy. The inkstand is surmounted by a figure of a young man playing an organ. He is joined by his faithful spaniel who is getting his ear scratched by his master. An inkstand such as this would have been made to appeal to a young gentleman for use in his private study. During this era, a class of urban professional men was developing and many workshops created specialized items to appeal to them. Desk accessories and ink stands were the centerpieces of these collections. Very often, these stands were fitted with compartments for pen, pounce, a paper knife, and scissors. This example once had a sliding drawer which is now missing. 


The scene depicted here shows a fashionable young gentleman dressed in the “uniform” of a nobleman. He sits at an architecturally-designed organ which is being operated by a boy at the reverse operating bellows. The entire group rests on a rectangular stand supported by lion's paws at the corners. At one point in the last five hundred years, the stand was broken, and, then, restored. There’s evidence of restoration to the chair, the brim of the hat, one of the capitals of the organ’s pilasters and the boy’s toes and bellows. 

Figure of the Day: The Duke of York in Staffordshire Porcelain, 1810-20

Bust of Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Earl of Ulster
Staffordshire, 1810-1820
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in Staffordshire, England, between 1810-1820, this bust of lead-glazed Earthenware depicts the Duke of York and is marked as such. This piece pre-dates the flatback pieces which made Staffordshire porcelain famous.

At this time, the Duke of York was Prince Frederick of the House of Hanover who was also styled as the Earl of Ulster.

The Home Beautiful: The Summer Tile, 1881

Tile of "Summer"
Kate Greenaway, 1881
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In the late Nineteenth Century, ceramic wall tiles were considered quite fashionable and the demand for them grew considerably, especially to be used  in conjunction with fireplaces since the new cast-iron grates that began to appear during this period were specifically designed to be set with tiles.  The tiles were fitted to metal panels that bolted onto the frame.  At the start of this trend, pictorial tiles with pastoral scenes were especially popular and, often, tiles with series of different scenes were used.

 

The invention of “dust-pressing,” which developed in the 1840s, aided the mass production of tiles.  The process allowed tiles to be formed by compacting powdered clay under high pressure in a screw-press. As many as 1,800 tiles a day—of a consistently high quality--could made on a single press, operated by two people.   The result was tiles which were much less prone to warping than earlier examples.

Here, we see a tile made in such a manner—in 1881.  It is one of a set of four tiles of the seasons. In this example, a woman is in her garden watering flowers, wearing a Japanese hairstyle and clothing.  The style of the figure on this tile is close in appearance to figures drawn by one Kate Greenaway (1846-1901)-- one of the most celebrated children's book illustrators of the period.   It is highly  likely to have been her work since she often lent her talents to especially commissioned tile pieces. 

The Home Beautiful: The De Morgan Punch Bowl, 1900

The De Morgan Punch Bowl
De Morgan Pottery
1900
The Victoria & Albert Museum

No, this is not a bowl for Mr. Punch to sit in, it’s a bowl from which Mr. Punch could have enjoyed a glass of punch.

This rather monumental bowl was described on its acquisition as a punch bowl but it was certainly never used as such. It’s lived a more decorative life than a practical one.  The bowl’s large size made it a perfect medium for scenic decoration and the subject matter of the design are taken from the celebrated Hispano-Moresque ship bowls of Fourteenth Century Malaga.  These ship bowls are among the most prized of ceramics for collectors of such things and museums.

This is the work of William De Morgan (1839-1917) whose ceramics were avidly collected by admirers. De Morgan was a close friend of William Morris (1834-1896) and the two collected ceramics, textiles and other art works from Persia (or, as we now call it, Iran), Turkey and China.  The pair was very much influenced in their own work by the designs of the pieces they collected.

This earthenware bowl is painted in deep turquoise blues and purples, and is an excellent example of De Morgan's "Persian" wares.   De Morgan finished the piece around 1900 at the De Morgan pottery, Sands End, Fulham, London.  It was painted by Frederick Passenger (active  1898-1907).

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Harry Page, 1925

The Harry Page
Poole Pottery, 1925
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Let’s look at some ships, today.  Shall we?  Admittedly, I’m not well-versed in naval things.  So, this will be a learning experience.  Besides that, I’m using it as an excuse to post a Popeye cartoon as the “Sunday Morning Special.”  I won’t fool you.  We all know I like Popeye.  I think, actually, Popeye would have liked this model himself.

This is a model of a ship called The “Harry Page” in tin-glazed earthenware, molded as a galleon with spread sails, and comprised of red clay with white slip and blue, celadon and yellow glazes.

It was made in Poole, England around 1925 by modeler Harold Stabler (1872-1945).  Stabler—that sounds like a name from a Popeye cartoon, actually.  “Gonna fights the Stabler, Olive.  He took Alice the Goon to Stabler Island.”  And, then the Stabler would turn out to be Bluto and wacky, big-forearm-ed, spinach-induced violence would ensue.  “A-yuk-ka-ka-ka.”

I’m quite off-topic.

The model was used as the heading for the 'della Robbia' sign which was displayed outside of the Poole Pottery.  The piece was formerly in the collection of Sir Edward and Lady Maude at Shepherds Hill, Buxted.