The Home Beautiful: A Minton Tile, 1880

Tile
Minton, 1880
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made circa 1880 by Minton, this earthenware tile was stenciled with a design before being glazed and fired.  The stenciled pattern depicts four scenes: a sunrise, a balloon, a toad and a rooster.

It was made at Minton’s Stoke-on-Trent, England, Factory and was part of a large set of tiles depicting similarly bucolic scenes predominantly in browns and blues.  

Figure of the Day: Fanny Kemble, 1840

Fanny Kemble
Staffordshire, 1840
The Victoria & Albert Museum

As I’ve mentioned before, the earliest Staffordshire earthenware flatbacks depicted Queen Victoria. The popularity of these Royal portraits gave rise to portraits of notable public figures, often celebrated entertainers and actors.

This Staffordshire flatback depicts the actress Fanny Kemble and is based on an 1829 engraving by Richard J. Lane, after a drawing by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Frances “Fanny” Anne Kemble (1809-1893) was the daughter of the famed actors Maria and Charles Kemble and one of the long acting dynasty which had dominated the British stage since the late Eighteenth Century. 

Fanny made her debut on stage at the age of nineteen as “Juliet” at the Covent Garden Theatre. She found fame both in England and in the U.S. where she was married to a Philadelphia businessman.

Figure of the Day: The Banyan Man, 1760-1780

The Banyan Man
France, 1760-1780
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The work of The Lunéville Pottery Factory in France, this wholly Rococo figure of a standing man was made to appeal to the Eighteenth Century fascination with the exotic and the asian. The figure is dressed in a turban and a banyan, and is likely a lost member of a set of dessert figurines.

The figure was made of tin-glazed earthenware adorned with enamel colors and dates between 1760 and 1780. 

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Horse from the Fair, 1840-50

The Sunderland Egg
"A Horse from the Fair"
1840-1850
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This lead-glazed earthenware egg, the size of a hen’s egg, is decorated with transfer-printed illustrations in purple.  On one side, it is adorned with a party of men and women in a rowing boat; and, on the other side with a galloping horse, with the inscription: “A Horse from the Fair.”

This egg was made in Sunderland, England between ca. 1840-1850.  It exists purely to be decorative.  

Figure of the Day: Boy on a Snail, 1907

Boy on a Snail
Wiener Keramik
Austria, 1907
The Victoria & Albert Museum

1907 saw Austrian designer Michael Powolny create sketches for this earthenware and enamel figure of a boy on a snail. The modeling and production was completed at the factories of Wiener Keramik, known for their fine work in Vienna. The underside is marked with the monograms, “MP” and “WK.” Wiener Keramik was founded by Michael Powolny and Berthold Löffler in 1905. In 1919, the successful manufactory became known as Gmundner Keramik.

Art Nouveau, n'cest pas?

Figure of the Day: The Staffordshire Elephant, 1866

Staffordshire Elephant
England, 1886
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This earthenware figure of an elephant with a howdah (the carriage on his back) and a figure seated on top was made in Staffordshire, England in 1886 by an unknown modeler.

The figure has been lead-glazed and is painted with a brilliant palette of enamel colors. 

I just love this figure.  It's a real treat.  And, speaking of treats, we'll have this week's "Treat of the Week" on Friday, so make sure to stop by, then.

The Home Beautiful: The Chateau d'Ecouen Tile, 1542

Tin-glazed earthenware tile.
Rouen, France, 1542
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This earthenware tile looks like the sort made in the Nineteenth Century. When I was sifting through images for this week’s posts, I came upon this object and made a note to myself about the “jester tile from 1840.” But, this is no Victorian tile—it’s about three hundred years older than that. 

The tile was made in 1542 in Rouen, France of buff earthenware with a tin glaze. Image. It’s in remarkable shape for being from the Sixteenth Century. Painted with a pointy-eared jester, the tile is likely to be one of a series of similarly-painted tiles from the workshop of Masseot Abaquesne. Other tiles from that set—made for use in pavement at the Chateau d'Ecouen --bear the arms of Anne de Montmorency impaling those of his wife Madelaine of Savoy. 

It's believed that the jester tile is associated with this group from the Chateau d'Ecouen.

The Decorative Apothecary: A Drug Jar, c. 1675

Apothecary Jar, 1675
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In a Seventeenth Century apothecary shop,  this sort of jar would have been a common sight.  It is what is known as a “wet” drug jar and was used for dispensing syrup of quinces, which presumably had some sort of soothing or laxative properties. You can see that it featured a narrow foot which enabled it to be pulled out from a row of jars on the druggist’s shelf. A handle at the back was used to tilt it forward for easy pouring of the undoubtedly sticky contents. A paper lid would have been tied around the top.

One side of the jar is painted in blue with a band which is inscribed “S. CYDONIORU” surmounted by a winged angel's head. The band has two knotted ends with fluttering terminals which hang down, the left one is inscribed “S.”

Though made in the style of Delftware, this jar was created in England between 1675 and 1685.  It is made of tin-glazed earthenware.  Earthenware was handy to use for such purposes because it could so easily be painted, albeit in a limited range of colors. Still, it was a medium which was ideal for neatly-labeled apothecary drug pots and tools such as candlesticks. 

Here, our friend is hanging out with a "dry" jar buddy.

The Home Beautiful: The Rousseau Dinner Service, C. 1866

Part of a Dinner Service by Milliet LeBeuf et Cie, c. 1866
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This plate of earthenware depicts a lobster, flowers and an insect on a white ground.  It was made in Creil, France between 1866-1867 as part of a superb and impressive dinner service known as “The Rousseau Dinner Service.” 

The pattern was designed by Feliz Braquemond and made by Milliet LeBeuf et Cie for François-Eugène Rousseau (1827-1891).  Braquemond’s motifs were taken from Japanese prints including the Mangwa of the artist known as Hokusai.

The set was shown in the Universal Exhibition of Paris, 1867. 

Figure of the Day: Joseph Grimaldi (Joey the Clown), 1840

Staffordshire Flatback, 1840
Joseph Grimaldi (Joey the Clown)
The Victoria & Albert Museum

1837 saw a new trend in production for the porcelain makers of Staffordshire when they introduced lead-glazed earthenware flat-back figures of Queen Victoria. These figures were painted in enamels on the front while the back, (which was, you can guess, flat) was left white. In tended to be displayed on a mantelpiece, sideboard or any location where the reverse of the piece was against a wall, these figures quickly became popular.

Flatbacks were soon produced depicting a variety of subject from Royalty and historic figures to actors and celebrities. The modelers often referred to popular prints of the day in order to find subjects and depict them somewhat accurately.

This one is modeled after a print of the famed Regency Panto clown Joseph Grimaldi (Joey the Clown, 1779-1837) who found much success with “Mother Goose” in 1806 at Covent Garden. Grimaldi was revered as a comic singer, a daring acrobat and as a performer who could make dozens of unexpected costume changes during his routine. He was so renowned that, to this day, the name “Joey” is often used as a nickname for a clown. This Staffordshire figure is dated to about 1840, but, sadly, we have no way of knowing the name of the modeler.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Sussex Pig, 1840-1889

A Sussex Pig
England, mid to late 19th Century
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

For those who always dreamed of yanking the head off of a pig and drinking from its neck, this lead-glazed earthenware vessel from Rye, England, is for you. Made between the mid and late Nineteenth Century, this sort of vessel was known as a “Sussex Pig,” and was, apparently, a pretty common sort of flask-type-thing.

Eh…it was covered in lead anyway, so, after awhile, you didn’t care that you were snorting from a pig. These flasks were also known as “hogsheads.” That’s not too surprising. This one came to the V&A from the Museum of Practical Geology, Jermyn Street.

The Home Beautiful: The “Flora's Train” Tiles, 1900-1901

Set of Six Tiles called "Flora's Train"
Walter Crane, 1900-1902
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Circa 1900, Victorian artist and illustrator, Walter Crane (1845-1915) designed this set of six tiles which, while similar to the style he used for book illustrations, also shows the influence of the rising Art Nouveau. The tiles have been molded so that the outlines of the patterns are raised in relief. Obviously, the design for the tiles was created before they were fired, allowing this relief to have been made. Each pale blue tile depicts a female figure.

On each tile, the gown worn by the woman depicted has been colored to match the flower with which she has been posed. The flowers depicted are: cornflower, blue-bell, columbine, anemone, poppy and daffodil

Made in Clifton Junction, (near Manchester) England at Pilkington's Tile and Pottery Company, the set of earthenware tiles was called "Flora's Train.”

Gifts of Grandeur: A Footed Plateau, 1866-1867

Footed Plateau
France, 1866-1867
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This tazza, or footed plateau, is comprised of moulded earthenware glazed in brilliant blue and painted with enamels with a scene of a female figure holding a daisy. It is inscribed, “A la Belle Marquerite” in the center, and “soi toujours la confidante de nos amours a Marguerite.” Something about always being the confidante of her loves, is Marguerite. Or maybe something about pudding. You decide.

Made in Paris, this sumptuous tazza is the work of Joseph-Théodore Deck (1823-1891). Deck was born in Guebwiller, Alsace, and apprenticed to a traditional stove-making firm in Strasbourg. He would later study in other towns along Germany and Austria, settling in Paris around 1851 when he was appointed as overseer for the Dumas stove and tile firm.

In 1855 Deck launched his own studio and, later, even, his own retail shop, with the aid of his brother, Xavier. The Deck Brothers commissioned a host of well-known painters of the day to provide designs for their wares, and, often to paint them in their own hand. This tazza was painted by Emil Auguste Reiber (1826-1893). Joseph Deck was especially praised for his innovative glazes. He’d spent years researching glazing and color techniques of the handsome ceramics of the Middle and Far East. Just three years before his death, he was appointed as Director of the National Manufactory at Sèvres.

It has something of a "That Girl" vibe, too.  yes?

The Home Beautiful: A Maw & Co. Tile, c. 1835

Earthenware Tile
Maw & Co., , 1885
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This attractive earthenware tile in relief is adorned with a quatrefoil in deep crimson with a pattern of stylized emerald-hued leaves which lead to the center of the tile. A repeated relief of blue forget-me-nots completes the design.

Made in Broseley, England around 1885, this is the work of Maw & Co, a producer of elegant tiles which was established in 1850 and still continues to manufacture tiling for the world's most luxurious and prestigious addresses.

The Home Beautiful: The Honourable Society Punch Bowl, 1800

The Honourable Society Punch Bowl
Liverpool, 1800
The Victoria & Albert Museum

On Thursday, August 8, I'll be sharing this week's "Treat of the Week," a delectable dinner in honor of my father's birthday.  Today, let's begin the celebration with a cup of punch.

In the 1700s, the new hot drink known as “punch,” was the height of fashion, and fancy ways to serve the beverage were soon devised on a variety of social levels. Though punch first appeared in England around 1680, the drink steadily rose in popularity over a century, and by the 1800s no party was complete without it.

The first punchbowls were made of delftware (tin-glazed earthenware). Later, white or brown stoneware was the material of choice, replaced in a few decades with creamware and Pearlware (two types of light-colored pottery).

Heavy cut glass bowls were occasionally used, however, since the beverage was initially served hot, these proved to be unsuitable. By 1800, punch aficionados concluded that the ideal material for punch bowls was Chinese porcelain. However, that was a rather expensive proposition for most families. So, creamware remained the most popular choice.

Here, we see an enormous creamware bowl. It is, indeed, one of the largest earthenware examples to survive. Though we can’t be certain, the punch bowl has been attributed to the Herculaneum factory at Liverpool, which made large examples in both crearmware and stoneware.

The bowl’s decoration is something of a mystery. Clearly, the inscription of “THE HONOURABLE SOCIETY, PRO MATRIA,” has some political significance. Still, historians debate the allegiance of the group. Whig? Tory? One of the secret Jacobite clubs who supported the exiled Stuart pretenders to the throne? Men’s drinking clubs often had allegiances to specific groups. They would often keep their alliances private, leaving clues on objects such as this. Perhaps it was used by a group of men who were united by a similar profession.

Let’s look at it more closely. Inside is painted a seated cat. Outside are four detached prints representing Pyramus and Thisbe, lovers under a tree and a man with a cudgel coming up behind them, Narcissus gazing into a pool, and two lovers consisting of a man kneeling to a protesting woman.

We’ll never know, I suppose. Still, you can imagine a group of ruddy-faced early Nineteenth-Century Englishmen dipping their cups into this bowl and talking excitedly about something. I like to think they were just a group of drunk cat fanciers.

To Serve and Project: The Dresser Vegetable Dish and Lid, 1884

Vegetable Dish and Lid
Christopher Dresser, 1884
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Designed by the famed Christopher Dresser (1834 – 1904) for Old Hall Works in 1884, this vegetable dish is from a dinner service of earthenware is adorned with a transfer-printed pattern. As we know, these were the most affordable methods of creating dinnerware at the time, and, so, materially, the set is not out of the ordinary. However, Dresser didn’t create anything which didn’t have something special about it, and this dinner set does have some interesting features.

Christopher Dresser was as much of a slave to practicality as he was to beauty. With this set, he included some special features which were designed to make life easier. For example, Dresser designed an extra dip in the soup bowls to help in scooping up the last spoonful. The design of the dinner plates incorporated indentations in the rims for condiments and sauces.

The design of the set is perfectly represented by this vegetable dish and lid with their strongly geometric form. This shape was typical of Dresser's design style as was the decoration. He trained as a botanist and, therefore, always had an interest in organic forms. Even during his own lifetime, Dresser was described as a “pioneer of modern design” and one of the most prolific designers of his time. He famously promoted quality, machine production and the use and discovery of new materials. Furthermore, his work was considered quite fashionable—elegant enough for the finest homes, but inexpensive enough for daily use.

Though made in 1884, this particular design was not registered until 1886. Curiously, Dresser called the pattern “Shanghai” even though there is no hint of Chinese or Asian ornament or style. The Victorians enjoyed referring to china patterns by unrelated names. Dresser also introduced two other patterns the same year, both named for places which had nothing to do with their design—“Persian” and “Hampden.”

The Home Beautiful: The Rousseau Dinner Service, C. 1866

Part of a Dinner Service by Milliet LeBeuf et Cie, c. 1866
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This plate of earthenware depicts a lobster, flowers and an insect on a white ground.  It was made in Creil, France between 1866-1867 as part of a superb and impressive dinner service known as “The Rousseau Dinner Service.” 

The pattern was designed by Feliz Braquemond and made by Milliet LeBeuf et Cie for François-Eugène Rousseau (1827-1891).  Braquemond’s motifs were taken from Japanese prints including the Mangwa of the artist known as Hokusai.


The set was shown in the Universal Exhibition of Paris, 1867. 

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.

Figure of the Day: Fanny Kemble, 1840

Fanny Kemble
Staffordshire, 1840
The Victoria & Albert Museum

As I’ve mentioned before, the earliest Staffordshire earthenware flatbacks depicted Queen Victoria. The popularity of these Royal portraits gave rise to portraits of notable public figures, often celebrated entertainers and actors.

This Staffordshire flatback depicts the actress Fanny Kemble and is based on an 1829 engraving by Richard J. Lane, after a drawing by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Frances “Fanny” Anne Kemble (1809-1893) was the daughter of the famed actors Maria and Charles Kemble and one of the long acting dynasty which had dominated the British stage since the late Eighteenth Century. 

Fanny made her debut on stage at the age of nineteen as “Juliet” at the Covent Garden Theatre. She found fame both in England and in the U.S. where she was married to a Philadelphia businessman.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Sussex Pig, 1840-1889

A Sussex Pig
England, mid to late 19th Century
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

For those who always dreamed of yanking the head off of a pig and drinking from its neck, this lead-glazed earthenware vessel from Rye, England, is for you. Made between the mid and late Nineteenth Century, this sort of vessel was known as a “Sussex Pig,” and was, apparently, a pretty common sort of flask-type-thing.

Eh…it was covered in lead anyway, so, after awhile, you didn’t care that you were snorting from a pig. These flasks were also known as “hogsheads.” That’s not too surprising. This one came to the V&A from the Museum of Practical Geology, Jermyn Street.