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Lord Brougham Reform mug: C.1137-1928

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Titles

Lord Brougham Reform mug

Maker(s)

Factory: Chetham & Robinson (Probably)
Factory: Chesworth & Robinson

Entities

Categories

Description

Cream-white earthenware, transfer-printed under-glaze in black with text and images, and painted with pink lustre.

Mug. Wide, straight-sided cylinder with a 'rope' edging round the rim and base, and an applied angular handle. Decorated with two transfer images, each with text, and coated with a very thin pink lustre wash (almost indiscernable) on the outside; and a stylized floral pattern on the outside of the handle. Round the rim and base is a thicker band of pink lustre. Remains of (?) copper lustre on the edges of the handle. There are three spur marks on the interior of the base. The underside is flat and glazed, and slightly recessed to form a foot-rim.

The images and text are as follows:
(i) to the left of the handle: a bust of Lord Brougham, above the words ‘LORD BROUGHAM AND VAUX / Lord High Chancellor’. Lord Brougham wears the dress and wig of the role.
(ii) to the right of the handle: the word ‘REFORM’, in large letters, within a wreath of roses, thistle and shamrocks.

Notes

History note: Bought at Mr Reed’s at Saffron Walden, on 25 November 1908, for 3/- (three shillings), by Dr. J.W.L. Glaisher, Trinity College, Cambridge

Legal notes

Dr. J.W.L. Glaisher Bequest, 1928

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 13.1 cm
Height: 11.5 cm

Place(s) associated

  • Longton ⪼ Staffordshire ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1928) by Glaisher, J. W. L., Dr

Dating

William IV
Production date: circa AD 1832

Note

Small salt-glazed stoneware flasks made in the shape of leading Reform Act figures, known as 'Reform bottles', were also produced at this time. Doulton & Watts at Lambeth produced thousands between 1820 to c.1856.

The 1832 Representation of the People Act, commonly known as the 1832 Reform Act, was passed just a few months after the Coronation of King William IV. The Act extended voting rights to some two million of the urban middle classes and abolished rotten boroughs. It was proposed for the Whigs by the Prime Minister, Charles Grey (2nd Earl Grey, 1764-1845). Henry Brougham (Baron Brougham and Vaux, 1778-1868), as Lord Chancellor, led in the House of Lords. Images of all three are found on ‘Reform’ commemorative ware.

This is one of three similar pink lustre mugs in the Fitzwilliam Collection. They have the same shape, similar decoration including the inscription ‘REFORM’, and the same mark, which is probably that of Chetham & Robinson, although a ‘C&R’mark was also used by a neighbouring pottery, Chesworth & Robinson. Staffordshire potters were the first, and remained the largest , producers of lustreware, though it was also made in other regions, and is often associated with Sunderland. The engraved images on all three mugs are by ‘Kennedy’, probably James Kennedy of Burslem who made engravings and copper plates for factories as far afield as the Herculaneum Pottery in Liverpool.

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Decoration composed of lustre clear glaze

Materials used in production

White earthenware

Techniques used in production

Throwing : Earthenware, transfer-printed under-glaze and painted with lustre.
Moulding

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: letters in flamboyant script

  • Text: 'C & R', in octofoil
  • Location: Underside of base
  • Method of creation: Printed
  • Type: Factory mark

Inscription present: small, under the image of Brougham

  • Text: Kennedy
  • Location: On side, printed as part of transfer
  • Type: Mark

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.1137-1928
Primary reference Number: 71401
Old object number: 2913
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Wednesday 15 July 2020 Last processed: Monday 18 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Lord Brougham Reform mug" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/71401 Accessed: 2024-11-21 18:58:33

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/71401 |title=Lord Brougham Reform mug |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-21 18:58:33|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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