Skip to main content

Puzzle tyg: C.127-1928

An image of Puzzle tyg

Terms of use

These images are provided for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons License (BY-NC-ND). To license a high resolution version, please contact our image library who will discuss fees, terms and waivers.

Download this image

Creative commons explained - what it means, how you can use our's and other people's content.

Alternative views

Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Production: Hubble, Nicholas (Probably)

Entities

Categories

Notes

History note: Foster's Auction Rooms, London; S G Fenton, Cranbourne Street, London, from whom purchased for £45 on 20 November 1917 by Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge

Legal notes

Dr J. W. L. Glaisher Bequest

Measurements and weight

Height: 16.5 cm

Place(s) associated

  • Wrotham ⪼ Kent ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1928-12-07) by Glaisher, J. W. L., Dr

Dating

17th Century, Mid#
Charles I
Production date: circa AD 1645

Note

Drinking cups with more than one handle were the great speciality of Wrotham potters in the seventeenth century, and have been described as 'tygs' by collectors since the nineteenth century. They were made of red or brown clay decorated in white with slip-trailing, moulded prunts, and heraldic motifs on applied pads of clay, which appear yellow under the lead glaze. Many of them bear dates and the potter's initials likewise on applied pads of clay, sometimes accompanied by or two other sets of initials presumably those of their owners. Twisted two-colour edges and white bun-shaped finials were features of the double-loop handles, usually, three or four (as here), but sometimes only two. This example is a puzzle vessel which originally had a sucking spout at the top of each handle, only one of which emitted the liquid contents.

Either of the two sets of initials could be those of the potter or the recipient: GR for George Richardson, and NH for Nicholas Hubble. The potters were related because Richardson had married Mary Hubble in 1643, and one of his daughters was to marry Nicholas Hubble junior, who was one of the executors of Richardson's will in 1687. Kiddell in 1954 recorded twenty-one pots by Richardson between 1642 and 1677, and seven by Hubble, senior between 1649 and 1687.(see Documentation).

Components of the work

Surface composed of lead-glaze ( yellowish)
Body

Materials used in production

red and white Earthenware

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: GR
  • Location: On exterior of side
  • Method of creation: On applied pad of clay
  • Type: Initials
  • Text: NH
  • Location: On exterior of side
  • Method of creation: Applied on a pad of clay
  • Type: Initials

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.127-1928
Primary reference Number: 71707
Old object number: 4812
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Wednesday 23 November 2022 Last processed: Wednesday 13 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) "Puzzle tyg" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/71707 Accessed: 2024-11-05 21:16:19

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/71707 |title=Puzzle tyg |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-05 21:16:19|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:

https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/api/v1/objects/object-71707

Bootstrap HTML code for reuse

To use this as a simple code embed, copy this string:

<div class="text-center">
    <figure class="figure">
        <img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/aa/aa4/C_127_1928_281_29.jpg"
        alt="Puzzle tyg"
        class="img-fluid" />
        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Puzzle tyg</figcaption>
    </figure>
</div>
    

Sign up for updates

Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...