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Tyg: C.136-1928

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Production: Richardson, George, potter (Probably)

Entities

Categories

Notes

History note: Frank Smith, Manchester, from whom bought for £100 on 26 January 1926 by Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge

Legal notes

Dr J. W. L. Glaisher Bequest

Measurements and weight

Height: 15.9 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, third quarter#
Commonwealth
Production date: dated AD 1659

Note

Although the second initial is missing, this tyg is sufficiently close in appearance to C.128-1928, initialled GR, to attribute it to George Richardson. who initialled pots between 1642 and 1677, and was the first recorded potter to put the place name WROTHAM on his work - on an undated jug probably made in the 1640s, and one dated 1656, both in the Fitzwilliam Museum ( C.116-1928, and C.130-1928). He lived in Plott (St Mary's Platt), a hamlet, which was the centre of the potting industry in the manor of Wrotham. His house, outbuildings, and accompanying land belonged to Nicholas Myller, who mentioned Richardson's occupation of them in his will in 1653. Richardson made his will in June 1687, and the inventory taken after his death shows that he lived in comfortable circumstances and had combined his potting trade with farming in a small way (for details, see Documentation, Semple, 2008).

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 one 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. The initials which appear on many tygs and jugs have been matched with potters whose names are known from the parish records, and other documents, such as wills, inventories, and the hearth tax records.

School or Style

Baroque

Components of the work

Decoration composed of slip ( white)
Surface composed of lead-glaze ( yellowish)
Body

Materials used in production

red Earthenware

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: G ?)
  • Location: On exterior
  • Method of creation: Applied on pad of clay
  • Type: Initials

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.136-1928
Primary reference Number: 71866
Old object number: 4804
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Wednesday 23 November 2022 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) "Tyg" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/71866 Accessed: 2024-11-22 00:22:44

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/71866 |title=Tyg |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-22 00:22:44|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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