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Plate: the Balloon Ascent of Jean-Pierre Blanchard: C.1561-1928

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Current Location: Gallery 27 (Glaisher)

Titles

Plate: the Balloon Ascent of Jean-Pierre Blanchard

Maker(s)

Production: Unidentified Lambeth Pottery (Possibly)
Pottery: Mortlake Pottery (Possibly)
Pottery: Isleworth Pottery (Possibly)

Entities

Categories

Description

Tin-glazed earthenware depicting the balloon ascent of Jean-Pierre Blanchard. Showing two men seated in a distinctive 'gondola' drifting over a landscape with hills, trees, houses and a lake painted in blue. The blue panels in the border have sgraffito decoration.
Greenish blue glaze, over a buff body.

Notes

History note: Mr Richards, Nottingham, from whom purchased for £2.10s.0d. on 5 November 1907 by Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRs, Trinity College, Cambridge

Legal notes

Dr J.W.L. Glaisher Bequest

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 23.2 cm

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

18th Century, Late
George III
Circa 1784 CE - 1786 CE

Note

The ascent may be that of Jean-Pierre Blanchard, in 1785. Some of his flights took place from Stockwell Road, South Lambeth.

This plate could have been made at Lambeth, Mortlake or Isleworth at the date of its production

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Decoration composed of high-temperature colour ( blue from cobalt)

Materials used in production

buff Earthenware
greenish-bluish white Tin-glaze

Techniques used in production

Press-moulding : Buff earthenware, press-moulded, tin-glazed greenish-bluish white, and painted in blue
Tin-glazing

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.1561-1928
Primary reference Number: 72223
Old object number: 2671

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 26 August 2025

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 (2025) "Plate: the Balloon Ascent of Jean-Pierre Blanchard" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/72223 Accessed: 2025-12-05 10:19:49

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/72223 |title=Plate: the Balloon Ascent of Jean-Pierre Blanchard |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-05 10:19:49|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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