Current Location: Gallery 27 (Glaisher)
Maker(s)
Potter:
Unidentified Staffordshire Potter
Entities
Categories
Description
Slipware dish, press-moulded with relief decoration of a mermaid, a man, a woman and two fish, surrounded by a border of slip-trailed semi-circles and spots
Pale buff earthenware, press-moulded over a hump mould to produce relief decoration on the front, coated in cream slip, slip-trailed in brown and dark brown, and lead-glazed; the reverse is undecorated. The dish is circular with shallow curved sides and a crimped edge, created by impressing an oval implement or perhaps a shell. Two suspension holes are pierced near to the top edge of the border. The central medallion has a milled edge and is decorated with a mermaid holding a mirror and a comb, with a fish above and below, and on the left of her, a woman holding a wine glass, and on the right, a man holding a sword. In the spaces there are bunches of grapes and flower heads. Round the sides is a border of dark-brown semi-circles with brown spots within them, and between them next to the edge.
Notes
History note: Sotheby's, 14 July 1927, lot 33; sold for £4. 10s. 0d. to Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge
Legal notes
Dr J. W. L. Glaisher Bequest
Measurements and weight
Diameter: 23 cm
Height: 3.6 cm
Acquisition and important dates
Method of acquisition: Bequeathed
(1928-12-07)
by
Glaisher, J. W. L., Dr
Dating
17th Century, second half
Circa
1650
-
1700
Components of the work
Decoration
composed of
slip
( cream, brown, and dark brown)
Front Surface
composed of
lead-glaze
( yellowish)
Materials used in production
pale buff
Earthenware
Techniques used in production
Press moulding
: Pale buff earthenware, press-moulded over a hump mould to produce relief decoration on the front, coated in cream slip, slip-trailed in brown and dark brown, and lead-glazed; the reverse is undecorated. Two suspension holes are pierced near the top edge.
Inscription or legends present
Inscription present: rectangular white paper stick on label with cut corners and a dark Prussian blue line round the edges
- Text: 4954/Moulded saucer/shaped plate, decorated/ in manganese & brown/slip with a yellow ground/and having a representati/on of a mermaid/'with a man on each/side and a fish above/& below./b. at Sotheby's/July 14 1927
- Location: In middle of the back
- Method of creation: Hand written in black ink
- Type: Label
References and bibliographic entries
Identification numbers
Accession number: C.185-1928
Primary reference Number: 72756
Old object number: 4954
Stable URI
Audit data
Created: Saturday 6 August 2011
Updated: Tuesday 12 November 2024
Last processed: Tuesday 15 July 2025
Associated departments & institutions
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
