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Charles II's Head in an Oak Tree
Production: Malkin, Samuel (Perhaps)
Slipware dish decorated with the crowned head of Charles II amidst the branches of a stylized Boscobel Oak flanked by the initials J B
Buff earthenware, press-moulded over a hump mould to produce a design in relief with rouletted edges on the interior, coated with cream slip, and slip-trailed in ochre and dark brown under yellowish lead-glaze. The exterior is undecorated. Circular with deep curved sides and a pie crust edge produced by impressing a circular tool or stick. The front is decorated with a crowned head of Charles II amidst the branches of a stylized Boscobel Oak with two plants at its base, and the initials J B (script J) on either side of the trunk.
History note: Lady Harvey (née Magdalene Breadalbane Pringle), 19 Marsefield Gardens, South Hampstead, London; George Stoner, from whom purchased for £40 on 17 June 1912 by Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge
Dr J.W.L. Glaisher Bequest
Diameter: 35.5 cm
Height: 7 cm
Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1928-12-07) by Glaisher, J. W. L., Dr
18th Century, first half
Circa
1700
-
1740
The possible attribution to Samuel Malkin is based on the existence of a dish of similar design bearing the initials S M and C R 2 in the Nelson-Atkins Museum at Kansas, Missouri, but here the initials are IB probably indicating JB. The design commemorates the dramatic escape of Charles II after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651, when he evaded the Parlamentarians by hiding in an oak tree near Boscobel House in Shropshire.
Decoration
Inner Surface
Inside
Press-moulding : Buff earthenware, press-moulded over a hump mould to produce a design in relief with rouletted edges on the interior, coated with cream slip, and slip-trailed in ochre and dark brown under yellowish lead-glaze. The exterior is undecorated. Circular with deep curved sides and a pie crust edge produced by impressing a circular tool or stick.
Inscription present: rectangular white paper stick on label with cut upper corners, and a double red line round three sides
Accession number: C.205-1928
Primary reference Number: 73053
Old object number: 3533
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Charles II's Head in an Oak Tree" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/73053 Accessed: 2025-04-03 14:14:43
To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:
{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/73053
|title=Charles II's Head in an Oak Tree
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-04-03 14:14:43|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
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-73053
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_205_1928_281_29.jpg"
alt="Charles II's Head in an Oak Tree"
class="img-fluid" />
<figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Charles II's Head in an Oak Tree</figcaption>
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