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Vase: C.29-1972

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Object information

Current Location: Gallery 27 (Glaisher)

Titles

Vase

Maker(s)

Pottery: Martin Brothers

Entities

Categories

Description

Salt-glazed stoneware vase with incised and painted decoration.

Thrown and salt-glazed stoneware vase of elongated ovoid shape on a splayed foot, with gently flaring neck. Covered with pinkish yellow-ochre slip, which gives the appearance of pig-skin or pale leather. Incised decoration, filled with creamy-white slip and with additional grey and brown colours, depicting naturalistic flowers, insects, buds and leaves. The foot, external rim and interior of neck are coloured brown. The glaze is crackled. The underside is flat and glazed, with a raised rim and the makers' name, and date 5-1901, incised in script.

Notes

History note: Bequest of Thomas Knox-Shaw, former Master of Sidney Sussex College. Possibly acquired from the Charles and Lavinia Handley Read collection.

Legal notes

Bequest of Thomas Knox-Shaw, 1972

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 11.0 cm
Diameter: 4.5 in
Height: 23.5 cm
Height: 9.25 in

Place(s) associated

  • Southall ⪼ Middlesex ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1972) by Knox-Shaw, Thomas

Dating

20th Century, Early
Victorian
Production date: dated AD 1901

Note

Robert Wallace Martin (1843-24), Walter (1857-1912) and Edwin (1860-1915) were amongst the first ‘artist-potters’ of the late nineteenth century. They designed, made and decorated their own ornamental salt-glazed stoneware, originally using facilities at C.J.C.Bailey’s Fulham Pottery and, briefly, at Shepherd’s Bush. In 1877, they opened their own pottery at Southall, Middlesex, and by 1882 were producing some 5,000 pieces a year. Wallace had originally trained as a sculptor, exhibiting his work at the Royal Academy and elsewhere from c.1863. His younger brothers had learned their skills at Doulton’s, Walter as a thrower and chemist, Edwin as a decorator. Modelled work is generally attributed to Wallace, but otherwise it is thought that the three learned from each other, exchanging skills and sharing roles. A fourth brother, Charles (1846-1910), sold the products – known as ‘Martin-ware’ – from a shop at Brownlow Street, London.

This is one of a number of examples of Martin Brothers’ work decorated with slip painted over the whole surface and an incised pattern filled with clay slip. These techniques, which require the decorator and potter to work closely together, and the naturalistic design which follows and accentuates the form of the vase, suggest the influence of Japanese pottery.

School or Style

Art Pottery

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Decoration

Materials used in production

Salt-glaze
Stoneware

Techniques used in production

Throwing : Thrown and salt-glazed stoneware vase of elongated ovoid shape on a splayed foot, with gently flaring neck. Covered with pinkish yellow-ochre slip. Incised decoration, filled with creamy-white slip and with additional grey and brown colours,
Salt-glazing

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: s of Bros is raised, Southall has a squiggly line below

  • Text: 5-1901/Martin Bros/London & Southall
  • Location: Underside of base
  • Method of creation: Incised in script
  • Type: Mark

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.29-1972
Primary reference Number: 74206
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Wednesday 15 July 2020 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) "Vase" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/74206 Accessed: 2024-03-28 21:02:18

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/74206 |title=Vase |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-03-28 21:02:18|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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