Skip to main content

The Return of the Spies: C.2988-1928

An image of Tankard
View image details

Terms of use

The low-resolution images published on this Website are made available under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (CC BY-NC-ND). For more details: Fitzwilliam Terms of Use

This licence does not include any images of works that are still in copyright. Artistic copyright extends from the life of the artist to 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the artist died.

Download this image

For further information on use of images or to license a high resolution version, please contact our image library who can discuss terms and fees.

Alternative views

An image of Tankard
An image of Tankard
An image of Tankard
Current Location: In storage

Titles

The Return of the Spies

Maker(s)

Production: Unidentified South German pottery (Possibly)
Pottery: Unidentified Steckborn pottery (Possibly)

Entities

Categories

Description

Tin-glazed earthenware painted in blue, green, yellow, and manganese-purple. Cylindrical with a loop handle. The front is painted with 'The Return of the Spies', carrying an enormous bunch of grapes between them on a pole. Pewter mounts to the rim and base, and cover with a thumbpiece, hinged to a mount on the handle. In the middle of the top of the cover there is a lion with military trophies with below IM SEPTEMBER 1838. Below i are the incised initials 'S W'.

Notes

History note: Mr E. Dreyfus, 2 rue de la Cité, Geneva, from whom purchased on 18 September 1907 for 35 francs by Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge

Legal notes

Dr J. W. L. Glaisher Bequest

Measurements and weight

Height: 19.7 cm
Height: 22.8 cm

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

18th Century
Circa 1700 CE - 1800 CE Dated 1838 CE -

Note

When purchased, the vendor attributed it unhesitatingly to Steckborn in the Canton of Thurgau in Switzerland, but it could have come from Southern Germany

Components of the work

Decoration composed of high-temperature colours ( blue, greeen, yellow, and manganese-purple)
Cover composed of pewter
Base Diameter 19.7 cm
Body

Materials used in production

Tin-glaze
Earthenware

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: IM SEPTEMBER 1838
  • Location: On top of cover
  • Method of creation: Moulded integrally with the medallion
  • Type: Inscription

Inscription present: script letters

  • Text: W S
  • Location: On top of cover below medallion
  • Method of creation: Incised
  • Type: Initials

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.2988-1928
Primary reference Number: 74270
2613

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 30 April 2024

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 (2026) "The Return of the Spies" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/74270 Accessed: 2026-01-13 00:56:35

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/74270 |title=The Return of the Spies |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2026-01-13 00:56:35|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

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-74270

Bootstrap HTML code for reuse

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/aa11/C_2988_1928_281_29.jpg"
        alt="The Return of the Spies"
        class="img-fluid" />
        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">The Return of the Spies</figcaption>
    </figure>
</div>

Sign up for updates

Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...

University of Cambridge Museums logo
Cambridge City Council logo
Arts Council England Logo
Research England logo