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Puzzle vessel: C.6-1994

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Pottery: Unknown

Entities

Categories

Description

Puzzle vessel of lead-glazed slipeware

Earthenware, the lower part thrown and pierced, the upper part with nine thrown bottles and one moulded ram applied to the rim, partly slip-coated, and painted in borwn under clear yellowish lead-glaze (presumed lead-glaze) which extends almost to the base on the exterior and about half-way down the interior, below which it becomes patchy over the rest of the lower part. The vessel is circular with a disk base, curved sides pierced by four arrow-shapes, a restriction pierced by eleven circular holes, and a tubular rim on which are nine small bulbous vases with long neckes, and a ram, whose muzzle forms the sucking spout. Each of the vases has a hemispherical projection on the exterior which forms the centre of a painted brown cross, and all but the one opposite to the ram, has a brown dab on its neck. The ram is spotted with brown and has a brown band round its muzzle, and dabs of brown on the tips of its horns.

Notes

History note: Given to Lady Sutherland by Mrs Kaptiza, widow of Prof. Peter Kapitza, FRS (d. 1984), who told her that it had come from Georgia.

Legal notes

Given by Lady Sutherland and Mrs Peter Kapitza

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 21 cm
Height: 23.5 cm

Place(s) associated

  • Mtskheta ⪼ Georgia ⪼ Russia

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1994-06-06) by Sutherland, Lady and Kapitza, Peter, Mrs

Dating

20th Century
Production date: probably AD 1958 : The date inscribed on the base may be the date of purchase, which might also be the date of manufacture if this is an object made for tourists to the region.

Note

Mtskheta, is an ancient city in Kartli Province of Georgia, which is now a World Heritage site. It is a well-known pottery-making centre, and the inscription on the base may record the date when bought

Components of the work

Part composed of lead-glaze ( presumed lead-glaze)
Decoration
Exterior
Holes
Lower Part Of Interi
Upper Part Of Interi
Upper Part

Materials used in production

Earthenware

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: in Russian characters

  • Text: Georgia/1958/Mtskhet
  • Location: On the base
  • Method of creation: Written in black pencil (?)
  • Type: Inscription

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.6-1994
Primary reference Number: 75682
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 25 February 2020 Last processed: Friday 8 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) "Puzzle vessel" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/75682 Accessed: 2024-11-24 22:05:57

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/75682 |title=Puzzle vessel |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-24 22:05:57|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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