Plinth for Owl punch bowl: C.41B-1928

Titles

Plinth for Owl punch bowl

Maker(s)

Pottery: Martin Brothers

Entities

• Plinth

Categories

• Stoneware
• Salt-glazed stoneware
• Art Pottery
• Martin ware

Description

Carved, salt-glazed stoneware plinth

Square, carved and unglazed pedestal (almost a cube), with three arched pillars over an openwork oval trellis pattern on each of its sides. The corners are filled with a carved pattern which mimics the oval trellis. There are incised outlines to the main edges, and traces of tool markings and brown, blue and green colours on the sides. The top is flat and undecorated, except for the maker’s name incised in script; it has a waisted and chamfered edge, 4cm deep. The bottom is roughly made with a large circular hole in the middle. The whole is discoloured and marked as if it has been stored outside.

Notes

History note: Robert Wallace Martin (d. 1923); sold Sotheby's, 24 October, 1924, 'Extensive collection of Martin ware; old English furniture: the whole remaining stock of finished pieces of the Martin factory, the property of R.W. Martin Esq. (deceased). Sold by order of the administrator', lot 68; the owl and plinth bought by Cyril Andrade for £25 for Dr Glaisher FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge

Legal notes

Dr J.W.L. Glaisher Bequest

Place(s) associated

• Southall ⪼ Middlesex ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1928) by Glaisher, J.W.L.

Dating

20th Century, Early
Edwardian
Production date: AD 1903 : The owl which stands on the plinth is dated 1903

Note

Robert Wallace Martin (1843-24) and his brothers 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.

The owl, 103 cm high, is also in the Fitzwilliam collection.

The plinth was made to support a punch bowl, made to resemble an owl, which modelled by (Robert) Wallace Martin at the Martin Brothers' pottery in Southall. It remained there until it was sold to Dr Glaisher at the 1924 sale which followed Wallace’s death the previous year. The condition of the plinth suggests that it may have been kept in the garden for some years.

School or Style

Art Pottery