Bottle
1674 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This bottle has been closely modelled on a contemporary German 'Bartmann', a general-purpose stoneware bottle decorated with a bearded mask and central medallion.
People
Although John Dwight, who founded the Fulham Pottery in the 1670s, claimed that he was the first to make the material in England, it is now known that experimental salt-glazed stoneware was made by German immigrants at Woolwich, probably in the 1660s. It is also known that William Killigrew, a soldier and minor courtier, hired German potters called Simon Wooltus (father and son) to make stoneware at Southampton: surviving pieces are dated 1672 and 1674. Dwight, however, submitted his successful 1672 patent application two weeks before Killigrew.
Materials & Making
This bottle clearly demonstrates the difficulties of making salt-glazed stoneware before supplies of suitable clays and methods of firing were established. The glaze is so thick that when it was exhibited at the Society of Antiquaries in 1894 it was described as lead-glazed. The applied moulded medallion and mask also display an inexperienced technique.
This bottle has been closely modelled on a contemporary German 'Bartmann', a general-purpose stoneware bottle decorated with a bearded mask and central medallion.
People
Although John Dwight, who founded the Fulham Pottery in the 1670s, claimed that he was the first to make the material in England, it is now known that experimental salt-glazed stoneware was made by German immigrants at Woolwich, probably in the 1660s. It is also known that William Killigrew, a soldier and minor courtier, hired German potters called Simon Wooltus (father and son) to make stoneware at Southampton: surviving pieces are dated 1672 and 1674. Dwight, however, submitted his successful 1672 patent application two weeks before Killigrew.
Materials & Making
This bottle clearly demonstrates the difficulties of making salt-glazed stoneware before supplies of suitable clays and methods of firing were established. The glaze is so thick that when it was exhibited at the Society of Antiquaries in 1894 it was described as lead-glazed. The applied moulded medallion and mask also display an inexperienced technique.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Salt-glazed stoneware, with applied moulded decoration |
| Brief description | Bottle of salt-glazed stoneware, Bartmann form, William Killigrew, England, 1674. |
| Physical description | Bottle of salt-glazed stoneware of Bartmann form with a bulbous body with a narrow neck an small opening and a handle attached. On the bulbous body there is an applied medallion moulded with the French motto 'Ie ne mestone pas 1674 (Je ne m'étonne pas) |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | The motto 'LE NE MESTONE PAS 1674' is moulded in an applied medallion |
| Gallery label |
|
| Credit line | Supported by the Friends of the V&A |
| Object history | Made by William Killigrew in Southampton, Hampshire. Exhibited at Society of Antiquaries 1894, and V&A Friends News, Spring 1996. From Newbottle Manor, Northamptonshire. |
| Summary | Object Type This bottle has been closely modelled on a contemporary German 'Bartmann', a general-purpose stoneware bottle decorated with a bearded mask and central medallion. People Although John Dwight, who founded the Fulham Pottery in the 1670s, claimed that he was the first to make the material in England, it is now known that experimental salt-glazed stoneware was made by German immigrants at Woolwich, probably in the 1660s. It is also known that William Killigrew, a soldier and minor courtier, hired German potters called Simon Wooltus (father and son) to make stoneware at Southampton: surviving pieces are dated 1672 and 1674. Dwight, however, submitted his successful 1672 patent application two weeks before Killigrew. Materials & Making This bottle clearly demonstrates the difficulties of making salt-glazed stoneware before supplies of suitable clays and methods of firing were established. The glaze is so thick that when it was exhibited at the Society of Antiquaries in 1894 it was described as lead-glazed. The applied moulded medallion and mask also display an inexperienced technique. |
| Bibliographic reference | See object information file |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.110-1995 |
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| Record created | March 16, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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