Tam O'Shanter thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 139, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Tam O'Shanter

Jug
1835-1840 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Jug of smear-glazed buff stoneware, moulded. Truncated conical shape with a spreading lip and gadrooned base drawn into a low pedestal foot. Over-arching handle in the form of an arm clasping a horse's tail. Moulded in relief with, on one side, a man in Scottish dress lighting his pipe by a fireside and men behind him carousing on an ale bench. On the other side is Tam O'Shanter riding his horse across a bridge pursued by witches, one of whom grasps the horse's tail. A wreath of thistle runs horizontally below the neck and the lip is decorated on either side with a leaf scroll.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleTam O'Shanter (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Smear-glazed buff stoneware, moulded in relief
Brief description
'Tam-O'Shanter' jug of smear-glazed buff stoneware, moulded in relief, made at the factory of W. Ridgway & Co., Hanley, 1835-1840.
Physical description
Jug of smear-glazed buff stoneware, moulded. Truncated conical shape with a spreading lip and gadrooned base drawn into a low pedestal foot. Over-arching handle in the form of an arm clasping a horse's tail. Moulded in relief with, on one side, a man in Scottish dress lighting his pipe by a fireside and men behind him carousing on an ale bench. On the other side is Tam O'Shanter riding his horse across a bridge pursued by witches, one of whom grasps the horse's tail. A wreath of thistle runs horizontally below the neck and the lip is decorated on either side with a leaf scroll.
Dimensions
  • Height: 22cm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Published by W Ridgway & Co, Hanley, October, 1835' (impressed)
  • '6' (impressed)
  • 'O' [sic] (impressed)
Gallery label
Jug 'Tam O'Shanter' Made at the factory of W. Ridgway & Co., Hanley, Staffordshire, 1835-40 Marks: 'Published by W Ridgeway & Co, Hanley, October, 1835', '6' and ?'O', impressed Smear-glazed buff stoneware, moulded C.40-1969 Bequeathed by Brigadier W.E. Clark(23/05/2008)
Credit line
Bequeathed by Brigadier W.E.Clark CMG, DSO through Art Fund
Subjects depicted
Literary reference'Tam O'Shanter' by Robert Burns
Collection
Accession number
C.40-1969

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdMarch 31, 2008
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest