Tile
1847 (designed), 1850 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
In medieval times, tiles were decorated with inlaid clays of different colours. During the Gothic revival, and encouraged by the designer A.W.N Pugin, Herbert Minton developed techniques for producing inlaid tiles in the medieval style, which went into production at Minton and Co. from the 1830s.
The tiles were created by pressing malleable 'plastic' clay into a mould. The mould left impressions on the surface of the tile, which were then filled with coloured liquid clay before the tile was dried and fired at high temperature.
Heraldic patterns were popular designs, and they were sometimes produced on commission. Minton tiles were also used extensively in the nineteenth-century renovation of medieval churches.
This 'V.R.' (Victoria Regina) pattern was designed by Pugin for the fireplace of the prince's chamber, the Palace of Westminster. This example is from the House of Commons, laid in 1850.
The tiles were created by pressing malleable 'plastic' clay into a mould. The mould left impressions on the surface of the tile, which were then filled with coloured liquid clay before the tile was dried and fired at high temperature.
Heraldic patterns were popular designs, and they were sometimes produced on commission. Minton tiles were also used extensively in the nineteenth-century renovation of medieval churches.
This 'V.R.' (Victoria Regina) pattern was designed by Pugin for the fireplace of the prince's chamber, the Palace of Westminster. This example is from the House of Commons, laid in 1850.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Earthenware with inlaid decoration |
| Brief description | Buff earthenware stamped and inlaid in buff and blue with a design of the letters 'VR' and elaborate scrollwork. England, Minton & Co, designed by Pugin, 1847, made 1850. |
| Physical description | Tile, buff earthenware, inlaid with buff and blue with the letters 'V.R.' and elaborate scrollwork. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'MINTON & Co. PATENT, STOKE-UPON-TRENT' (impressed to back) |
| Credit line | Given by the Department of Environment |
| Object history | Historical significance: The tile floors that Pugin designed for the new Palace of Westminster were the earliest extensive series of tile floors made in the 19th century. |
| Summary | In medieval times, tiles were decorated with inlaid clays of different colours. During the Gothic revival, and encouraged by the designer A.W.N Pugin, Herbert Minton developed techniques for producing inlaid tiles in the medieval style, which went into production at Minton and Co. from the 1830s. The tiles were created by pressing malleable 'plastic' clay into a mould. The mould left impressions on the surface of the tile, which were then filled with coloured liquid clay before the tile was dried and fired at high temperature. Heraldic patterns were popular designs, and they were sometimes produced on commission. Minton tiles were also used extensively in the nineteenth-century renovation of medieval churches. This 'V.R.' (Victoria Regina) pattern was designed by Pugin for the fireplace of the prince's chamber, the Palace of Westminster. This example is from the House of Commons, laid in 1850. |
| Bibliographic reference | Wedgwood, Alexandra, A.W.N.Pugin and the Pugin Family, (London: V&A, 1985), p.322.
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.151-1982 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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