Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 145

Tankard

1680-1700 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This tankard in European stoneware shape was made at Arita, where porcelain was made for export to Europe starting in about 1650. The decoration of figures in a fantastic landscape was probably drawn by a Japanese following a Dutch design after a Chinese original. Tankards of this kind were usually mounted in pewter or silver, and a pre-formed hole in the handle served for the attachment of a lid and thumb-rest. On this piece the German silver-gilt lid is inset with a coin commemorating John Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, and his seven sons. The coin was struck in 1616 and the lid has a punched date of 1664. The lid was probably not fitted to the pot, however, until the 19th century.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Porcelain decorated in underglaze blue; silver-gilt lid incorporating a silver coin
Brief description
Tankard, porcelain decorated in underglaze blue, with later silver mounts; Japan, Arita kilns, Edo period, 1680-1700
Physical description
Tankard with pear-shaped body decorated in underglaze blue; three reserved panels divided by floral scrolls painted with landscapes, figures and birds; mounted with silver-gilt lid incorporating a German coin dated 1616
Dimensions
  • Height: 28.6cm
  • Diameter: 15.9cm
Dimensions from registers
Styles
Credit line
Given by Sir Percival V. David, Esq.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This tankard in European stoneware shape was made at Arita, where porcelain was made for export to Europe starting in about 1650. The decoration of figures in a fantastic landscape was probably drawn by a Japanese following a Dutch design after a Chinese original. Tankards of this kind were usually mounted in pewter or silver, and a pre-formed hole in the handle served for the attachment of a lid and thumb-rest. On this piece the German silver-gilt lid is inset with a coin commemorating John Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, and his seven sons. The coin was struck in 1616 and the lid has a punched date of 1664. The lid was probably not fitted to the pot, however, until the 19th century.
Collection
Accession number
C.417-1918

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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