Subjects from Milton's Paradise Lost

This vase was produced by electrolysis and is an example of the decorative work produced by the Coalbrookdale Company; the Museum purchased it as a modern example of such work. The frieze around the vase depicts two passages from Milton's Paradise Lost: the expulsion of Satan and the expulsion of Adam and Eve. A snake is coiled around the stem.

The producers included an illustration of the vase in a trade catalogue: Coalbrookdale. Designs for Iron Gates, Railings, Balconies, Stoves, Fenders, Tables, Hatstands, Garden Chairs, Vases, Fountains etc., describing it as 'The Milton Vase'.

The Coalbrookdale Co. is known for its production of iron wares, ranging from railway tracks to garden furniture. It benefited from an ideal location, with a local supply of ironstone and nearby coal and water for fuel and power respectively. When Abraham Darby took over the works in 1708 the company produced mostly pots, pans and kettles. As new processes were developed, manufacturing methods improved, furnace capacities increased, and the Coalbrookdale Co. became one of the most important cast-iron manufacturers of the 19th century. It produced many architectural and domestic objects, making increasing use of cast iron rather than wrought iron as cast iron allowed repetitive patterns to be accurately reproduced at a fraction of the cost. The Coalbrookdale Company was established in 1709 and ceased production in 1959. It originally specialised in the production of a range of cast-iron industrial products, diversifying in the nineteenth century to include more decorative items.