Bottle
ca. 1600 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Object Type
German stoneware bottles of this type, with a basic swelling shape, a strong foot and thick but compact handle, were made by the million. This type is entirely functional; the only decoration are the applied medallions, which in no way lessen its practicality.
Retailers & Traders
Given the enormous size of the trade, competition between the Dutch shippers of Rhineland stoneware in the 16th and 17th centuries must have been fierce. Advertising was one way to become well known among the buying public and the the anonymous stoneware potters of Frechen were happy to co-operate by applying the name or 'Hausmark' (merchant's mark) of any major client. So many versions of the Jan Allers medallion exist that we may guess at a very extensive trade in the 1580-1620 period. It is thought that his son also used a similar mark.
Later in the 17th century various factors combined to undermine this lucrative trade. The black glass wine bottle was invented in the middle of the century and the four Dutch Wars, which lasted intermittently from 1652 to 1684, interrupted trade between Holland and England. Finally, once John Dwight, founder of the Fulham Pottery in London, obtained his patent to manufacture stoneware bottles in 1672, native products effectively replaced the imported German versions. After the 1660s major shippers of stoneware into London such as Pieter van den Ancker and Jan op de Kamp found their trade had evaporated. Britain's aim to become self-sufficient was finally being realised.
German stoneware bottles of this type, with a basic swelling shape, a strong foot and thick but compact handle, were made by the million. This type is entirely functional; the only decoration are the applied medallions, which in no way lessen its practicality.
Retailers & Traders
Given the enormous size of the trade, competition between the Dutch shippers of Rhineland stoneware in the 16th and 17th centuries must have been fierce. Advertising was one way to become well known among the buying public and the the anonymous stoneware potters of Frechen were happy to co-operate by applying the name or 'Hausmark' (merchant's mark) of any major client. So many versions of the Jan Allers medallion exist that we may guess at a very extensive trade in the 1580-1620 period. It is thought that his son also used a similar mark.
Later in the 17th century various factors combined to undermine this lucrative trade. The black glass wine bottle was invented in the middle of the century and the four Dutch Wars, which lasted intermittently from 1652 to 1684, interrupted trade between Holland and England. Finally, once John Dwight, founder of the Fulham Pottery in London, obtained his patent to manufacture stoneware bottles in 1672, native products effectively replaced the imported German versions. After the 1660s major shippers of stoneware into London such as Pieter van den Ancker and Jan op de Kamp found their trade had evaporated. Britain's aim to become self-sufficient was finally being realised.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Salt-glazed stoneware, with applied decoration, partially decorated with cobalt blue, mis-fired |
Brief description | Brown salt-glazed stoneware bottle, thrown in Germany (Frechen) around 1600. |
Physical description | Brown thrown and salt-glazed stoneware bottle, globular with narrow neck and wide base. Decorated with three applied medallions and the name JAN ALLERS and a unicorn, splashed with cobalt blue. |
Dimensions |
|
Marks and inscriptions | Marked with three medallions of the Dutch bottle dealer Jan Allers (active about 1580-1600) |
Gallery label | British Galleries:
STONEWARE BOTTLE AND MUG Imports of German stonewares into England from Frechen and Cologne expanded greatly in the 16th century. By 1600 at least 100,000 pieces were coming into London annually. This bottle or 'Bartmann' ('bearded man', from the moulded face on the neck) was perhaps the most common type of ceramic imported from the Rhineland from 1600 to 1670. The smaller jug was recovered near the wreck of Henry VIII's flagship, the 'Mary Rose' off Portsmouth, Hampshire.(27/03/2003) |
Object history | Made in Frechen, Germany |
Summary | Object Type German stoneware bottles of this type, with a basic swelling shape, a strong foot and thick but compact handle, were made by the million. This type is entirely functional; the only decoration are the applied medallions, which in no way lessen its practicality. Retailers & Traders Given the enormous size of the trade, competition between the Dutch shippers of Rhineland stoneware in the 16th and 17th centuries must have been fierce. Advertising was one way to become well known among the buying public and the the anonymous stoneware potters of Frechen were happy to co-operate by applying the name or 'Hausmark' (merchant's mark) of any major client. So many versions of the Jan Allers medallion exist that we may guess at a very extensive trade in the 1580-1620 period. It is thought that his son also used a similar mark. Later in the 17th century various factors combined to undermine this lucrative trade. The black glass wine bottle was invented in the middle of the century and the four Dutch Wars, which lasted intermittently from 1652 to 1684, interrupted trade between Holland and England. Finally, once John Dwight, founder of the Fulham Pottery in London, obtained his patent to manufacture stoneware bottles in 1672, native products effectively replaced the imported German versions. After the 1660s major shippers of stoneware into London such as Pieter van den Ancker and Jan op de Kamp found their trade had evaporated. Britain's aim to become self-sufficient was finally being realised. |
Bibliographic reference | J. van Loo, 'Jan Allers, Schipper en Landelaar,' Antiek, 19:1, 1984, pp.57-74 |
Collection | |
Accession number | C.13-1996 |
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Record created | March 27, 2003 |
Record URL |
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