Centrepiece
1780-1790 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This rare creamware object is an attempt to copy the porcelain centrepieces made in the 1750s and 1760s by the factories at Bow in London and elsewhere. Essentially two tiers of three shell dishes, it would have provided a practical and inexpensive means of dispensing sweetmeats and crystalised fruits.
Design & Designing
In addition to the pyramids of glass salvers loaded with jelly and custard glasses, the more fashionable dessert tables would often have included English porcelain centrepieces loaded with sweetmeats. The designer of this object, with its tiers of scallop shells, has looked back to these porcelain prototypes which were so typical of the English Rococo of the mid-18th century - a style, however, ill-suited to the plain buttery colour of early creamware. Curiously, this design does not appear in any of the Staffordshire or Yorkshire creamware manufacturers' catalogues, covering the period 1773 to about 1840.
This rare creamware object is an attempt to copy the porcelain centrepieces made in the 1750s and 1760s by the factories at Bow in London and elsewhere. Essentially two tiers of three shell dishes, it would have provided a practical and inexpensive means of dispensing sweetmeats and crystalised fruits.
Design & Designing
In addition to the pyramids of glass salvers loaded with jelly and custard glasses, the more fashionable dessert tables would often have included English porcelain centrepieces loaded with sweetmeats. The designer of this object, with its tiers of scallop shells, has looked back to these porcelain prototypes which were so typical of the English Rococo of the mid-18th century - a style, however, ill-suited to the plain buttery colour of early creamware. Curiously, this design does not appear in any of the Staffordshire or Yorkshire creamware manufacturers' catalogues, covering the period 1773 to about 1840.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Moulded creamware (lead-glazed earthenware) |
| Brief description | Leeds glazed earthenware scallop shell centrepiece |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | British Galleries:
Centrepieces served both an ornamental and a practical function. They remained on the table throughout the meal and the tiers of dishes contained sweetmeats such as sugared almonds, biscuits or fruit.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by Mrs Mary B. Sargeant |
| Object history | Made in Staffordshire or Yorkshire |
| Summary | Object Type This rare creamware object is an attempt to copy the porcelain centrepieces made in the 1750s and 1760s by the factories at Bow in London and elsewhere. Essentially two tiers of three shell dishes, it would have provided a practical and inexpensive means of dispensing sweetmeats and crystalised fruits. Design & Designing In addition to the pyramids of glass salvers loaded with jelly and custard glasses, the more fashionable dessert tables would often have included English porcelain centrepieces loaded with sweetmeats. The designer of this object, with its tiers of scallop shells, has looked back to these porcelain prototypes which were so typical of the English Rococo of the mid-18th century - a style, however, ill-suited to the plain buttery colour of early creamware. Curiously, this design does not appear in any of the Staffordshire or Yorkshire creamware manufacturers' catalogues, covering the period 1773 to about 1840. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | CIRC.434-1967 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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