Commemorative mug

Object Type
This souvenir mug shows a 'View of the Building in Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition 1851' printed all round in a deep underglaze blue. This mug was not an expensive item, but it has been finished off attractively with an additional printed decoration on the inside of the mouth rim.

Historical Associations
Many types of souvenir were produced for sale to visitors to the Crystal Palace as a memento of their day out. However, this one is not marked with the name of the retailer. The printed scene shows a man wearing a kilt and a couple in rather unusual costume. This is presumably intended to indicate that visitors to the Exhibition were travelling from far away to see the wonders on display.

Commemorative Wares
Commemorative wares were produced on a commercial scale from the 1780s and by the 1820s, transfer-printing on earthenware and porcelain had become a staple part of the pottery industry. Both transfer-printing on earthenware, begun in the 1750s, and cream-coloured earthenware, invented in the 1760s, allowed for increased speed and economies in production. But commemorative wares did not become viable on a large scale until the development of canals, the improvement of road quality, and the introduction of railways which allowed fragile products to be transported cheaply and efficiently.