Rhinoceros vase
Vase and Cover
ca. 1826 (made)
ca. 1826 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Though clearly made as an elaborate ornamental piece, the form nevertheless follows the basic conventions of a 'scent jar' with its perforated neck. Such vases, often small enough to place on the mantelpiece, were filled with potpourri to serve as room fresheners.
People
Thomas Brameld, designer of this piece, was proprietor of the Swinton Pottery on the estate of the wealthy Earl Fitzwilliam. From at least 1818, Brameld severely strained his resources by attempting to manufacture porcelain. His eventual bankruptcy in 1825 was, however, happily resolved by the intervention of the Earl, who thenceforward underwrote the factory's debts. Earl Fitzwilliam also allowed them to name the pottery works after his famous forebear, the Marquis of Rockingham, and to use his griffin crest as a mark.
Trading
In the 1820s, both the manufacture and use of luxury porcelain still carried considerable prestige. The collaboration between the Bramelds and Earl Fitzwilliam in Yorkshire should perhaps be seen in the context of royal appointments, for example George III's visit to the Worcester factory in 1788 and the Prince Regent's visit to Spode's in 1806.
This colossal show piece was much admired at the time of its manufacture in 1826, despite its bizarre combination of ill-matched elements. An even larger version of the vase, intended to amaze visitors to the factory, was eventually given to Earl Fitzwilliam when the factory closed in 1842.
Though clearly made as an elaborate ornamental piece, the form nevertheless follows the basic conventions of a 'scent jar' with its perforated neck. Such vases, often small enough to place on the mantelpiece, were filled with potpourri to serve as room fresheners.
People
Thomas Brameld, designer of this piece, was proprietor of the Swinton Pottery on the estate of the wealthy Earl Fitzwilliam. From at least 1818, Brameld severely strained his resources by attempting to manufacture porcelain. His eventual bankruptcy in 1825 was, however, happily resolved by the intervention of the Earl, who thenceforward underwrote the factory's debts. Earl Fitzwilliam also allowed them to name the pottery works after his famous forebear, the Marquis of Rockingham, and to use his griffin crest as a mark.
Trading
In the 1820s, both the manufacture and use of luxury porcelain still carried considerable prestige. The collaboration between the Bramelds and Earl Fitzwilliam in Yorkshire should perhaps be seen in the context of royal appointments, for example George III's visit to the Worcester factory in 1788 and the Prince Regent's visit to Spode's in 1806.
This colossal show piece was much admired at the time of its manufacture in 1826, despite its bizarre combination of ill-matched elements. An even larger version of the vase, intended to amaze visitors to the factory, was eventually given to Earl Fitzwilliam when the factory closed in 1842.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Title | Rhinoceros vase (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Porcelain, painted and gilded |
| Brief description | Porcelain vase and cover, painted with groups of flowers, surrounded by naturalistically modelled and gilt acorns and oak leaves, with handles in the form of three gnarled branches and surmounted by a gilt rhinoceros. British (Swinton), 1830. Made by the Rockingham factory. |
| Physical description | Porcelain vase of ovoid form, with a cover. Both painted with groups of flowers, surrounded by naturalistically modelled and gilt acorns and oak leaves, with handles in the form of three gnarled branches. The neck represents a honeycomb with bees and the cover is surmounted by a gilt rhinoceros. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label |
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| Object history | A companion vase is at Rotherham Museum, it was originally part of the Earl Fitzwilliam Collections at Wentworth Woodhouse. |
| Production | The flower paintings on the vase are by Edwin Steele. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type Though clearly made as an elaborate ornamental piece, the form nevertheless follows the basic conventions of a 'scent jar' with its perforated neck. Such vases, often small enough to place on the mantelpiece, were filled with potpourri to serve as room fresheners. People Thomas Brameld, designer of this piece, was proprietor of the Swinton Pottery on the estate of the wealthy Earl Fitzwilliam. From at least 1818, Brameld severely strained his resources by attempting to manufacture porcelain. His eventual bankruptcy in 1825 was, however, happily resolved by the intervention of the Earl, who thenceforward underwrote the factory's debts. Earl Fitzwilliam also allowed them to name the pottery works after his famous forebear, the Marquis of Rockingham, and to use his griffin crest as a mark. Trading In the 1820s, both the manufacture and use of luxury porcelain still carried considerable prestige. The collaboration between the Bramelds and Earl Fitzwilliam in Yorkshire should perhaps be seen in the context of royal appointments, for example George III's visit to the Worcester factory in 1788 and the Prince Regent's visit to Spode's in 1806. This colossal show piece was much admired at the time of its manufacture in 1826, despite its bizarre combination of ill-matched elements. An even larger version of the vase, intended to amaze visitors to the factory, was eventually given to Earl Fitzwilliam when the factory closed in 1842. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 47&A-1869 |
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| Record created | June 23, 1998 |
| Record URL |
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