Plate thumbnail 1
On loan

  • On short term loan out for exhibition

Plate

1773-1774 (made)
Artist/Maker
Josiah Wedgwood and Sons (manufacturers)
Place of origin
Etruria

The Frog Service was a Queen's ware service made for Empress Catherine II of Russia in 1773-1774. It was to be made for the palace she was building on a site known as the Frog Marsh, so each piece bore a crest of a green frog. Thomas Bentley compiled a detailed description of the service, which listed 952 pieces, with 1,244 'real views of Great Britain', all different.

Object details

Category
V&A Wedgwood Collection
Object type
Plate
Materials and techniques
Queen's ware with hand-painted decoration
Earthenware
Hand-Painted
Brief description
Dinner Plate for the Frog Service depicting 'View of Castle Acre, Norfolk', Queen's Ware, Josiah Wedgwood and sons, Etruria, 1773
Physical description
Plate, Queen's ware, with handpainted scene of 'View of Castle Acre, Norfolk' in mulberry, leaf border, and frog crest at the top.
Dimensions
  • Height: 218mm
  • Width: 224mm
  • Depth: 23mm
Marks and inscriptions
805'
Gallery label
28.11 Dessert plate; hand-painted in monochrome sepia: Castle-Acre Castle, Norfolk. Catherine shape, Queen's ware / Scene after an engraving by William Ellis, 1772, from a drawing by Thomas Hearne published in 'The Antiquities of England and Wales' by Francis Grose / 1773-74 / This piece was te first dessert plate to be decorated. It was not included in the Russian service, but kept at Etruria
Gallery label text written 2008
Credit line
V&A Wedgwood Collection. Presented by Art Fund with major support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, private donations and a public appeal.
Object history
Brought from sale at Idlehocks 1952
Association
Catherine II, Empress of Russia
Summary
The Frog Service was a Queen's ware service made for Empress Catherine II of Russia in 1773-1774. It was to be made for the palace she was building on a site known as the Frog Marsh, so each piece bore a crest of a green frog. Thomas Bentley compiled a detailed description of the service, which listed 952 pieces, with 1,244 'real views of Great Britain', all different.
Other number
5379 - Wedgwood Museum Accession number
Collection
Wedgwood Collection
Accession number
WE.8161-2014

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Record createdFebruary 3, 2023
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1743636/plate-josiah-wedgwood-and/
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