Plate
1801 - 1812
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This creamware plate is decorated with the ‘Husk’ pattern, famously used for the Wedgwood ‘Husk’ Service ordered by Empress Catherine II of Russia in 1770. It was produced on ‘Queen’s shape’ and enamelled with rose-purple husk festoons and botanical flowers. Josiah Wedgwood, aware of the importance of this prestigious commission for future sales, wrote that he “trembled…for the Russian service”.
This plate was not part of the initial order, instead it was made by the Otto Factory in Moscow. This is indicated by the impressed initials ‘L:o’ on the reverse of the plate. It is believed that these were made as breakage replacements for the well-used service. Accompanying the object is a plate from the original service, can you tell the difference?
Our cataloguing volunteer Deborah chose this object for the 'Unpacking the V&A Wedgwood Collection' display, explaining that: “on the back of the plate we found a symbol which looked like Russian letters. It turned out to be a plate made in Moscow and was a copy of a plate from a dinner service which Wedgwood had made for Empress Catherine II of Russia. This has me really intrigued; did Wedgwood know about this; did they approve and if they had known could they have stopped them?”.
This plate was not part of the initial order, instead it was made by the Otto Factory in Moscow. This is indicated by the impressed initials ‘L:o’ on the reverse of the plate. It is believed that these were made as breakage replacements for the well-used service. Accompanying the object is a plate from the original service, can you tell the difference?
Our cataloguing volunteer Deborah chose this object for the 'Unpacking the V&A Wedgwood Collection' display, explaining that: “on the back of the plate we found a symbol which looked like Russian letters. It turned out to be a plate made in Moscow and was a copy of a plate from a dinner service which Wedgwood had made for Empress Catherine II of Russia. This has me really intrigued; did Wedgwood know about this; did they approve and if they had known could they have stopped them?”.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Creamware with hand painting |
| Brief description | Plate, creamware with handpainted decoration, Otto factory, Moscow, 1801-1812 |
| Physical description | Plate, creamware, Queens shape, with purple handpainted decoration of swags around the egde with leaf pattern in centre. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | 10153' (handwritten in black), '10153' (handwritten in pencil on cream coloured label), '9' (handwritten in red on white label), 'N J / 1728' (handwritten in black on cream coloured label), 'L:O' (impressed). |
| 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 | Collated and renumbered from Brooklyn Exhibition. |
| Summary | This creamware plate is decorated with the ‘Husk’ pattern, famously used for the Wedgwood ‘Husk’ Service ordered by Empress Catherine II of Russia in 1770. It was produced on ‘Queen’s shape’ and enamelled with rose-purple husk festoons and botanical flowers. Josiah Wedgwood, aware of the importance of this prestigious commission for future sales, wrote that he “trembled…for the Russian service”. This plate was not part of the initial order, instead it was made by the Otto Factory in Moscow. This is indicated by the impressed initials ‘L:o’ on the reverse of the plate. It is believed that these were made as breakage replacements for the well-used service. Accompanying the object is a plate from the original service, can you tell the difference? Our cataloguing volunteer Deborah chose this object for the 'Unpacking the V&A Wedgwood Collection' display, explaining that: “on the back of the plate we found a symbol which looked like Russian letters. It turned out to be a plate made in Moscow and was a copy of a plate from a dinner service which Wedgwood had made for Empress Catherine II of Russia. This has me really intrigued; did Wedgwood know about this; did they approve and if they had known could they have stopped them?”. |
| Other number | 10153 - Wedgwood Museum Accession Number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | WE.11519-2014 |
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| Record created | February 26, 2024 |
| Record URL |
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