Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 138, The Harry and Carol Djanogly Gallery

Teapot and Cover

ca. 1790-1800 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This teapot shows a distictive type of surface decoration In the 1790s experiments were attempted, using dry coloured clay particles to decorate erathneware. These crushed granules were applied to a wet slip ground, and could be either left whole as rough encrustation or rolled into the surface and eventually cleaned up on the lathe to give a smooth, finely dappled surface. This technique is known as 'Terra Tersia', tersia being a common term in the eighteenth century for certain types of marquetry or veneer.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Teapot Body
  • Teapot Cover
Materials and techniques
Earthenware decorated with terra tersia in coloured clay
Brief description
Teapot and cover of cream-coloured earthenware, partly decorated with terra tersia in coloured clay, Leeds Pottery, Leeds, ca. 1790-1800.
Physical description
Teapot and cover of cream-coloured earthenware, partly decorated with terra tersia in coloured clay.
Dimensions
  • Height: 10cm
  • Diameter: 9.3cm
conversion
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
'LEEDS POTTERY' (Impressed to footring)
Credit line
Transferred from the Museum of Practical Geology, Jermyn Street
Subject depicted
Summary
This teapot shows a distictive type of surface decoration In the 1790s experiments were attempted, using dry coloured clay particles to decorate erathneware. These crushed granules were applied to a wet slip ground, and could be either left whole as rough encrustation or rolled into the surface and eventually cleaned up on the lathe to give a smooth, finely dappled surface. This technique is known as 'Terra Tersia', tersia being a common term in the eighteenth century for certain types of marquetry or veneer.
Collection
Accession number
3572&A-1901

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Record createdJanuary 29, 2009
Record URL
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