Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 142, The Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Gallery

Covered Bowl

1947-1948 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This covered bowl was made by Michael Cardew at the Volta Pottery in Vumë Dugamé, Ghana (then the Gold Coast). Vumë was Cardew's second venture in Africa, having worked at Achimota and Alajo, both in Ghana, during the Second World War. Learning of a potential site for a pottery workshop at Vumë, Cardew decided to stay on in Africa after the war, determined to overcome the problems he had experienced at Alajo. The Volta Pottery was, however, blighted by technical problems, and Cardew experienced a number of disastrous firing from which little succesful work resulted.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Bowl Body
  • Bowl Cover
Materials and techniques
Stoneware, with painted decoration in iron in a deep blue-grey glaze
Brief description
Stoneware covered bowl, Michael Cardew at Volta Pottery, Ghana, 1947-1948.
Physical description
Lidded bowl painted with fish in iron under a dark glaze.
Dimensions
  • Depth: 17.50cm
  • Height: 12.50cm
Marks and inscriptions
'MC'in monogram, seal of the Volta pottery, impressed & 'MC'paint
Object history
Acquisition details: the potter

RF number: 50/671
Production
Pottery: Volta pottery, Vume, Ghana, Africa
Summary
This covered bowl was made by Michael Cardew at the Volta Pottery in Vumë Dugamé, Ghana (then the Gold Coast). Vumë was Cardew's second venture in Africa, having worked at Achimota and Alajo, both in Ghana, during the Second World War. Learning of a potential site for a pottery workshop at Vumë, Cardew decided to stay on in Africa after the war, determined to overcome the problems he had experienced at Alajo. The Volta Pottery was, however, blighted by technical problems, and Cardew experienced a number of disastrous firing from which little succesful work resulted.
Bibliographic reference
Watson, Oliver. British Studio Pottery : the Victoria and Albert Museum Collection, Oxford : Phaidon, Christie's, in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1990
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.33&A-1950

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Record createdJanuary 14, 2000
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