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Not currently on display at the V&A

Grass Tea Ware

Tea Kettle and Cover
ca.1880 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This Porcelain Tea-kettle made in Co. Fermanagh, Ireland is known as 'Grass Tea Ware'. It is slip-cast and decorated with foliage, roots and tassles and the spout is in the form of an animal or bird head. It is painted with pink, purple, brown, black and grey highlights.
On the underside of the lid of this teapot is printed instructions for using the teapot: 'Fill with water blood warm and allow it to stand a few minutes empty and use with boiling water'. These instructions are evidence of the practice of 'warming the pot' which avoids damage to the teapot through thermal shock and ensures that the boiling water does not drop in temperature as soon as it is poured in.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Tea Kettle
  • Cover
TitleGrass Tea Ware (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Porcelain, slip-cast body and spout
Brief description
Tea kettle and cover,'Grass Tea Ware', porcelain, made by Belleek, Fermanagh, Ireland, ca 1880
Physical description
Teapot of porcelain, with spout in the form of an animal's head. Moulded with grasses and tassels, painted brown, pink, black and grey.
Dimensions
  • Height: 15.5cm
  • Widest width: 20.7cm
  • Depth: 17cm
taken from registers
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'D. McBIRNEY & Co BELLEEK FERMANAGH IRELAND. FILL WITH WATER BLOOD WARM AND ALLOW TO STAND A FEW MINUTES EMPTY AND USE WITH BOILING WATER' and printed harp mark. (Printed inside lid)
  • black printed harp mark and '2' in red (Printed on base)
Object history
Purchase from Mr. John Coleman on 16/11/95, but previously on long loan from 1971
Summary
This Porcelain Tea-kettle made in Co. Fermanagh, Ireland is known as 'Grass Tea Ware'. It is slip-cast and decorated with foliage, roots and tassles and the spout is in the form of an animal or bird head. It is painted with pink, purple, brown, black and grey highlights.
On the underside of the lid of this teapot is printed instructions for using the teapot: 'Fill with water blood warm and allow it to stand a few minutes empty and use with boiling water'. These instructions are evidence of the practice of 'warming the pot' which avoids damage to the teapot through thermal shock and ensures that the boiling water does not drop in temperature as soon as it is poured in.
Bibliographic reference
Langham, Marian, 'Belleek Irish Porcelain' Quiller Press, 1993
Collection
Accession number
C.77:2-1995

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Record createdMay 22, 2009
Record URL
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