Meat Dish
1871 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Large meat dishes offered ceramic manufacturers the opportunity to use a splendid pattern on a large scale. Such dishes were the most impressive pieces of a dinner service, as they were intended for the most expensive course in a dinner of many courses.
Social class
This dish has a bold, skilfully drawn and naturalistic decoration of an iris. This has been printed, but is enriched with gilding. The gilding, combined with the prestigious name of Josiah Wedgwood & Sons as the maker, would have made the dish attractive to the newly prosperous middle class.
Materials & Making
Pearlware is a type of earthenware introduced by Josiah Wedgwood & Sons in 1779 as an improvement to its 'Queen's Ware' (creamware). This new body included a greater proportion of flint and white clay, and the glaze contained a trace of cobalt oxide which gave the body a bluish-white colour. This meant it looked similar to the more expensive bone china, a form of porcelain. Eventually technology improved so that the body itself was whiter, and no longer needed the bluish glaze to enhance it. Like other factories, Wedgwood maintained a hierarchy of patterns, bodies and shapes. 'Best' patterns were usually printed on 'Best' shapes made from a 'Pearl' body and dipped in a 'Pearl' glaze. The word 'Pearl' or the letter 'P' was often impressed into Pearlware pieces.
Large meat dishes offered ceramic manufacturers the opportunity to use a splendid pattern on a large scale. Such dishes were the most impressive pieces of a dinner service, as they were intended for the most expensive course in a dinner of many courses.
Social class
This dish has a bold, skilfully drawn and naturalistic decoration of an iris. This has been printed, but is enriched with gilding. The gilding, combined with the prestigious name of Josiah Wedgwood & Sons as the maker, would have made the dish attractive to the newly prosperous middle class.
Materials & Making
Pearlware is a type of earthenware introduced by Josiah Wedgwood & Sons in 1779 as an improvement to its 'Queen's Ware' (creamware). This new body included a greater proportion of flint and white clay, and the glaze contained a trace of cobalt oxide which gave the body a bluish-white colour. This meant it looked similar to the more expensive bone china, a form of porcelain. Eventually technology improved so that the body itself was whiter, and no longer needed the bluish glaze to enhance it. Like other factories, Wedgwood maintained a hierarchy of patterns, bodies and shapes. 'Best' patterns were usually printed on 'Best' shapes made from a 'Pearl' body and dipped in a 'Pearl' glaze. The word 'Pearl' or the letter 'P' was often impressed into Pearlware pieces.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Earthenware (Pearlware), transfer-printed and gilded |
| Brief description | Earthenware meat dish, made by Wedgwood, 1870. |
| Physical description | Oval meat dish, printed in grey-blue with large central depiction of an iris with other smaller flowers strewn in background, picked out in gilding and with gilt rim |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'LEEDS' with cross, printed, and impressed with the mark 'WEDGWOOD,' 'P' for Pearlware, '5192' in gilding, 'D17' and date letter for 1871 |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by Mr. Peter Risk |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type Large meat dishes offered ceramic manufacturers the opportunity to use a splendid pattern on a large scale. Such dishes were the most impressive pieces of a dinner service, as they were intended for the most expensive course in a dinner of many courses. Social class This dish has a bold, skilfully drawn and naturalistic decoration of an iris. This has been printed, but is enriched with gilding. The gilding, combined with the prestigious name of Josiah Wedgwood & Sons as the maker, would have made the dish attractive to the newly prosperous middle class. Materials & Making Pearlware is a type of earthenware introduced by Josiah Wedgwood & Sons in 1779 as an improvement to its 'Queen's Ware' (creamware). This new body included a greater proportion of flint and white clay, and the glaze contained a trace of cobalt oxide which gave the body a bluish-white colour. This meant it looked similar to the more expensive bone china, a form of porcelain. Eventually technology improved so that the body itself was whiter, and no longer needed the bluish glaze to enhance it. Like other factories, Wedgwood maintained a hierarchy of patterns, bodies and shapes. 'Best' patterns were usually printed on 'Best' shapes made from a 'Pearl' body and dipped in a 'Pearl' glaze. The word 'Pearl' or the letter 'P' was often impressed into Pearlware pieces. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.110-2000 |
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| Record created | November 10, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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