Teapot and Cover
ca. 1787-1790 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This teapot was made soon after import duties were drastically reduced in 1784, after which the average retail price of tea fell by almost three shillings a pound. In 1785 Bohea, the most popular type of black (fermented) tea, cost about two shillings a pound, and green (unfermented) tea cost between three and five shillings. Within ten years of this legislation, figures for imports of tea had quadrupled.
Materials & Making
The pot is made from 'true' or hard-paste porcelain, made by combining china clay and china stone (or 'petuntse'). Although the secret of its manufacture had long been known on the Continent, no British factory succeeded in making it until 1768. In that year a patent for hard-paste production was granted to William Cookworthy (1705-1780) at Plymouth, who had identified Cornish deposits of the raw materials in the 1740s. Cookworthy experienced great difficulties in making and firing the wares, and in 1782 his successors sold the patent to a consortium of Staffordshire potters, who established the New Hall works. New Hall adapted Staffordshire potting techniques to the new material, and were commercially successful, making tea- and tablewares.
This teapot was made soon after import duties were drastically reduced in 1784, after which the average retail price of tea fell by almost three shillings a pound. In 1785 Bohea, the most popular type of black (fermented) tea, cost about two shillings a pound, and green (unfermented) tea cost between three and five shillings. Within ten years of this legislation, figures for imports of tea had quadrupled.
Materials & Making
The pot is made from 'true' or hard-paste porcelain, made by combining china clay and china stone (or 'petuntse'). Although the secret of its manufacture had long been known on the Continent, no British factory succeeded in making it until 1768. In that year a patent for hard-paste production was granted to William Cookworthy (1705-1780) at Plymouth, who had identified Cornish deposits of the raw materials in the 1740s. Cookworthy experienced great difficulties in making and firing the wares, and in 1782 his successors sold the patent to a consortium of Staffordshire potters, who established the New Hall works. New Hall adapted Staffordshire potting techniques to the new material, and were commercially successful, making tea- and tablewares.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Hard-paste porcelain, slip-cast and painted in underglaze blue and gilded |
| Brief description | Teapot and cover of hard-paste porcelain, slip-cast and painted in underglaze blue and gilded, New Hall porcelain factory, Staffordshire, ca. 1787-1790. |
| Physical description | Teapot and cover of hard-paste porcelain, slip-cast and painted in underglaze blue and gilded. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'Ralph Clowes [or Clewes] New Hall fecit' (Incised) |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Presented by Lt. Col. K. Dingwall, DSO with Art Fund support |
| Summary | Object Type This teapot was made soon after import duties were drastically reduced in 1784, after which the average retail price of tea fell by almost three shillings a pound. In 1785 Bohea, the most popular type of black (fermented) tea, cost about two shillings a pound, and green (unfermented) tea cost between three and five shillings. Within ten years of this legislation, figures for imports of tea had quadrupled. Materials & Making The pot is made from 'true' or hard-paste porcelain, made by combining china clay and china stone (or 'petuntse'). Although the secret of its manufacture had long been known on the Continent, no British factory succeeded in making it until 1768. In that year a patent for hard-paste production was granted to William Cookworthy (1705-1780) at Plymouth, who had identified Cornish deposits of the raw materials in the 1740s. Cookworthy experienced great difficulties in making and firing the wares, and in 1782 his successors sold the patent to a consortium of Staffordshire potters, who established the New Hall works. New Hall adapted Staffordshire potting techniques to the new material, and were commercially successful, making tea- and tablewares. |
| Bibliographic reference | Young, Hilary. English Porcelain, 1745-95. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1999. 229p., ill. ISBN 1851772820. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.34&A-1918 |
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| Record created | December 3, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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