Tureen thumbnail 1
Tureen thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
British Galleries, Room 118; The Wolfson Gallery

Tureen

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

Object Type
The tureen was for serving sauces. Vessels for sauces became an essential item on the British dinner table around 1720, when French-style sauces became popular. Late 18th-century examples are usually tureen-shaped and supported on a central foot. They usually had an underdish or stand, to prevent spillage, and a matching ladle.

Use
The five main sauces introduced by the French were béchamel, brune/espagnol, tomate, mayonnaise, and velouté. Gravies made from roasted meat flavoured with wine, citrus juice, capers, herbs and spices were also popular in 18th-century Britain. Other sauces had a 'roux' base, made by combining butter or lard with flour and broth or milk, and flavoured with parsley, onions, celery, anchovies, oysters, cockles or eggs. Butter sauces, served in smaller sauce boats or butter boats, frequently accompanied vegetables. A hot sauce of wine, butter and sugar was the most common one for puddings.

Trading
Wedgwood sold his pottery through his London warehouse and from his Staffordshire factory site. He also sold large quantities of pottery to export merchants and agents abroad. Sauce tureens of this design were among the illustrations of his unpublished creamware catalogue of about 1790. Wedgwood sold an earlier design of sauce tureen and stand at two shillings each wholesale.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Tureen
  • Cover
Materials and techniques
Creamware (Queen's Ware), painted in blue enamel and gilt
Brief description
Creamware tureen
Dimensions
  • Height: 16.6cm
  • Width: 23.49cm
Gallery label
  • British Galleries: Wedgwood's success around 1765 was based on the improvements he made to creamware, a type of earthenware. It remained an important product at his factory until after his death in 1795. Much of this pottery was decorated with simple border patterns of Neo-classical and plant motifs, a style of decoration Wedgwood pioneered.(27/03/2003)
  • Tureen and cover Made at the factory of Josiah Wedgwood, Etruria, Staffordshire, 1780-1800 Mark: ''WEDGWOOD' , impressed Lead-glazed earthenware, painted in enamel colours and gilt C.97&A-1929 Given by Mr S Vacher(23/05/2008)
Credit line
Given by Sydney Vacher
Object history
Made at Josiah Wedgwood's factory, Etruria, Staffordshire
Summary
Object Type
The tureen was for serving sauces. Vessels for sauces became an essential item on the British dinner table around 1720, when French-style sauces became popular. Late 18th-century examples are usually tureen-shaped and supported on a central foot. They usually had an underdish or stand, to prevent spillage, and a matching ladle.

Use
The five main sauces introduced by the French were béchamel, brune/espagnol, tomate, mayonnaise, and velouté. Gravies made from roasted meat flavoured with wine, citrus juice, capers, herbs and spices were also popular in 18th-century Britain. Other sauces had a 'roux' base, made by combining butter or lard with flour and broth or milk, and flavoured with parsley, onions, celery, anchovies, oysters, cockles or eggs. Butter sauces, served in smaller sauce boats or butter boats, frequently accompanied vegetables. A hot sauce of wine, butter and sugar was the most common one for puddings.

Trading
Wedgwood sold his pottery through his London warehouse and from his Staffordshire factory site. He also sold large quantities of pottery to export merchants and agents abroad. Sauce tureens of this design were among the illustrations of his unpublished creamware catalogue of about 1790. Wedgwood sold an earlier design of sauce tureen and stand at two shillings each wholesale.
Collection
Accession number
C.97&A-1929

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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