Pot Lid
1851 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This Great Exhibition souvenir was a lid made by T.J. & J. Mayer for Crosse & Blackwell, of 21 Soho Square, who registered it in 1850 to ensure their competitors did not use the design. The pots for which this lid were made would have contained Crosse & Blackwell's potted meats or anchovy paste. Other firms also made pot lids, the finest being produced between 1850 and 1870.
People
Thomas, Joseph and John Mayer of Dale Hall Pottery, Longport, Burslem, were brothers from a famous Staffordshire family of master potters whose business was established in the 1780s. The Mayer brothers were awarded a prize medal at the Great Exhibition where their stand displayed various designs for meat pots, printed in underglaze colours. Mayers also produced two other views of the Exhibition. They eventually became the second largest manufacturer of colour transfer-printed lids, but made other useful goods as well, and had a thriving export trade with America.
Materials & Making
The firm of F.& R. Pratt & Co. of Lane Delph, Fenton, are thought to have been the earliest exponents of full underglaze colour-printing, though Mayers were quick to follow. An image was produced by engraving at least four different copper printing-plates, one to load with black ink, and the others with a single colour each. The coloured ink from the engraved grooves on the first plate was pressed onto dampened potter's tissue paper, which was in turn applied to the unglazed earthenware and rubbed on with a flannel boss. The tissue was floated off in water, leaving the oily ink on the pottery. After 24 hours' drying time, the next colour was applied on top, and so on, finishing with black or brown, which when accurately aligned, completed the image. It was only in the 1840s that suitable printing inks and paper were developed for this process.
This Great Exhibition souvenir was a lid made by T.J. & J. Mayer for Crosse & Blackwell, of 21 Soho Square, who registered it in 1850 to ensure their competitors did not use the design. The pots for which this lid were made would have contained Crosse & Blackwell's potted meats or anchovy paste. Other firms also made pot lids, the finest being produced between 1850 and 1870.
People
Thomas, Joseph and John Mayer of Dale Hall Pottery, Longport, Burslem, were brothers from a famous Staffordshire family of master potters whose business was established in the 1780s. The Mayer brothers were awarded a prize medal at the Great Exhibition where their stand displayed various designs for meat pots, printed in underglaze colours. Mayers also produced two other views of the Exhibition. They eventually became the second largest manufacturer of colour transfer-printed lids, but made other useful goods as well, and had a thriving export trade with America.
Materials & Making
The firm of F.& R. Pratt & Co. of Lane Delph, Fenton, are thought to have been the earliest exponents of full underglaze colour-printing, though Mayers were quick to follow. An image was produced by engraving at least four different copper printing-plates, one to load with black ink, and the others with a single colour each. The coloured ink from the engraved grooves on the first plate was pressed onto dampened potter's tissue paper, which was in turn applied to the unglazed earthenware and rubbed on with a flannel boss. The tissue was floated off in water, leaving the oily ink on the pottery. After 24 hours' drying time, the next colour was applied on top, and so on, finishing with black or brown, which when accurately aligned, completed the image. It was only in the 1840s that suitable printing inks and paper were developed for this process.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Earthenware, transfer-printed |
| Brief description | Earthenware, transfer-printed with a view of the Crystal Palace, built to house the Great Exhibition of 1851 |
| Physical description | Earthenware pot lid, no pot, transfer-printed with a view of the Crystal Palace built to house the Great Exhibition |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | 'THE GRAND INTERNATIONAL BUILDING OF 1851. For the Exhibition of Art and Industry of All Nations', printed in black around the image |
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
These pot lids were an early form of commemorative packaging, often used for food products. Manufacturers used these attractive lids to encourage sales and purchasers soon started to collect them or use them for decoration. These lids are decorated using the recently-developed process of colour printing on pottery and porcelain.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Given by Mrs Eric Hervey |
| Object history | Made by T.J. & J. Mayer, Dale Hall Pottery, Burslem, Staffordshire for Crosse & Blackwell who registered the design on 23rd October 1850. From a group of Crystal Palace memorabilia which belonged to Gerald Smedley Hervey, MBE. |
| Historical context | Such pots were usually made for meat or fish pastes |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type This Great Exhibition souvenir was a lid made by T.J. & J. Mayer for Crosse & Blackwell, of 21 Soho Square, who registered it in 1850 to ensure their competitors did not use the design. The pots for which this lid were made would have contained Crosse & Blackwell's potted meats or anchovy paste. Other firms also made pot lids, the finest being produced between 1850 and 1870. People Thomas, Joseph and John Mayer of Dale Hall Pottery, Longport, Burslem, were brothers from a famous Staffordshire family of master potters whose business was established in the 1780s. The Mayer brothers were awarded a prize medal at the Great Exhibition where their stand displayed various designs for meat pots, printed in underglaze colours. Mayers also produced two other views of the Exhibition. They eventually became the second largest manufacturer of colour transfer-printed lids, but made other useful goods as well, and had a thriving export trade with America. Materials & Making The firm of F.& R. Pratt & Co. of Lane Delph, Fenton, are thought to have been the earliest exponents of full underglaze colour-printing, though Mayers were quick to follow. An image was produced by engraving at least four different copper printing-plates, one to load with black ink, and the others with a single colour each. The coloured ink from the engraved grooves on the first plate was pressed onto dampened potter's tissue paper, which was in turn applied to the unglazed earthenware and rubbed on with a flannel boss. The tissue was floated off in water, leaving the oily ink on the pottery. After 24 hours' drying time, the next colour was applied on top, and so on, finishing with black or brown, which when accurately aligned, completed the image. It was only in the 1840s that suitable printing inks and paper were developed for this process. |
| Bibliographic reference | Chen, xie jun. World Exposition Museum. Shanghai: Shanghai wen yi chu ban she, 2010 ISBN 9787532140503/G.107. 95,97,99,105,pp. ill. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | CIRC.788-1969 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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