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Vase

1901 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Small salt-glazed stoneware jar and cover, in the form of a grotesque bird. British (Southall), ca. 1900. Made by the Martin Brothers.


Object details

Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Vase
  • Cover
Materials and techniques
Salt-glazed stoneware, on a wooden plinth.
Brief description
Small salt-glazed stoneware jar and cover, in the form of a grotesque bird. British (Southall), ca. 1900. Made by the Martin Brothers.
Gallery label
Tobacco jar 'Martin Ware' made by R.W. Martin & Brothers, Southall, Middlesex, England, dated 1901 Circ.441&A-1919 The 2nd Lieutenant Francis Bedford Marsh (1914-1918) War Memorial Gift(23/05/2008)
Credit line
The 2nd Lieutenant Francis Bedford Marsh, 1914 - 1918 War Memorial Gift
Object history
The solicitor, Ernest Marsh (1867-1949) was an avid collector of Martinware from the 1890s onwards. He donated a large group, including this piece, to the V&A Museum in memory of his son who was killed in the First World War.

Historical significance: These grotesque bird jars, known as 'Wally birds', were loosely inspired by Gothic fantasy and Japanese art. Robert Wallace Martin, with his sculptural training, modelled most of the birds. They were appreciated by collectors for their humorousness rather than their functional qualities.
Historical context
Martinware was bought by a city clientele consisting mainly of architects, solicitors and other professionals who had aesthetic and artistic interests. The Martin Brothers's shop in Holborn was noted for its atmosphere of conoisseurship.
Subjects depicted
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.441-1919

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Record createdJuly 1, 1998
Record URL
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