- Museum number
- C318
C318A - Object
- Vase and cover, Wedgwood, jasperware, about 1785
- Description
- Vase & Cover; one of a set of three. Vase broken & restored, ( marked as destroyed in 1946 move? see C register. )Jasper oviform vase and cover with two relief scenes on either side of the main body. On one side three female figures, in the centre probably Venus semi-draped, with two attendants, to the right a hunting dog beneath a tree, to the left a small tree. On the other sides two putti with a lion, being led by a rope by one of the children. Above the reliefs, a band of double Greek Key pattern, and on the shoulders a regular band of slender leaves, possibly olive. The neck of the vase defined by bands of beading enclosing a frieze of Vitruvian scroll with small flowers. Below the relief figures a narrow band of half-guilloche and flowers and at the base of the body a regular band of stylised acanthus leaves. The base of the jasper vase consists of another circular band of beading above a splayed foot of more slender olive leaves and tiny acanthus on the lower rim. The vase is mounted on a black basalt base. The cover is bell-shaped, the main section decorated with small olive leaves descending from a finial of small sharp leaves above beading.
- Materials
- Pottery
- Inscription
- None
- On display?
- Yes
Further description
- Simple name
- Ceramic
Lid - Subject
- Historical
- Dimensions
- regular: 26.035cm (w)
Set of three vases
Jasperware, about 1785
C318, C319 & C320
In 1772 the famous potter and entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood (1730–95) opened a showroom in Westgate Buildings, Bath. The tables were covered with green baize, yellow ochre wallpaper set off the Black Basaltware and sea green paper was the background for his ‘pebble’ vases. Wedgwood had recognised the commercial opportunities when he brought his wife to the city but was also keenly aware of the competition.
After two years he moved to smarter and larger premises in Milsom Street and advertised in the Bath Chronicle that he was selling: ‘Vases, Urns, Ewers, Bas-Reliefs, Cameos, Cameo-Medallions, Imitations of Porphyry, Jasper, Agate and other beautiful Stones, Pots for Flowers, Roots, bulbous Roots, Toilets, Pyramids etc with great Variety of Cypher-Seals... At the same prices as in their Warehouse in Greek-Street, Soho.’
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