jug
- Museum number
- 2004,0101.1.a-b
- Description
-
Pair of earthenware lidded jugs copying the Celtic bronze flagons from Basse-Yutz, Eastern France. Glazed matt dark green all over with a band of relief decoration at the base of the body and a further relief motif beneath the spout. The handle terminates in a dragon and there is a seated dog on the lid and a duck at the end of the spout. Maker's mark and inscription on base.
- Production date
- 1931 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 273 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
-
- Curator's comments
- These lidded jugs copy on a smaller scale the great bronze flagons from Basse-Yutz, Eastern France (1929,0511.1 and 2, shown in Room 50). Other examples by Clews are known, mostly with the matt dark green glaze imitating the bronze patina of the originals. Clews is best known for its 'Chameleon ware' pottery with experimental glazes made from 1914 onwards. The flagons are one of a number of shapes inspired by ancient and exotic models. The animals have been more or less accurately produced, though simplified, while the moulded ornament round the base imitates the coral inlay of the original.
Found in 1927 the ancient bronze flagons are the finest examples of Early Celtic art from anywhere in Europe. Acquired in 1929 they aroused huge excitement: their beauty and fine craftsmanship was, and still is, considered remarkable. Interest was fuelled by the Museum’s own publicity campaign to raise the purchase price of £5000, obtained eventually with the help of a long list of distinguished subscribers.
These copies, made soon after the arrival of the bronze originals in the Museum, are reduced in size (they measure 27.3cm while the originals are 39.6cm high) and would have made perfect mantelpiece ornaments. The matt green mottled glaze imitates the patinated bronze finish of the originals and was part of the taste for special glazes inspired by oriental ceramics that has dominated western pottery in the 20th century. The factory that made them, George Clews & Co Ltd, was one of many that produced such glazes in an industrial context and the copies were cast in moulds in large numbers. They were sold at Clews & Co’s London outlet near the Museum, the former at Gamages department store in Holborn.
From early on the in the Museum’s history, famous objects like the Portland vase or the marble bust of Clytie have been disseminated in popular form by many different manufacturers. However, the Clews & Co copies remain so far the only copies known to have been made of the Basse-Yutz flagons.
For further discussion, see J. Rudoe, 'Inspired Ceramics', in British Museum Magazine, Summer 2004, pp. 58-9. For Clews, see H. Calvert, 'Chameleon Ware Art Pottery', Schiffer Publications, Atglen 1998, p. 28.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Displayed in G50 from 2004-2006 with Basse-Yutz flagons
- Acquisition date
- 2004
- Acquisition notes
- Purchased by J. Rudoe at Alexandra Palace Antiques Fair, and passed on to the Museum at cost price.
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 2004,0101.1.a-b
