Dish (Basket)

Description

During the mid to late 1700s an increased interest in designs after Nature inspired a new range of ceramics to be produced in England, especially Staffordshire. So-called tortoiseshell, “tortoise” or “turtle” ware attempted to copy the appearance of shells of increasingly endangered marine turtles (rather than actual tortoises). The lead-glazed pale-bodied earthenware (creamware) featured sponged-on colors that more or less realistically resembled natural marine turtle shell patterns. Though differing somewhat in details, baskets of the same general form shown here not only were made in a range of Staffordshire, England's earthenware and stoneware but also in English, Chinese export and American porcelain. Such objects were appropriate for serving fresh fruit and presumably certain other non-liquid foods and, in some cases, imitated vessels woven in natural materials such as cane. Border fragments of tortoiseshell creamware baskets of this type were excavated at the site of Thomas Whieldon's Fenton Vivian factory (active 1747-80). Some feature delicate outlines that helped craftsmen know where to cut the overlapping circle elements. For a salt-glazed white stoneware version of this vessel form that bears brilliant turquoise and purple enamel decoration, see 1958.0956. The museum collection also includes somewhat similarly pierced porcelain baskets by England's Bow factory (1978.0073) and, especially rare, one by Philadelphia's Bonnin and Morris factory (1959.0057).