Dish
MakerAttributed to
John & William Ridgway
(English, 1814 - 1830)
After a work byAfter an engraving by
Asaph Willard
(1786 - 1880)
Dateabout 1825
MediumMold-formed buff-colored earthenware with a blue-tinted glaze and underglaze cobalt blue decoration
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x width x depth): 2 1/8 x 12 1/2 x 9 1/4in. (5.4 x 31.8 x 23.5cm)
ClassificationsCeramics
Credit LineGift of the heirs of Morgan B. Brainard
Object number1961.12.4
DescriptionOval dish of buff-colored earthenware with a blue-tinted glaze, a type of ceramic known as pearlware. The oval dish has an undulating, lightly ribbed rim, and relatively deep sides. It is decorated with an underglaze cobalt blue transfer-printed border and pattern, probably titled, "Deaf & Dumb Asylum, Hartford, Con." (the mark on the back of the dish is illegible). The pattern, printed in the center of the dish, shows a long, rectangular, three-story building with a pediment over a small door that is flanked by two pilasters on each side. Seven chimneys are visible on the roof of the building. There is a low fence to the left, and a small building to the right of the building. A tree in the right foreground bends over the scene. The pattern is first surrounded by a narrow border of white semi-circles, then the platter's main border is printed at the sides and rim of the dish. This border consists of varied flowers, each separated from the other by a semi-circular line of scrolled leaves. There is a final narrow border of small white diamonds lined up along the outer edge of the rim. The same main border, in smaller proportions, is printed on the exterior sides of the dish, beneath the rim. There are light scratches on the top surface of the dish, and stilt marks are visible. The bottom of the dish shows wear consistent with use over time, as the glaze is worn near the corners of the foot, and there are many scratches in the bottom of the dish.
NotesSubject Note: The source for this view of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum in Hartford is an engraving by Asaph Willard (1786-1880), who worked in Hartford after 1818. The engraving is titled, "View of the Asylum for Deaf & Dumb Persons, Hartford, Con." This view was copied by John Warner Barber for publication in "Connecticut Historical Collections," 1836. The Staffordshire firms of J. & W. Ridgway and Ralph Stevenson produced ceramics with this pattern.Status
Not on view
