Toothbrush Holder or Razor Box
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
Sarah Maria Raymond
(American)
MakerMade by
William Davenport & Company
(English, 1835 - 1887)
Dateabout 1845
MediumMold-formed buff-colored earthenware with a blue-tinted glaze, black underglaze decoration, and overglaze enamels in orange, yellow, pink, and green
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x width x depth): 3 x 8 x 3 1/2in. (7.6 x 20.3 x 8.9cm)
ClassificationsCeramics
Credit LineGift of Mrs. R. B. Marean and Miss Ida A. Green
Object number1959.48.7a-b
DescriptionLong, low, rectangular, buff-colored earthenware, toothbrush holder or razor box with a blue-tinted glaze, a type of ceramic known as pearlware. The container is part of a larger partial toilet set, consisting of a washbowl (.1) and pitcher (.2), two matching pitchers (.3 and .4), a shaving mug (.5), a soap dish (.6a-c), a toothbrush holder or razor box (.7a,b), and a lid (.8). The entire set is decorated with a floral pattern and border. The naturalistic floral pattern consists of variously sized flowers transfer-printed in black beneath the glaze, with green, pink, and light orange enamel highlights hand-painted over the glaze. The remaining decoration consists of a scalloped border made up of a printed, underglaze, black, scalloped band, next to an overglaze, hand-painted, orange, scalloped band. This orange and black border is interrupted periodically by a group of elaborate scrolls of various sizes and widths and highlighted in green enamel. The scrolls surround a roughly diamond-shaped, scalloped-edge decorative element that is painted with light orange enamel. Finally, on all the objects in the set, the blue-tinted glaze has pooled around the printed decorative elements and raised or recessed portions of the ceramic's surface, giving the set a pearly blue and white appearance.
The container (.a) is decorated at the foot with an uninterrupted black and orange border. The same border is repeated at the rim, but interrupted periodically by a group of elaborate scrolls of various sizes and widths and highlighted in green enamel. Groups of flowers are printed and hand-painted between the scrolls and orange decorative elements on the borders. The inside of the container is separated into three compartments with two slender, earthenware dividers. The top edge of each divider is scalloped, creating three indentations. Three small groups of flowers are printed in black, then hand-painted with color enamel on the bottom of the holder, separated by the dividers. The lid (.b) is decorated in a similar manner as the container, with the orange and black scalloped border interrupted periodically by a group of elaborate scrolls of various sizes and widths and highlighted in green enamel. Small groups of flowers are printed and hand-painted between the scrolls and orange decorative elements on the borders. The lid has two pierced holes and an oval finial that is decorated with a variation of the scalloped orange and black border.
There is crazing over all the surfaces of the container, but not the lid.
The container (.a) is decorated at the foot with an uninterrupted black and orange border. The same border is repeated at the rim, but interrupted periodically by a group of elaborate scrolls of various sizes and widths and highlighted in green enamel. Groups of flowers are printed and hand-painted between the scrolls and orange decorative elements on the borders. The inside of the container is separated into three compartments with two slender, earthenware dividers. The top edge of each divider is scalloped, creating three indentations. Three small groups of flowers are printed in black, then hand-painted with color enamel on the bottom of the holder, separated by the dividers. The lid (.b) is decorated in a similar manner as the container, with the orange and black scalloped border interrupted periodically by a group of elaborate scrolls of various sizes and widths and highlighted in green enamel. Small groups of flowers are printed and hand-painted between the scrolls and orange decorative elements on the borders. The lid has two pierced holes and an oval finial that is decorated with a variation of the scalloped orange and black border.
There is crazing over all the surfaces of the container, but not the lid.
Status
Not on view
