Tea Bowls
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
Mary Gorton Keeney
MakerProbably made by
Staffordshire potteries
English, 17th century-present
Dateabout 1820
MediumMechanically-molded buff-colored earthenware with a blue-tinted glaze and underglaze cobalt blue decoration
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x diameter of each tea bowl): 2 3/8 x 3 5/8in. (6 x 9.2cm)
ClassificationsCeramics
Credit LineGift of Margaret F. Bunyan
DescriptionPair of two round tea bowls of buff-colored earthenware with a blue-tinted glaze, a type of ceramic known as pearlware. The tea bowls are part of a partial tea service consisting of a teapot (.1a,b), lidded sugar bowl (.2a,b), cream pitcher (.3), two tea bowls (.4 and .5), and two saucers (.6 and .7). All of the pieces in the set have the same transfer-printed underglaze cobalt blue pattern and border. The pattern shows a boy sitting beneath a tree to the right. He is playing a wind instrument, probably a flute, and looking out over a small lake in the foreground. Behind the lake is a small hill with at least one grazing sheep, and possibly two. A house with a tower sits on a tree-topped hill in the distance. The pattern is surrounded by foliage and a scalloped line on top, and a line of leaves on the bottom. The border, found on all the pieces in the set, has circles and squares superimposed on a blue field. The geometric shapes are filled with flowers and smaller geometric patterns. Abstract flowers, fruit, and leaves are located throughout the blue field.
The tea bowls each sit on a round foot and have a slightly flared rim. The pattern is printed twice around the outside of each tea bowl, and the border circles the inside of the rim. A circular geometric pattern is printed on the inside bottom of each tea bowl.
Tea bowl .5 has a crack beginning in the rim and running down the side. A large area of yellow discoloration is located on the bottom inside of the tea bowl, surrounding a portion of the ceramic that has no glaze. There is one small chip in the foot which is also surrounded by a small area of discoloration.
The tea bowls each sit on a round foot and have a slightly flared rim. The pattern is printed twice around the outside of each tea bowl, and the border circles the inside of the rim. A circular geometric pattern is printed on the inside bottom of each tea bowl.
Tea bowl .5 has a crack beginning in the rim and running down the side. A large area of yellow discoloration is located on the bottom inside of the tea bowl, surrounding a portion of the ceramic that has no glaze. There is one small chip in the foot which is also surrounded by a small area of discoloration.
Object number1978.16.4-.5
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