D E LF T WA R E Flower Containers 
 
 
D367. FLOWER VASE or 
CACHEPOT 
 
 
London 
1690-1710 
 
 
H.: 71I/8"(18.1 cm); 
L.: 51I/4"(13.3 cm), 
W,: 51I/4"(13.3 cm) 
 
 
BODY CLAY: Medium-grained buff. 
TIN GLAZE: Pale greenish white, 
slightly transparent with open crazing 
and, on interior, gray speckling. Overall, 
partially excluding bottoms of feet. 
S HA PE: Slab-constructed body. Press- 
 
 
molded winged masks on two opposing 
sides. Rope borders shaped by hand. 
Thrown finials (replaced) and feet. 
DECORATION: Painted. Matched pairs 
 
 
of opposing panels, one set with winged 
masks among flowers, the other with 
flowers and foliage. Roping reliefs picked 
out. Finials and feet bear solidly colored 
ends and runny horizontal lines. 
 
 
1. Raclkhamr, (Glaisher, vol. 1, p, 185. 
no. 1459 (la~rger vase); Christie 's (L, 
F ebruairy 28, 1994. lot 9 (smallIer vdse). 
2. Ray, Wairren, col. pl. C, pl1 63, no. 124 
l(coffleepo);iI Aust in, Delfit, no. 611 (urn); 
Archer, V&A, no. A.65 (dish, fl'agiuents). 
3. I'hill1ips (I), June 8. 1994. lot 159. 
 
 
  his object may have been a flower vase or, more probably, was a cachepot,
serv- 
ing as a decorative container for a more utilitarian receptacle that held
the earth 
for a growing plant. Painting of the same type and period occurs on one larger
and 
one smaller piece of this shape: the first has similar butt not identical
molded 
winged heads of putti on opposing sides and is decorated with floral sprays
and 
birds; the second is without molded heads, and the fotur sides have painted
sim- 
ple flower sprays and dotted leaves.' Based on their similar shapes, rope-twist

edges, squat feet (missing on the largest vase), and acorn finials (replaced
on the 
Longridge vase), all three vessels are likely to have come from the same
pottery. 
Fragments of hatched flower heads like those on the L~ongridge vase were
found 
in Lambeth and occur on a coffee pot dated 1705 as well as on a mnagnificent
urn 
and a molded dish fr'om about 1695 to 1705. Another container is similar
to the 
ILongridge example but is squatter in form and is closed with a flat top
from which 
a circular nozzle protrudes. Instead of putti heads, all four sides have
molded 
masks similar to those on the borders of "fecundity" dishes.' 
 
 
The Longr dge Collection 409 
 
  

					
				

					
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9 
 
 
D368. FLOWER CONTAINERS 
 
 
Probably London 
1670-1690 
 
 
H. (both): 5 112" (14 cm); 
 
 
Diam. (body, both): 3 1/2" (8.9 cm); 
Diam. (scroll-handles): 4 3/4" (12.1 cm) 
 
 
BODY CLAY: Medium-grained buff, 
TIN GLAZE: White. Overall, excluding 
bottoms. 
SHAPE: Thrown, with wavy edge and 
 
 
nozzles. Hand-rolled and curled scrolls. 
Slightly concave bottom. 
DECORATION: Painted. On primary 
 
 
A~lthough these two rare flower containers are uninscribed, vessels of 
approximately this form are known with dates of 1650, 1661 (with a cartouche

much like that of Longridge goblet no. D237), and 1683.' The Longridge pots
and 
the 1683 dated example bear horizontal, wide, and narrow lines on the waisted

portion of the base and have bands of Chinese cloud scrolls around the lower

edge. Rather than figural and foliate motifs derived from Italian maiolica

designs, the primary ornament on the 1683 flower container depicts (in blue

and purple) a Chinese figure in a landscape. 
   Fragments of vessels of this general form have been excavated in London.

Some were found among 1680 to 1690 factory waste excavated at the Pickle-

herring factory site in Southwark;2 others were unearthed from a 1670 to
1700 
context at the 129 Lambeth Road site.' In America a probably originally bleu
per- 
san decorated vase was excavated at Newington Plantation in North Carolina,

and another vase was unearthed in Virginia at Jamestown Island.4 
 
 
sides, winged heads against grounds of 
scrolling, foliate vines; on secondary 
sides, bird and a full-length angel, 
respectively, against grounds of 
scrolling, foliate vines. Scrolls bear 
horizontal slashes; nozzles bear foliate 
motifs. Upper border composed of 
horizontal lines and band of vertical 
 
 
1. Lipski and Archer, Dated Delftware, 
nos. 1564-1565, 1567. 
2. Museum of London, Southwark and 
Lambeth, pp. 314-315, fig. 133, 
nos. 1319-1321 (Mark Brown's 
Wharf site). 
3. Ibid., p. 170, table 86; p. 353, 
fig. 154, no. 1611; p. 355. 
4. Austin, Delft, p. 18, fig. 13, no. 599. 
 
 
slashes. Lower border composed of 
 
 
horizontal lines and row of dots above 
wider band with Chinese cloud scrolls. 
 
 
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