Earthenware Wall Pocket with Tree Branches and Gum Leaves

• Incised - A record of a name, date or inscription, or a decoration scratched into a surface, usually of a glass or ceramic item with a blunt instrument to make a coarse indentation. Compare with engraving where the surface is cut with a sharp instrument such as a metal needle or rotating tool to achieve a fine indentation.
• Earthenware - A basic ceramic material that is fired at a low temperature. Earthenware is the basis of almost all ancient, medieval, Middle Eastern and European painted ceramics. After firing, the colour is the colour of the clay when it is dug from the ground: buff, brown and red. It is not waterproof until glazed. Creamware is a type of earthenware covered with a transparent lead glaze. Majolica, faience and delft are also earthenware covered in an opaque white tin glaze.
• Wall Pocket - A wall pocket is a ceramic vase of flattened shape, pierced at the back so it could hang on a wall, and sometimes tapering to a point at the base. They were often made in quaint shapes such as fish, a mask, or a cornucopia. They became popular in the eighteenth century and continue to be made to the present day. Porcelain examples were made by Worcester in a very elaborate form, while those designed Clarice Cliff and Longwy were streamlined and often in pleasant pastel colours.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• Australian themes, ceramics - gumleaves and gumnuts 440
• Harvey, Lewis James (Harvey School) (Australia) - ceramics 66