A North Devon slipware sgraffito-decorated armorial jug,…
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A North Devon slipware sgraffito-decorated armorial jug, possibly Barnstaple or Fremington dated 1765 of globular form, the brown ground applied with ochre-cream slip, carved and incised with a crowned Royal Arms within Order of the Garter motto, with crowned lion and unicorn bearers below the initials GR, flanked by crowns and stylised roses, the reverse inscribed with a verse within a heart border, applied with scroll handle, the neck with stiff leaf and scroll decoration. 35 cm high. Provenance: The Collection of the Late Richard Green, Sydney

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  • Armorial / Armourial - Bearing a coat of arms. Coats of arms came into general use by feudal lords and knights in in the 12th century, and by the 13th century, arms had spread beyond their initial battlefield use to become a flag or emblem for families in the higher social classes of Europe. They were inherited from one generation to the next. When a family crest is used on individual items of silver or furniture it is an indicator of the aristocratic standing of the family represented.

    Armorials were also used to decorate mass produced ceramic souvenir ware by such companies as Goss, Carlton & Shelley, and in these cases the coats of arms displayed were of boroughs and cities.
  • Slipware Pottery - When people think of how pottery is made, they usually imagine clay being thrown on a wheel. This is still a common method used by studio potters, together with coiling and carving. However, these techniques are time-consuming and so for factory production, a quicker and cheaper method is essential. Such a method is slip casting.

    In slip casting, a clay slurry is poured into a plaster of Paris mould. When the clay has dried, the mould is taken apart and the pot allowed to dry further. It may then be fired, decorated and glazed.

    Most factory produced mid 20th century pottery was slipware. Huge quantities were maufactured for the 'popular ornaments' market.
  • 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.