Objects
Mug- drinking
Alcohol
Consumption
[Taken from catalogue entry]
An English Delft dated blue and white mug or small tankard. Dated 1733, Bristol or London. Inscribed ‘M*B/1733’ flanked by stylised fruit between blue bands, with ribbed lower part.
It is unclear what might have been drunk from a mug of this size. It is smaller than most contemporary tankards used for beer or ale, but taller than some examples of contemporary coffee mugs.
English delft is a kind of tin-glazed earthenware, so-called because of its strong connection to Dutch delftware. The earliest known producers in England were immigrants from Antwerp who were fleeing religious persecution by the Spanish in the Low Countries. They first settled in Norwich in 1567.
Whilst styles were initially very similar to that of Dutch delftware, as the English delft industry developed, painting styles, techniques and shapes became increasingly varied to meet an ever-growing market. This versatility is evident in inscribed commemorative wares, such as this mug or small tankard.
[Note: interpreted as a 'mug' here as studies of tankards suggest are usually not earthenware, whereas mug is derived from 'muggen' ware and was originally exclusively for ceramic vessels (See Kent, O. 2015. Pots and Texts: Understanding Pots in Use in J. Allen, N. Alcock and D. Dawson (eds.). West Country Households 1500-1700, 367-399)]
Production
Dates of Production: exact 1733
England
Consumer
M B
[Not specified]
Materials
Earthenware
Earthenware- white
Museological Details
D.O.C/61
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