dish

Summary

Deep circular press-moulded dish with curving sides, notched rim, and two moulded ridged concentric circles at centre in well. Upper surface coated with dark red slip, decorated in trailed white slip with a leaping stag, the body and nose filled in with light red slip. Above the stag's back to right, a stylised tree in the form of horizontal lines forming a cone shape; to far left of stag a stylised butterfly. Date '1736' inscribed between stag's feet.

Display Label

The Thomas Greg Collection The Greg Collection of English Pottery was given to the Gallery in 1904 by collector and amateur historian Thomas Greg. One of the great collections of English pottery, it was formed at a time when little was known about the history of ceramics in this country. Over forty years Greg systematically acquired some of the best examples of the potter's art, tracing its development over a thousand years. His collection tells the story of English pottery: of experiment and invention, triumph and downfall, from the unknown medieval craftsman to the world domination of Josiah Wedgwood. In many ways, it is a history of England itself. Greg was driven by a fascination with the past and a desire to contribute to scholarly knowledge. He gave his collection to the Gallery in the hope of inspiring a similar sense of wonder in others.