pair of dishes

Summary

Public: Pair of shaped oval dishes, white salt-glazed stoneware, with relief-moulded decoration of Chinoiserie scenes and flowers. Private: Shallow oval tray with flared undulating ogee sides and narrow flat well. Interior relief-moulded with Chinoiserie scene in base, comprising Chinaman in a garden with pagoda to left, plants to right. Interior sides moulded with ten panels of different flowering stems, and along one long side, scene of Chinaman holding a tethered bird and carrying large feathery branch. Off-white body flecked with iron brown specks, more noticeable on one tray, greenish tinge to glaze on other tray.

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.