No area of collecting can offer a wider range of objects, originating from a wider range of cultures and historical periods, than articles fashioned from clay.

In a typical home there are likely to be more objects made of ceramics — earthenware, stoneware and porcelain — than any other single category of material. Most will be of the 20th century, a fair proportion will be late Victorian, and perhaps a few pieces will be earlier. (more…)

Unadorned simplicity still inspired serious designers but the ever- younger mass of consumers with the spending power imposed their own taste for ease and, above all, fun.

Victorious and wealthy, the United States emerged from the Second World War in 1945 as the most powerful nation, and its influence spread quickly across much of the globe. The USA was the world leader in industrial technology, and was also the main maker of films, whose images of style and manners fed the dreams and aims of the Western world’s cinema-going millions. (more…)

The United States had a strong influence on international style, although it had not exhibited in Paris. Streamlining, developed in the United States, was a feature Art Deco. Speed was still smart, and it was evoked in Art Deco design by such devices as closely set, parallel, horizontal lines and fluid, rounded corners.

Vacuum cleaners, refrigerators and buildings were streamlined as readily as cars, trains and ships. The United States was also the Art Deco source of another powerful modern symbol: the skyscraper. Its tapering, staged silhouette was used in decorations on buildings, lighting equipment and company badges. (more…)

Setting aside a room of one’s house for books was an idea that developed slowly from the later 17th century onward. Before that, people had few books and these were usually kept in the closet or cabinet. There were outstanding exceptions, however, such as the celebrated diarist Samuel Pepys, who had a library lined with bookcases built especially to hold his collection of books. (more…)

When the monarchy was restored in Britain in 166o, and Charles II became king, he and his courtiers brought back a desire for the luxurious style of life they had briefly shared during their exile in the royal households of Europe, especially at the French court. Released from the pious austerity of the Commonwealth, Britain’s upper classes indulged in lavish comforts in the home, sensuous clothing, enjoyment ofthe arts, and robust entertainments at the theatre, at horseraces and at the gaming table.

With parliament and monarch in accord, a standing army established to back up their authority, and new banking, investment and insurance organisations growing to fund commerce, the nation prospered. Overseas trade grew and London was rapidly becoming the greatest port in the world, bringing in spices, tea, coffee, chocolate, pineapples, Oriental porcelain and lacquerwork, cane, tortoiseshell, ivory, rugs and Indian chintzes. (more…)

Before the objects were placed in the vat they were generally made by the usual methods of silversmithing. Some of the earlier items were first cast in German silver or Britannia metal. Progress in stamping later hastened and cheapened production. When the vessel had been hammered up from the flat, spun or cast, its ancillary parts previously stamped out and joined by solder, it was ready for decorating. This might be achieved by the ancient method of hand-engraving, by the mechanical means of a lathe such as engine-turning, or by the technique of etching which emulated hand-engraving. Other types of decoration included piercing, usually punched automatically, speedily and cheaply. When all decoration was completed the object would be placed in the plating vat for electro-deposition. (more…)

In the twentieth century it is difficult to imagine eating meals without the aid of cutlery, yet it was not until the eighteenth century that it became the general custom to use forks, knives and spoons. The habit spread only gradually. Towards the later years of the seventeenth century a host might be expected to provide cutlery at table and although this tendency increased, many travellers carried with them their own personal set of a fork, knife and spoon, in a case often made of tooled leather, until as late as around the middle of the eighteenth century. (more…)

Unlike the mote skimmer, which has no use today but which is of interest because of its curiosity value, sugar tongs not only reflect contemporary decorative styles but can be of use at the tea table today. While prices of certain tongs have increased a good deal over recent years, nineteenth century examples may still be bought for reasonable sums. The shape of early sugar nippers was derived from contemporary fire tongs, and they commonly have baluster stems, and circular or shell-shaped grips. Some grips had rat-tail terminals at the back for strengthening, the stems sometimes being decorated with an acorn or some other decorative shape at their centre point. (more…)

For many years tea was commonly drunk clear in the Chinese fashion and because of this and other reasons it is difficult to find a jug made earlier than the first few years of the eighteenth century. Early examples are in the pyriform shape, with a scrolled handle, sometimes positioned at a right-angle to the lip or spout. Diminutive cream jugs, standing no more than three inches high, were generally left undecorated, though others might have two rows of moulding at their waist. Both were made of a thick gauge metal and were weighty, despite their small size. In time the jug became more general, hammered up from the flat, with the cast spout and handle now opposite each other, standing upon a spreading moulded foot, and still with attractive scroll handles. (more…)

The British have not always been a sweet-toothed nation. According to G. M. Trevelyan, the country only consumed a mere 10,000 tons of sugar, even as late as 1700, although she had prosperous sugar colonies of her own. By the turn of the nineteenth century the position had altered drastically, the figure having risen to 150,000 tons. As Trevelyan pointsout, allowing for the population to have doubled, the average use of sugar by each person had risen seven and a half times during the eighteenth century. As might be expected the production of containers for the sweetener increased proportionately. (more…)