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Coronation Mug : Elizabeth II 1953
Factory:
Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Ltd
Designer:
Ravilious, Eric William
Cream-coloured earthenware transfer-printed in black, and painted in pink and yellow enamels with a design comprising fireworks, '1953' the Royal Arms, and 'EIIR'.
Cream-coloured earthenware, transfer-printed in black, glazed, and painted in pink and yellow enamels. Cylindrical, with a reeded loop handle. On the lower half of the exterior: a design incorporating the date, 1953 the Royal Arms and 'EIIR', over-painted with a solid band of pink. On the upper half: fireworks highlighted in pale yellow, on one side against a darkened sky. Inside, near the rim: 'EIIR' beneath a crown, not coloured. The underside is flat and glazed, with a narrow, raised foot-rim.
History note: Uncertain before Sir Ivor and Lady Batchelor
Given by Sir Ivor and Lady Batchelor
Diameter: 11.3 cm
Height: 10.5 cm
Width: 15.9 cm
Method of acquisition: Given (1992-04-27) by Batchelor, Ivor, Sir and Lady
20th Century, Mid#
Production date:
AD 1953
: (original design 1936)
Eric Ravilious (1903-42) studied engraving, illustration and colour printing at the Royal College of Art and by 1926-28 was exhibiting watercolours, producing book illustrations and commissioned to paint murals. In 1930 he married Eileen Lucy "Tirzah" Garwood (1908-1951) also a noted artist and engraver. From around 1936, he became one of Wedgwood’s most prolific freelance designers, although many of his designs were not produced in quantity until after World War II, during which he was killed while serving as a war artist with the Royal Marines. Wedgwood had revived the use of engraved designs in the mid 1930s – a mode of decoration which allowed the artist’s own work and ‘hand-writing’ to be reproduced in a factory setting, and well suited to Ravilious’ style.
Ravilious’ engraving for this mug was produced in 1936, for the Coronation of Edward VIII the following year, but the king abdicated before the event took place. The design was later adapted for the coronations of both George VI and Elizabeth II. Other Wedgwood commemorative ware by Ravilious includes a mug celebrating the company’s relocation to Barlaston in1939 and a ‘Boat Race Day’ bowl, cup and stand (1938). He also designed at least seven Wedgwood tableware services, each with a number of vignettes on a single everyday theme. His ‘Travel’ dinner service for six, produced in the 1950s and depicting travel through snow and by balloon, bus, train, aeroplane, steamboat and sail, cost £17 3s 6d. Earlier designs were engraved at the factory from Ravilious’ drawings; others, including the ‘Boat Race’ images, were lithographs drawn by Ravilious himself for direct application to the ware.
The Fitzwilliam Museum also holds a war-time watercolour by Ravilious, two books with his engravings a number of his prints, a book of Tirzah Ravilious’ engravings, and Wedgwood Coronation mugs designed by Richard Guyatt.
Decoration composed of enamels ( yellow)
leadless
Clear glaze
Cream-coloured earthenware
Moulding
: Cream earthenware, printed underglaze in black and painted with overglaze enamels.
Glazing (coating)
Inscription present: a crown over
Accession number: C.69-1992
Primary reference Number: 11805
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Coronation Mug : Elizabeth II 1953" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/11805 Accessed: 2024-12-22 22:12:10
To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:
{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/11805
|title=Coronation Mug : Elizabeth II 1953
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-12-22 22:12:10|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
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https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-11805
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<div class="text-center">
<figure class="figure">
<img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/aa/aa6/C_69_1992_281_29.jpg"
alt="Coronation Mug : Elizabeth II 1953"
class="img-fluid" />
<figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Coronation Mug : Elizabeth II 1953</figcaption>
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