Skip to main content

Posset pot: C.1345 & A-1928

An image of Posset pot

Terms of use

These images are provided for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons License (BY-NC-ND). To license a high resolution version, please contact our image library who will discuss fees, terms and waivers.

Download this image

Creative commons explained - what it means, how you can use our's and other people's content.

Alternative views

Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Pottery: unidentified London pottery (Possibly)
Pottery: Brislington Pottery (Possibly)
Pottery: Unidentified Bristol pottery (Possibly)

Entities

Categories

Description

Tin-glazed earthenware painted overglaze in blue at a later date

Buff earthenware, thrown, with applied handles, spout, and finial, tin-glazed, and painted overglaze in blue. The pot has a bulbous body, a broad cylindrical neck, two strap handles with rolled terminals, and a sucking spout; the domed cover has a narrow flat rim, and a mushroom-shaped finial.The front is painted with the inscription 'BEE MERRY' on either side of the spout, and on the back with 'AND WISE', with groups of five dots before and after the words. The front of the lid is inscribed 'I.S/1691'.\par
}

Notes

History note: Undisclosed vendor in Brighton; Mr Stoner, London from whom purchased on 9 November, 1908 by Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge2

Legal notes

Dr J.W.L. Glaisher Bequest

Measurements and weight

Height: 24.9 cm

Place(s) associated

  • London ⪼ England
  • Brislington ⪼ Somerset ⪼ England
  • Bristol ⪼ Somerset ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1928-12-07) by Glaisher, J. W. L., Dr

Dating

17th Century, Late
James II
William III and Mary II
William III (1750-1702)
Circa 1685 CE - 1700 CE

Note

This pot could have been made in London, Brislington or Bristol in the late 17th century but the inscription, initials, and date were added much later, probably in the last decade of the 19th century in the early 20th century before its purchase in 1908

School or Style

Baroque

Components of the work

Inscriptions composed of enamel ( presumed blue enamel;)
Body

Materials used in production

except for the footring Tin-glaze
Earthenware

Techniques used in production

Tin-glazing

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: there are groups of five dots before and after the words

  • Text: BEE MERRY AND WISE
  • Location: On front and back of the pot
  • Method of creation: Painted in blue after firing of the glaze
  • Type: Inscription
  • Text: I.S/1691
  • Location: On exterior of the cover
  • Method of creation: Painted in blue after firing of the glaze
  • Type: Inscription

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.1345 & A-1928
Primary reference Number: 71843
Old object number: 2883
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 25 February 2020 Last processed: Friday 16 February 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Posset pot" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/71843 Accessed: 2024-12-18 12:59:19

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/71843 |title=Posset pot |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-12-18 12:59:19|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:

https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-71843

Bootstrap HTML code for reuse

To use this as a simple code embed, copy this string:

<div class="text-center">
    <figure class="figure">
        <img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/aa/aa27/C_1345_1928_20_281_29.jpg"
        alt="Posset pot"
        class="img-fluid" />
        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Posset pot</figcaption>
    </figure>
</div>
    

Sign up for updates

Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...