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Bowl: The Taking of Portobello: C.1669-1928

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An image of Punch bowl
An image of Punch bowl
An image of Punch bowl
An image of Punch bowl
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Current Location: Gallery 27 (Glaisher)

Titles

Bowl: The Taking of Portobello

Maker(s)

Production: Unidentified Liverpool pottery (Probably)

Entities

Categories

Description

Tin-glazed earthenware, painted in blue inside with the capture of Portobello (Panama) in November 1739, and outside with Chinese figures in landscapes and two men-of-war.

Buff earthenware tin-glazed bluish-white and painted in blue and reddish-brown. The circular bowl has deep curved sides and stands on a footring. Inside there is a circular view of the taking of Portobello, and round the rim, a border of plants, fences and birds perching on rocks. On the exterior there are Chinese figures in an Oriental landscape and two medallions, one containing a barque with sails set and British flags, the other with a three-masted vessel in a storm. The rim is encircled by a reddish-brown line.

Notes

History note: Acquired at Mildenhall, Suffolk about 1895 by Mr Freeman of Cambridge; Mr Freeman’s sale of 27 January 1904; bought for £2.10s.0d. by Dr J.W.L. Glaisher Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge

Legal notes

Dr J.W.L. Glaisher Bequest

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 28.4 cm
Height: 13.2 cm

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

18th Century, Mid
George II
Production date: circa AD 1743

Note

The decoration commemorates the taking of Portobello by Vice-Admiral Vernon in November 1739. The bowl may not date from immediately after the event, as another with a comparable view inside and ships outside dated 1743 is in the Greg Collection at Manchester Museum.

Components of the work

Decoration composed of high-temperature colour ( blue from cobalt, and reddish-brown)

Materials used in production

bluish-white Tin-glaze
buff Earthenware

Techniques used in production

Throwing : Buff earthenware, thrown, tin-glazed bluish-white, and painted in blue with reddish-brown on the rim
Tin-glazing

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.1669-1928
Primary reference Number: 72419
Old object number: 1943

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 30 April 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 (2025) "Bowl: The Taking of Portobello" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/72419 Accessed: 2025-12-06 08:22:07

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/72419 |title=Bowl: The Taking of Portobello |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-06 08:22:07|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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