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Mermaid (one of a pair): C.2060A-1928

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Current Location: In storage

Titles

Mermaid (one of a pair)

Maker(s)

Production: Unidentified Westerwald pottery

Entities

Categories

Description

Greyish-buff stoneware moulded in the shape of a crowned mermaid, painted in blue and brownish-black, and salt-glazed

Greyish-buff stoneware, press-moulded, with applied moulded parts, painted in blue and brownish-black, and salt-glazed. There is a an oval aperture in the base under the body. with beside it a small circular hole filled by a metal plug or nail. The crowned, long-haired mermaid reclines, with her tail twisted upwards, and her head turned towards the viewer. She has a small fin on her back and on each side of her waist a larger fin from which her short arms project. Her hands rest on her rib cage below her breasts. Her hair is coloured brownish-black. The outlines of her crown, her eyes, and tail except for the fins at the end are blue, and the fins at her sides partly blue. a pair wit C.2060B-1928

Notes

History note: Adolf Weil, Maximilianplatz, Munich, from whom bought for £2.15s. in August 1909 by Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge

Legal notes

Dr J. W. L. Glaisher Bequest

Measurements and weight

Length: 17.1 cm

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

18th Century, second half
Production date: AD 1799

Note

This mermaid and her pair may have been used as table decorations

Components of the work

Decoration composed of smalt
Surface composed of salt-glaze
Head End Height 9.5 cm

Materials used in production

Stoneware

Techniques used in production

Press-moulding : Greysh-buff stoneware, press-moulded with applied moulded crown, fins, and arms, painted in smalt and brownish-black, and salt-glazed

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.2060A-1928
Primary reference Number: 76589
Old object number: 3058

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 29 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) "Mermaid (one of a pair)" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/76589 Accessed: 2025-12-16 21:11:16

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/76589 |title=Mermaid (one of a pair) |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-16 21:11:16|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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