Tile Item Number: 3401/31 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Square ceramic tile with floral motifs painted on front. Surface is glazed. Background is cream. Red-brown flowers, with layered petals, in the four corners. Different types of flowers painted in dark yellows and red-browns across entire tile. All flowers have light green stems and leaves. Raised grid across back of tile. In centre of grid three diagonal ridges are stamped. Manufacturer’s mark, Mintons China Works, stamped in between the ridges. Inscription on back.
Iconographic Meaning
The is depicting Punica granatum, more commonly known as pomegranate. A symbol of fertility.
Specific Techniques
Tile was manufactured by dust-pressing, a technique that uses clay milled to a fine powder with low moisture content, then pressed in a die at high pressure. The design was transfer printed, a technique in which an image from an engraved plate is transferred to a tile, usually, requiring transfer paper to be run through a printing press with the engraved plate to pick up the ink, the design from the transfer paper could then be rubbed onto the tile. The colours were painted in by hand.
Cultural Context
Wall tile.
Item History
- Made by Mintons (Manufacturer) in United Kingdom and Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England between 1860 and 1900
- Owned by Judith Stoffman before October 30, 2019
- Received from Judith Stoffman (Donor) on October 30, 2019
What
- Name
- Tile
- Identification Number
- 3401/31
- Type of Item
- tile
- Material
- clay, paint and glaze
- Manufacturing Technique
- dust-pressed, transfer-printed and hand-painted
- Overall
- height 15.5 cm, width 15.5 cm, depth 1.6 cm
Who
- Culture
- English
- Creator
- Mintons (Manufacturer)
- Previous Owner
- Judith Stoffman
- Received from
- Judith Stoffman (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- United Kingdom and Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England
When
- Creation Date
- between 1860 and 1900
- Ownership Date
- before October 30, 2019
- Acquisition Date
- on October 30, 2019
Other
- Item Classes
- ceramics
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 3401/0031