Tile Item Number: 3401/13 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Square ceramic tile painted cream with dark brown floral and geometric motifs overtop. Surface and sides are glazed, back partially glazed. Quarter circles in tile corners with geometric designs inside. Plain brown line border, next to wider band with white interlocking line inside it. Central design of a large flower with multiple offshoots. Overtop of flower is a cross, dividing tile into four sections. Cross arms made up of two lines- a plain one and one with slanted Greek key motif. Raised grid across entire back of tile. Inscriptions, handwritten and stamped, on back.
Iconographic Meaning
Chrysanthemum blossom are depicted which symbolize geniality and Autumn. The registration on the backside dates the pattern between 1888 and 1889.
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.
Cultural Context
Wall tile.
Item History
- Made in United Kingdom and 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
- 3401/13
- Type of Item
- tile
- Material
- clay, paint and glaze
- Manufacturing Technique
- dust-pressed and transfer-printed
- Overall
- height 15.4 cm, width 15.4 cm, depth 1.2 cm
Who
- Culture
- English
- Previous Owner
- Judith Stoffman
- Received from
- Judith Stoffman (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- United Kingdom and 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
- fair
- Accession Number
- 3401/0013