Bronze Age Gold from Wales

Punch-pot, soft-paste porcelain, standing on a rounded flat-based slightly spreading foot-rim, globular body, short cylindrical lip-rim, curving spout with foliate moulding to the base of the spout and to the upper spout, high loop handle with raised thumb-spur, the lower terminal curving outwards, the cover domed with a slightly flattened collar-like rim, to the centre of the cover a finial in the form of a realistically moulded lemon surrounded by moulded leaves; painted in puce with a Japanese-style decoration, to the exterior sides of the body a design showing a banded bamboo hedge issuing spreading flowers and foliage, the moulded foliage to the spout edged in puce, a running stem of flowers and foliage to the handle, border to the shoulder of flowers and foliage, scattered sprigs of flowers and foliage to the cover, the lemon painted a speckled yellow, the leaves painted green, the decoration enhanced with touches of gilt.

Punch began to be drunk in Britain from the 1650s and was usually served from large bowls using a ladle. Around the 1750s it began to be served from ceramic punch-pots. These are very similar to teapots but much larger. It has been suggested that placing punch in this familiar type of vessel removed the threat of bad behaviour often associated with the drink.