Collections Online
Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
Advanced Search
Vase
Elton, Edmund (Sir Edmund Elton, nephew of Sir Arthur, inherited Clevedon Court manor house in Somerset in 1883. Sir Edmund was an enthusiastic voluntary fireman, and inventor of one of the first forked bicycle brakes, as well as a device to prevent ladies' skirts from becoming entangled in bicycle wheels. He was also a well-known potter, setting up a pottery in Moor Lane opposite the court, with the help of a local boy called George Masters. "Elton ware" became popular, especially in America where it was marketed by Tiffany & Co. Elton and Masters' work typically has a variety of rich colours, bas-relief decoration of flowers in a style similar to Art Nouveau, and in the later works metallic glazes are often used.
Sir Edmund's son Sir Ambrose succeeded him in 1920. His son Sir Arthur was one of the pioneers of documentary film making in the years prior to the Second World War, working with John Grierson. Sir Arthur inherited the title on his father's death in 1951. The house was donated to the National Trust in part-payment of death duties, and the west wing (rebuilt after the fire of 1882) was demolished in 1960. Sir Arthur died in 1973 and was succeeded by Sir Charles. The Elton family is still resident in the house, which is now open to the public.)
Tall vase, red-orange earthenware, flat base, the body rising to a rounded shoulder, short neck with folded-over rim; the body with a bright blue slip marbled with turquoise, black, pink and buff slips, impressed with a sunflower, the petals painted with red enamels and with applied seed heads in green, a spiky stem with leaves and buds snaking around the body of the vase, an area of textured gilding above the foot, with large, regular dots of gilding around the lower third of the body, clear glaze to the exterior.
Collection Area
Art
Item Number
NMW A 32090
Creation/Production
Elton, Edmund
Date: 19th century (late)
Acquisition
Bequest
Measurements
Height
(cm): 25
Height
(in): 9
diam
(cm): 14.4
diam
(in): 5
Techniques
wheel-thrown
forming
Applied Art
marbled
decoration
Applied Art
glazed
decoration
Applied Art
applied
decoration
Applied Art
glazed
decoration
Applied Art
gilded
decoration
Applied Art
Material
earthenware
Location
Gallery 22A, South : Bay 02
Collections Online is updated regularly, but please confirm that a work remains on display before making a special visit.
Comments are currently unavailable. We apologise for the inconvenience.