Bank of England Cup and Saucer

Wedgwood

February 1985 and February 1986

  • Titles Bank of England Cup and Saucer (Descriptive)
  • Artist Wedgwood, England, est. 1759
  • Medium Metallised bone china
  • Dimensions cup: 3 × 3 3/4 × 3 1/8 in. (7.6 × 9.5 × 7.9 cm) saucer: 3/4 × 5 5/8 in. Diam. (1.9 × 14.3 cm)
  • Credit Line Collection of the Art Fund, Inc. at the Birmingham Museum of Art; Gift of Stephenson B. Andrews, AFI.96.2014.1-.2
  • Work Type cup and saucer
  • Classification Containers

See More of the Collection

Chatelaine comprised of a hook from which extend three chains – the outer two are made of small faceted cut-steel beads and the center one of larger faceted cut-steel balls, from these hangs an oval two-sided, dark blue jasper medallion with white jasper bas relief of on one side Aurora – Aurora in a horse-drawn chariot – and on the other a seated woman with her head bowed under a tree before a column, in a simple cut-steel mount to which are attached two large tassels, below this a similar chain and a second two-sided medallion of dark blue jasper with white jasper bas relief of on one side a seated woman with a bow and on the other a classical female figure, in a like cut-steel mount, from this medallion are attached five chains, the two outer are comprised of small, faceted cut-steel beads and end in tassels, the two inner are made of a larger, faceted cut-steel ball and both end in hooks, from one hook hangs a polished basalt seal, or signet, of a classical couple with joined hands, the center chain is comprised of small faceted cut-steel beads and a hook from which hangs a large, ornate two-sided oval pendant of solid light blue jasper with white jasper bas relief of on one side a seated warrior and on the other an intaglio of a classical scene, on a cut-steel swivel mount.
Small asparagus shell of white soft-paste porcelain with low vertical, straight sides that taper towards one end, open at both ends to allow bundles of asparagus spears to be contained inside, the interior painted in underglaze blue in the "Narcissus" pattern, above the painted scene is a band of blue squares with white reserves with blue dots in the middle, below is a stylized foliate pattern, on both the interior and exterior sides are painted delicate floral vines.
Oval medallion of black basalt with the bas relief portrait bust of Roman Emperor Nero (37-68 AD) facing right, wearing laurel leaf crown, the name NERO impressed below the truncation, self frame, pierced to hang.
Vase of solid light blue and white jasper in the form of three white ruined fluted columns, the center one slightly taller, resting on a light blue rectangular pedestal base with in the center of either side a reserve with a scene of classical figures in relief and on either side of this central reserve an additional reserve with an illegible text, the entire vase modeled to give the impression that it has been recently excavated, is weathered and has become ruined over time with cracks and damage and destroyed sections and with scattered bits of lichen.