Crested miniature (a)Teapot with (b)detached lid; general shape is spherical, almost cylindrical. The mouth is trimmed in gold and descends into a lip in the inner wall to catch the lid (which is domed shaped with a knob handle and a gold dot at its center). The handle of the teapot is ear shaped with a gold line down the center. It is attached just below the mouth, rounding up and around attaching just below the mid-section of the body, extending down to the bottom. The spout attaches wide, covering the widest part of the sphere. The bottom of the spout extends to a small point. The out line of the spout curves inward, then out making a pronounced pourer. The crest is an edged shaped shield, divided Per Fess style. The top portion is divided in half vertically. The left side has a dark blue background with a white lion standing on it hind legs brandishing its front paws. The right side of the shield is again divided diagonally, vertically, and horizontally alternating black and yellow. In the lower portion of the shield, it has a white background with a Viking ship, one mast (no sail) tied to four lines. At the top of the mast is a short star burst or rosette. The ship rests on a light blue sea. Beneath the ship in the water is a fish facing to the left. Beneath the shield is a yellow scrolling ribbon with writing in Old English font in Norse (?) "Wr U3ART" Beneath the ribbon is the towns name "Oban", the writing between the 'A' and 'N' has been worn off. There are no Makers Marks, possibly Nautilus.
Donor:
University Art Museum (UC Berkeley)
Collection place:
England
Verbatim coll. place:
England
Collector:
unknown
Materials:
Ceramic (material), Paint (coating), and Porcelain (material)
Culture depicted:
Vikings (ca. 790-1100 AD)
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Miniature (size attribute), Teapots (pots), and Teapots (serving vessels)
Accession date:
1968
Context of use:
souvenir
Department:
Europe and western Russia (except Classical Mediterranean)