Carlton China crested ware - bell tent

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Carlton China

c. 1915

Overview

Hollow, off-white china ornament depicting a World War One bell tent with the triangular flap open. One side of the tent opening has the words 'Tommies Bungalow' printed with red Gothic capitals and black lettering. The other side bears the coat of arms for Burton-Upon-Trent, in Staffordshire, England.
There is gilding around the lower circumference of the tent and following the shape of the tent opening, some of which has worn off.
The bottom of the tent bears a black maker's mark for Carlton China, Stoke on Trent.

Historical information

Crested china collecting became a craze in the Victorian period when tourists bought small, hollow, off-white coloured porcelain ornaments decorated with the coats of arms of the towns they visited to take home as a souvenir.
Before World War One, pottery companies including Adderleys, Arcadian, Carlton, Clifton, Florentine, Grafton, Podmore, Savoy, Shelley, Swan, Willow Art, and W H Goss, mainly from the Stoke -on-Trent area, made miniature collectibles such as vases, plates and other crockery, houses, public buildings, cars and replicas of visitor attractions. During the war, the range of souvenirs was expanded to include military caps, equipment and vehicles.
Crested china ornaments are also known as ‘Heraldic China’ or ‘Heraldic Souvenir Ware’.

There are several examples in the collection made by a variety of makers.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-119-RoW00440

Item type

Themes

Social History
War and Conflict
War and Conflict > World War 1

Material