Clifton China crested ware ornament - Royal Military College, Camberley
c. 1900Hollow, off-white china patriotic ornament in the form of a miniature vase.
It features a colourful crest showing the Coat of Arms of Royal Military College, Camberley, Surrey.
The fluted edged top of the vase is edged with gold.
The maker's mark and name are printed on the base in black letters, along with a number painted in red.
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.
This is likely to be an early patriotic piece of crested ware, still featuring domestic rather than military subjects.
It may even pre-date World War One, as the crown above the crest is that of a female monarch. Queen Victoria died in 1901.
Details
Details
On front of vase:
"HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE" (Motto of the Royal Engineers meaning 'Shamed be he who thinks evil of it')
"VIRES ACQUIRIT EUNDO" (Meaning 'We gather strength as we go')
"ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE
CAMBERLEY"
On base of vase:
"CLIFTON"
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