Clifton China crested ware ornament - Royal Military College, Camberley

c. 1900
Overview

Hollow, 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.

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.
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

Registration number
cwa-org-119-RoW00451
Width
55 mm
Height or length
50 mm
Depth
55 mm
Inscriptions and markings

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"

Place made
Staffordshire, United Kingdom
Year
Primary significance criteria
Artistic or aesthetic significance
Social or spiritual significance
Comparative significance criteria
Interpretive capacity
Related Objects

Related Objects

Recollections of War

Recollections of War

Organisation Details
View Collection
Item Feedback

Clifton China crested ware ornament - Royal Military College, Camberley - front view
Clifton China crested ware ornament - Royal Military College, Camberley - front view
Clifton China crested ware ornament - Royal Military College, Camberley - side view
Clifton China crested ware ornament - Royal Military College, Camberley - side view
Clifton China crested ware ornament - Royal Military College, Camberley - back view
Clifton China crested ware ornament - Royal Military College, Camberley - back view
Clifton China crested ware ornament - Royal Military College, Camberley - other side view
Clifton China crested ware ornament - Royal Military College, Camberley - other side view
Clifton China crested ware ornament - Royal Military College, Camberley - top view
Clifton China crested ware ornament - Royal Military College, Camberley - top view
Clifton China crested ware ornament - Royal Military College, Camberley - base view
Clifton China crested ware ornament - Royal Military College, Camberley - base view

Scan this QR code to open this page on your phone ->