Florentine China crested ware - London Cenotaph

c. 1920
Overview

Hollow, off-white china ornament depicting the World War One memorial in London - The Cenotaph.
It has a tiered rectangular base and tapers towards the top. The central area bears the coat of arms of Brentwood, beneath which the words 'The blood of heroes is the seed of freedom' are written in black. Above this is a gilded wreath.
There is also a line of gold around the bottom of the ornament. The sides are plain while the back has another wreath, although without gilding.
The maker's name is written in black ink on the bottom.

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.

There are two crested ware pieces depicting the London Cenotaph. This is the larger of the two.

Details

Details

Registration number
cwa-org-119-RoW00444
Width
72 mm
Height or length
140 mm
Depth
58 mm
Inscriptions and markings

On front of ornament:

"BRENTWOOD"

"The blood of heroes
is the seed of
freedom."

On base of ornament:

"FLORENTINE CHINA
MADE IN ENGLAND"

Place made
Stoke-on-Trent, 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
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Florentine China crested ware - London Cenotaph - front view
Florentine China crested ware - London Cenotaph - front view
Florentine China crested ware - London Cenotaph - front view
Florentine China crested ware - London Cenotaph - front view
Florentine China crested ware - London Cenotaph - back view
Florentine China crested ware - London Cenotaph - back view
Florentine China crested ware - London Cenotaph - other oblique view
Florentine China crested ware - London Cenotaph - other oblique view
Florentine China crested ware - London Cenotaph - base view
Florentine China crested ware - London Cenotaph - base view

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