Arcadian China crested ware - anti-aircraft shell
c. 1915Hollow, off-white china ornament depicting a World War One anti-aircraft artillery shell.
There is a colourful crest on one side featuring the coat of arms of Birmingham.
There is a line of gilding circling around the base and another at the top of the shell.
The maker's name and title of the piece are written in black ink on the bottom.
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 artillery shells. This is the narrower of the two.
Details
Details
On front of shell:
"FORWARD"
"BIRMINGHAM"
On base of shell:
"ARCADIAN CHINA
MODEL OF
ANTI-AIRCRAFT SHELL"
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