Collection: Potteries Museum & Art Gallery

Collection-level records:

• Collection overview (Cornucopia)

  Ceramics

  The collection is dominated by the pottery, porcelain and other ceramics holdings, which are the largest and most comprehensive in the world within their field of Staffordshire ceramics. The 19th century ceramics collection is particularly strong, especially in figures, tiles, and porcelain tablewares. The 20th century material, industrial and studio, now forms the best collection of 20th century British ceramics in the world, particularly of pottery. The collection of 18th century earthenwares (pottery) and stonewares is also particularly strong. The collection moreover contains examples of ceramics from all around the world, from a vast range of countries and cultures, including Renaissance Italian maiolica, Islamic ceramics, Ancient Greek ceramics, and so on.

  Commemorative Ceramics Collection

  The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery has an extensive collection of commemorative ceramic ware including plates and mugs. The collection starts with 17th century slipware chargers, creamware teapots, and later earthenwares, porcelains, stonewares and bone chinas. We have a broad range of 20th century commemorative ceramics, particularly from all major Royal events.

  Figurines

  The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery’s figures collection includes figures from the 18th century onwards. Many of the figures commemorate famous people or events in history, although many do not. The collection contains figures depicting Classical mythological and theological subjects from the 18th century, famous and infamous people from the 19th century, early 20th century art pottery figures with naturalistic subjects, and the ever-popular 20th century figures from factories such as Royal Doulton.

  The Keiller Collection of Cow Cream Jugs

  This magnificent collection of 667 cow cream jugs built up over a period of 30 years was generously presented to the City of Stoke-on-Trent Museum & Art Gallery in 1962 by Mrs. Gabrielle M. Keiller of Kingston Hill, Surrey. The bulk of the cow cream jugs were manufactured in the second half of the 18th century and the first quarter of the 19th century when few earthenware potters were using an identifiable backstamp. This makes attribution almost impossible for the vast majority of cows, which were collected for their looks not origin. A condition of the gift stipulated that a minimum of two thirds of the Collection should be on permanent exhibition – the remainder available for study by appointment. The cow cream jugs are now one of the most popular displays at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, and are displayed with The Davies Collection of Frog Mugs.

  Davies Collection of Frog Mugs

  The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery’s collection of 300 frog mugs was donated by Marjorie M Davies in 1987. The collection includes a wide range of pieces dating from the late 18th century to the late 20th century. Most types of pottery, porcelain and china are represented, with a wide range of decoration styles and techniques. The collection is mostly on display in the Ceramics Gallery, with the Keiller Collection of Cow Creamers.

  Fine Art Collection

  The paintings, drawings and sculpture collection covers mostly British art from the 19th. and 20th. C. There is also a good collection of British, Japanese and European prints from the 16th. C. to the present day. Local artists are well represented in all media. There are links with artists associated with the ceramics industry, and with the development of public art within the City. Designated There is a collection of architectural drawings by Sir Charles Barry and others of the Trentham Hall Estate, which is of National significance. The paintings, drawings and sculpture collection covers mostly British art from the 19th. and 20th. C. There are links with artists associated with the ceramics industry, and with the development of public art within the City. There is also a good collection of British, Japanese and European prints from the 16th. C. to the present day. Local artists are well represented in all media.

  Costume and Textile Collection

  The collection includes material from the 15th.C. to the present day, including flat textiles and a group of dolls. The latter include dolls in national costume and dolls illustrating the history of doll making from c.1800 to the present day. The collection includes material from the 15th.C. to the present day, including flat textiles and a group of dolls.

  Science and Industry Collection

  Machinery, tools and equipment relating to the pottery industry and associated trades have been collected, mainly in connection with the Gladstone Pottery Museum and the Etruria Museum, and primarily for display. Machinery, tools and equipment relating to the pottery industry and associated trades have been collected, mainly in connection with the Gladstone Pottery Museum and the Etruria Museum, and primarily for display.

  Archaeology Collection

  Prehistoric material includes finds from two major sites: Ossoms Cave (late upper palaeolithic) and Wetton Mill Minor (Mesolithic). Roman finds include the earliest evidence of pottery production in Stoke, and Anglo-Saxon sites include an Anglian settlement (Catholme) and a 10th.C. kiln in Stafford. Medieval material includes pottery from a 14th.C. Stoke kiln and from Hulton Abbey. The museum is the principal repository for the whole of the Staffordshire area, and has benefited in recent years from major transfers of material from the Staffordshire County Council, Stafford Borough Council and a private museum at Denstone College. Collections include prehistoric, Roman, Anglo-Saxon and Medieval material.

  Subjects

  Archaeological heritage; Archaeological sites; Archaeology; Viking; Archaeological objects; Roman Empire; Archaeological activities; Archaeological research

  Biology Collection

  The biology collection, now numbering about 120,000 objects, evolved from initial collections made by members of the North Staffordshire Field Club in the late 1800s. It focuses on the flora and fauna of Stoke-on-Trent and the Staffordshire County area. This policy to develop the regional significance of the collections means that the Museum has the most comprehensive collection of Staffordshire natural history material anywhere in the world. There are around 15,000 plant and fungi specimens. These include about 6,000 specimens from Eric Edees, the author of the 1972 ‘Flora of Staffordshire’. The animal specimens number over 100,000 items.

  Subjects

  Fauna; Natural history; Zoology; Fungi; Mineralogy; Geology; Palaeontology; Botany; Biology

  Geology Collection

  Approximately 12,000 rocks, minerals and fossils – most of which have a particular focus on the Carboniferous and Triassic horizons of the local area. Highlights of the collection include around 900 Carboniferous Coal Measure (mainly fish) fossils. The geology collection, now numbering about 20,000 objects, evolved from initial collections made by members of the North Staffordshire Field Club in the late 1800s. It focuses on the fossils, minerals and rocks of Stoke-on-Trent and the Staffordshire County area. This policy to develop the regional significance of the collections means that the Museum has the most comprehensive collection of Staffordshire natural history material anywhere in the world.

  Subjects

  Fossils; Geology; Palaeontology; Minerals

  Source: Cornucopia

  Date: Not known, but before 2015

  Licence: CC BY-NC