Dish thumbnail 1
Dish thumbnail 2
+1
images
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Not currently on display at the V&A
On short term loan out for exhibition

Dish

1890 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

John Pearson was the first metalworker at the Guild of Handicraft, founded by C.R. Ashbee at Toynbee Hall in the East End of London in 1888. Pearson finally left the Guild in 1891 to work as a freelance, having already once been dismissed and reinstated for working for William Morris in his spare time. According to Miss Kotze, who was Pearson's pupil, Pearson sold this dish to the Morris shop, where it was purchased. Years later, Pearson saw it in the Caledonian Road market and vbought it. Miss Kotze purchased it from him.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Copper, embossed and chased
Brief description
Copper, London, ca.1890, designed and made by John Pearson.
Physical description
Copper, embossed and chased with the Tree of Knowledge, with a broad border of stylised, floral design. The salver circular, with a single depression containing the embossed roundel of an apple tree encircled by a serpent with textured scales, its mouth open and fangs protruding; worked on a matted ground. Below the tree, in Greek characters, the inscription: The Tree of Knowledge. A plain hammered border which surrounds the roundel is carried up to the edge of the depression. The broad border has an edge of flat topped beads and a scrolling design of stylised pommegranates and trefoils springing from branches, on a matted ground.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 61.6cm
  • Depth: 4.5cm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • J. Pearson 1890 (Signed and dated on the back)
  • 370 (within an oval)
  • The inscription in Greek characters: "The Tree of Knowledge"
Credit line
Given by Miss Amy Kotze
Historical context
John Pearson was the first metalworker at the Guild of Handicraft, founded by C.R. Ashbee at Toynbee Hall in the East End of London in 1888 (see Shirley Bury's introductory essay on silverwork in C.R. Ashbee, Modern English Silverwork, new ed., London 1974). Pearson finally left the Guild in 1891 to work as a freelance, having already once been dismissed and reinstated for working for William Morris in his spare time. According to Miss Kotze, who was Pearson's pupil, Pearson sold this dish to the Morris shop, where it was purchased. Years later, Pearson saw it in the Caledonian Road market and bought it. Miss Kotze purchased it from him.
Subjects depicted
Association
Summary
John Pearson was the first metalworker at the Guild of Handicraft, founded by C.R. Ashbee at Toynbee Hall in the East End of London in 1888. Pearson finally left the Guild in 1891 to work as a freelance, having already once been dismissed and reinstated for working for William Morris in his spare time. According to Miss Kotze, who was Pearson's pupil, Pearson sold this dish to the Morris shop, where it was purchased. Years later, Pearson saw it in the Caledonian Road market and vbought it. Miss Kotze purchased it from him.
Collection
Accession number
M.20-1976

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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