{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1171023"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1171023/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EM3898/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EM3898/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EM3898","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1171023/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1171023","accessionNumber":"C.350:1, 2-2009","objectType":"Fire surround","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This fireplace was discovered in a house in Sydenham in 2009. It is composed of tiles designed by Owen Jones for the Alhambra Court of the Crystal Palace. \r\n\r\nThe Crystal Palace, first built for the 1851 Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, moved to Sydenham in 1854 where it stood until its destruction by fire in 1936.\r\n\r\nHowever, much of the Alhambra Court was salvaged from the fire rubble and the tiles were sold as souvenirs at a garden fete in aid of St Philip's Church at Sydenham. It is likely that this fireplace was made at that time, with salvaged tiles, and purchased by the owners of the house in which it was eventually discovered.  \r\n\r\nFrom surviving records it is difficult to match the tiles of this fireplace to a particular part of the Alhambra Court scheme, although they are most likley to have come from one of the alcoves of the colonnade by the 'Court of Lions'.\r\n\r\nThe fireplace is the largest section of tiles known to have survived from the Alhambra Court. It demonstrates Owen Jones' use of colour and pattern and is an interesting example of the reuse of objects.","physicalDescription":"Fire surround and hearth, consisting of a number of small 'mosaic' tiles in white, black, orange, blue and green surmounted by triangular tessellated tiles in white and black.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Jones, Owen","id":"A8559"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"earthenware","id":"x29356"}],"techniques":[{"text":"glazing","id":"AAT53914"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Earthenware, glazed","categories":[{"text":"Ceramics","id":"THES48982"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"CER","id":"THES48594"},"images":["2010EM3898"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES341434"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES341377"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Fire surround","id":""}],[{"text":"Hearth","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1854","earliest":"1849-01-01","latest":"1858-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Michael Stallybrass","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"106","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"surround upright section","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"65","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"surround","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"surround","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"hearth","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"65","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"hearth","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"25.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"hearth","note":""},{"dimension":"","value":"","unit":"","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"16.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"hearth height with bracket attached","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"110.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"surround upright and hearth joined together","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions taken by Sonia Solicari pre-conservation  - Sep 2009 and checked by Fi Jordan 2018","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This fire surround and hearth were discovered in a house in Sydenham (106 Westwood Hill, London, SE26 6PE) by Jan Piggott, expert on the interiors of Crystal Palace. They are composed of tiles designed by Owen Jones for the Alhambra Court of the Crystal Palace. The Crystal Palace moved to Sydenham in 1854 where it stood until its destruction by fire in 1936. According to the donor, and substantiated by contemporary photographs (see RF), much of the Alhambra Court was salvaged from the rubble and the tiles were sold as souvenirs at a garden fete in aid of St Philip's Church at Sydenham. It is likely that this fire surround and hearth were made at that time, with salvaged tiles, and purchased by the then owner of 106 Westwood Hill.  \r\n\r\n\r\nFrom surviving records it is difficult to match this fireplace to a particular part of the Alhambra Court scheme, although it is most likley to have come from one of the alcoves of the colonnade by the 'Court of Lions' (see images on RF).\n\nHistorical significance: This fireplace is the largest section of tiles known to have survived from the Alhambra Court, Crystal Palace.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Fireplace consisting of earthenware mosaic tiles mounted onto an upright surround and horizontal hearth and glazed in black, white, blue, green and orange.  Designed by Owen Jones for the Alhambra Court, Crystal Palace","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Mariam Rosser-Owen, 'Coleccionar la Alhambra: Owen Jones y la España Islámica en el South Kensington Museum, in Juan Calatrava, Mariam Rosser-Owen, Abraham Thomas, Rémi Labrusse: 'Owen Jones y la Alhambra', London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 2011"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Fi Jordan and Mariam Rosser-Owen, \"The Alhambra Court Fire Surround\", V&A Conservation Journal 60 (Spring 2012) pp. 13-14"}],"production":"Made for the Alhambra Court, Crystal Palace","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["C.350:1-2009","C.350:2-2009"],"accessionNumberNum":"350","accessionNumberPrefix":"C","accessionYear":2009,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Fire surround","Hearth"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-10","recordCreationDate":"2010-08-04","availableToBook":true}}