{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O20333"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O20333/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM8307/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM8307/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM8307","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM8306","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM8302","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM8299","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O20333/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O20333","accessionNumber":"C.121:1, 2-1999","objectType":"Vegetable dish and lid","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>This dinner service is made of earthenware, the cheapest of the ceramic materials to fire, and the decoration is transfer-printed, the least labour-intensive method then available. However, it does have features which lift it out of the ordinary.  Dresser's commitment to practicality led him to include a dip in the soup plates to help in scooping up the last spoonful.  The plates of this service had indents in the rims for condiments.  The vegetable dish is of a strongly geometric form,  typical of Dresser's design style.<br><br><b>People</b><br>Dresser was a trained botanist and perhaps the most radical and prolific of 19th-century designers.  He was often described as a 'pioneer of modern design' and promoted quality, machine production and new materials. His interest in and  commitment to commercial design meant that he actively sought opportunities to design for inexpensive mass production.<br><br><b>Design & Designing</b><br>Dresser's designs for the Old Hall Earthenware Company were first registered in 1884.  This service was registered in 1886. Although it was given the name 'Shanghai', the pattern has no connection at all with Chinese ornament or the east Asia. This complete irrelevance of name to pattern is common in Victorian ceramics. This same shape was also decorated with other patterns called 'Persian' and 'Hampden'.","physicalDescription":"'Shanghai' pattern vegetable dish and lid","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Dresser, Christopher","id":"A8351"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Old Hall Works","id":"A9188"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"earthenware","id":"x29356"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Transfer-printed earthenware","categories":[{"text":"British Galleries","id":"THES48985"},{"text":"Ceramics","id":"THES48982"},{"text":"Scotland","id":"THES262877"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"CER","id":"THES48594"},"images":["2006AM8307","2006AM8306","2006AM8302","2006AM8299"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"125E (VA)","id":"THES49214"},"free":"","case":"CA1","shelf":"","box":"6"},{"current":{"text":"125E (VA)","id":"THES49214"},"free":"","case":"CA1","shelf":"","box":"6"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Vegetable dish","id":""}],[{"text":"Cover","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Hanley","id":"x32079"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1884","earliest":"1884-01-01","latest":"1884-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"14","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"32","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"15.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Measured; 15/07/1999 by LH","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Both marked with 'Chr Dresser'  facsimile signature and other marks","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":"A8877"},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Designed by Christopher Dresser  (born in Glasgow, 1834, died in Mulhouse, France, 1904); made by Old Hall Earthenware Company Ltd., Hanley, Staffordshire","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"'Shanghai' pattern vegetable dish and lid by Christopher Dresser for Old Hall pottery","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nPART OF A DINNER SERVICE in the Shanghai pattern<br>\nThe geometric, functional shapes of this dinner service were innovative and modern in 1884. The use of earthenware and transfer-printed decoration was a cheaper alternative to painted porcelain. This reflected Dresser's belief that art should be inexpensive and accessible.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["C.121:1-1999","C.121:2-1999"],"accessionNumberNum":"121","accessionNumberPrefix":"C","accessionYear":1999,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"pattern number","id":"THES50639"},"number":"4193"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Vegetable dish","Cover"],"assets":["2018LA1426","2019LR2461","2019LP8149","2019LP7197","2019LP2368","2019LU2215","2019LV5371"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-20","recordCreationDate":"2000-01-27","availableToBook":false}}