{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O77487"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O77487/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AN1760/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AN1760/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AN1760","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AN1759","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O77487/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O77487","accessionNumber":"2380-1901","objectType":"Pyrophorus vase","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>'Pyrophorus vases' were ancestors of the modern match box. Their name derived from the Greek, <i>pur</i> for 'fire' and <i>phoros</i> for 'bringing'. 'Instant light boxes' had been made in metal since 1810, and in 1812 Wedgwood began to manufacture them in  a decorative ceramic version. The idea of making them in pottery came from the chemists Accum & Garden of Compton Street, Soho, London, who supplied Wedgwood with the matches, acid and acid bottles. The vases were soon copied at Josiah Spode's factory. <br><br><b>Use</b><br>Wooden splints were held in the central hole. One end of the splints had been dipped in chlorate of potash and sugar. When dipped in sulphuric acid these produced a flame. Pyrophorus vases were initially popular, probably because of their novelty, but they were not made after about 1830. Soon after this date the first friction matches of the modern type were introduced. By the mid-19th century the original purpose of these vases had been forgotten, and for more than a century they were thought to have been inkwells.","physicalDescription":"Pyrophorus vase of cane-coloured stoneware, in the form of an altar decorated in red relief with attributes of Jupiter, Mars, and Mercury.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Josiah Wedgwood and Sons","id":"A1450"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"stoneware","id":"x30197"}],"techniques":[{"text":"relief","id":"AAT53622"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Cane-coloured stoneware with <i>rosso antico</i> reliefs","categories":[{"text":"Ceramics","id":"THES48982"},{"text":"Vases","id":"THES48879"},{"text":"Stoneware","id":"THES48890"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"CER","id":"THES48594"},"images":["2006AN1760","2006AN1759"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"52A (VA)","id":"THES49768"},"free":"","case":"CA3","shelf":"","box":"6"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Pyrophorus vase","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Etruria","id":"x33200"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1815","earliest":"1810-01-01","latest":"1819-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Transferred from the Museum of Practical Geology","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"10.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"8.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Measured; 23/12/1998 by SF","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'WEDGWOOD' and 'D'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Impressed"}],"objectHistory":"Pyrophorous vases contained wooden spills and chemicals that could be combined to create a flame. They were first made in 1812.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Pyrophorus vase, cane-coloured stoneware with <i>rosso antico</i> reliefs, Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd., England (Etruria), ca. 1815","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Jupiter","id":"N99"},{"text":"Mars","id":"N57"},{"text":"Mercury","id":"N167"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Pyrophorous vase\nmade at the factory of Josiah Wedgwood, Etruria, Staffordshire, about 1815\nMarks: 'WEDGWOOD' and 'D', impressed\nCaneware with 'Rosso Antico' reliefs\n\n2380-1901 Jermyn Street Collection\n\nPyrophorous vases contained wooden spills and chemicals that could be combined to create a flame. They were first made in 1812.","date":{"text":"23/05/2008","earliest":"2008-05-23","latest":"2008-05-23"}}],"partNumbers":["2380-1901"],"accessionNumberNum":"2380","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1901,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LP7732","2019LR6545","2019LV3574","2019LW5959"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-27","availableToBook":false}}