{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O94605"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O94605/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011FB4120/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011FB4120/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011FB4120","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O94605/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O94605","accessionNumber":"M.37-1974","objectType":"Bowl","titles":[{"title":"The Bluebird of Happiness","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"Omar Ramsden (1873-1939), who designed this bowl, called it \"the Bluebird of Happiness\". The name comes from the two small applied handles, each in the form of a bird emerging from two leafy branches. \r\n\r\nAs a young man Ramsden was an active and keen promoter of amateur dramatics and this design appears to have been influenced by a play called <i> L'Oiseau bleu </i>(The Blue Bird). It was the work of the Belgian writer Maurice Maeterlinck. He was one of the leading figures of the Symbolist movement and achieved great contemporary popularity with the play, which was first performed in 1908.","physicalDescription":"Low, shaped body on circular foot with stepped moulding.  Two handles each in the form of a bird emerging from two foliated branches, give the piece its name.  The design presumably inspired by Maeterlinck.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Ramsden, Omar","id":"A8772"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"raising","id":"AAT237068"},{"text":"casting","id":"AAT53104"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Silver, raised, with applied cast handles","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2011FB4120"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"68","id":"THES49730"},"free":"","case":"7","shelf":"2","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Bowl","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1939-1940","earliest":"1939-05-29","latest":"1940-05-28"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by John Thompson, in memory of his wife Adeline","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"6.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"19.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"14.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Base: OMAR RAMSDEN ME FECIT, maker OR, sterling, leopard, date leter D (1939-40)","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":"A8728"},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"London hallmarks for 1939-1940","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Acquisition RF: 74 / 2751\nBequest - John Thompson Esq. in memory of his wife Adeline\n\nThe handles, each in the form of a bird emerging from two foliated branches, give the piece its name.  The design appears to have been influenced by Maeterlinck, the Belgian poetic dramatist and essayist and one of the leading figures in the Symbolist movement.  He achieved great contemporary popularity with his play, L'Oiseau Bleu (The Blue Bird) which was first performed in 1908.  In his youth, Ramsden was an active and keen promoter of amateur dramatics.","historicalContext":"This bowl was presented to the Museum by the executor of John Thompson, Dr. Keith Thompson, Mr. John Thompson's nephew and heir.  Apart from this bequest to the Museum, Keith Thompson inherited a collection of Ramsden pieces.  Adeline Thompson predeceased her husband by five months.","briefDescription":"Bowl, silver, London 1939-40, mark of Omar Ramsden","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Capiteyn, André, ed. <u>L'Oiseau bleu, À la recherche du bonheur</u>, Ghent, Kunsthal Sint-Pietersabdij, Snoeck, 2011.  ISBN. 9789461610300."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"bird","id":"x35043"},{"text":"foliage","id":"AAT11892"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"BOWL <i>Bluebird of Happiness</i> \r\nLondon, 1939-40\r\nMark of Omar Ramdsen (1873-1939)\r\nInscribed: OMAR RAMSDEN ME FECIT\r\nThe handles, each in the form of a bird emerging from two foliated branches, give the piece its name.  The design appears to have been influenced by Maeterlinck, the Belgian poetic dramatist and essayist and one of the leading figures of the Symbolist movement.  He achieved great contemporary popularity with his play <i>L'Oiseau Bleu</i> (The Blue Bird) which was first performed in 1908.  In his youth , Ramsden was an active and keen promoter of amateur dramatics,\r\nJohn Thompson Bequest in memory of his wife, Adeline\r\nM.37-1974","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["M.37-1974"],"accessionNumberNum":"37","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1974,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2004-03-03","availableToBook":false}}