The Nottingham potteries were owned by two families, the Morleys (the Carter Gate Pottery and later the Beck Barns pottery) and the Wyers (the Boot Lane Pottery). 1) Pierced wares like this double walled pierced mug were a speciality of the Nottingham potters and required great skill. 2) The flask is inscribed ‘My Love is pure and Shall Endure J B 1723’ and pieces from this time often carried the initials or name of the person for whom the pot was made. Nottingham has few examples from this period and only one comparable flask is known. 3) This is the first example of this form of household ware to enter the Nottingham collection. The fact that it was excavated recently in Holland raises questions about the trade of Nottingham salt-glaze in Europe.

Provenance

1) Private collection; Sotheby's, 1995; Robin Hildyard 2) Private collection; Robin Hildyard, 1980 3) Excavated from a garderobe, Abmsterdam; Van Geenan, Netherlands; Garry Atkins, 1992; Robin Hildyard, 1992.