Earth Case Contents

A pedestal or base on which a lamp, candleholder, vase, figure or similar item could be mounted.

Tudor bricks have a distinctive shape: they are much thinner than modern bricks.

Kingsbridge Villas used to stand where the new Beaney extension has been built in Best Lane.

Tiles like these were made by pressing clay into a mould and filling the pattern indented in the clay with slip (slightly diluted clay) of another colour, before glazing and firing. They were expensive and used in cathedrals, abbeys, churches and royal palaces. Many depict flowers or mythical beasts such as dragons. They can be joined in various ways for extended and repeat patterns.

‘Made from a trial clay sent to Alderman Copeland’, according to the museum accessions register.

Made from fine white china clay known as ‘Parian marble’.

Hydrous aluminium silicate, the ‘magic’ ingredient that gives strength and translucency to pottery when added to clay, creating porcelain.

Plaster is made from the earth mineral Gypsum, which also forms the Selenite on display in the case opposite focused on Glass.

Designed by Eric Ravilious.

Perhaps Jacob Petit, France
Bequeathed by John Irving, 1915

Porcelain, often called bisque, was used in the manufacture of dolls until the advent of plastic. Fine features could be modelled and painted for faces. Usually it was just the head, and perhaps also the hands and forearms, that were made of porcelain and attached to cloth or wooden bodies.
Bequeathed by Miss Anne Clelland, 2003

Presented by Lieutenant Colonel Copeland

Late 1st to early 2nd century AD, found in Whitstable
Terracotta
Presented by Mr F. W. Robins

Terracotta

Clive Soord is a sculptor in ceramics, and a ceramics tutor at Canterbury College. He can be seen within his studio in the photograph by Neil Sloman displayed in the Materials and Masters room.
“Ship of Fools is a work inspired by the old saying ‘too many steersmen sink the ship’. It’s a satirical political work. The tall ship is indicative of the ships we had when we had an empire. Westminster represents our seat of government on the poop deck, and we have a gaggle of politicians all waving their white papers pointing in different directions. The figurehead on HMS Britain is Thatcher, running the ship aground on the Grand Banks RBS, Lloyds etc.”

Bequeathed by John Irving, 1915

16th – 17th century, Delft, Netherlands
Tin-glazed earthenware
Tiles like these more usually had blue on white decoration. They were used for tiling fireplaces.
Presented by Miss Haddaway

1970s, Wedgwood
Designed by Susie Cooper
Bone china

Designed by Edward Bawden
Bone china
Bequeathed by George and Lorna Maynard, 2010