One of the joys of collecting ceramics are the stories behind the pieces we have in our collections. Many of the stories you are about to read are from real collectors, the majority of whom are members of the Southeast Asian Ceramic Society, who have shared here the motivation or emotion–or knowledge gained or lessons learned–from a ceramic in their collection. Other stories are from folk tales or other literary sources where potters or ceramics have played a key role. We hope you will enjoy these stories, and do let us know if you’d like to add your own….
A Japanese Kabuki Play
A traditional Japanese kabuki play dazzles audiences with its story of how a potter invents a new glaze
A 1921 Account of Local Burmese Pottery
A collector's interest is piqued when he discovers an 1897 reprint of a late 19th century book on Burma written by George Bird.
Japanese Ceramics: Spellbound by the Kiln Gods
An introduction to Bizen, Shigaraki and Echize: three centres of ceramics production belonging to the 'Six Old Kilns of Japan'.
Late 19C British transfer-printed ceramic plates found in Musi River in Indonesia
How did three British-made plates come to be found by divers in the Musi River?....
How the Japanese learned to make handles
Japanese pots, bowls, cups and other ceramics rarely had handles until recently....
St. Ignatius of Loyola tea bowl and saucer
The original inspiration for this depiction of Saint Ignatius was an oil-on-canvas painting by the great Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens....
Tipu’s Tiger immortalised in Clay
The story begins in the 1790s in India where the 'honourable' East India Company was struggling to maintain control....
English Heraldic Souvenir Ceramics
English heraldic souvenir ware is more commonly known as ‘crested china’ and during wartime many figurines took on personas to happily 'do their bit'!
An Unfired Pot Causes a Death
A 17th Century morality tale about a potter and his two daughters, one an unfaithful wife.
In Pursuit of the Perfect Figure
There's more than one story behind this earthenware equestrian statue of Lord Raglan (1788-1855), a hero of the Crimean War of 1854....
A Contemporary Vietnamese Ceramic Sculpture
A rich ash glaze oozes down from the nipple at the top of this modern sculpture, focussing on the universal issue of birth and procreation....
A Modern Kakiemon Tiger
A struggle to choose amongst the thousands of exquisite ceramics in Arita, Japan, results in the purchase of a Kakiemon tiger.