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D E L F T W A R E I Flower Containers 
D375. FLOWER BRICK 
Probably Bristol 
c. 1740 
H.: 3 5/8" (9.2 cm): 
L.: 6 1/4" (15.9 cm); 
W.: 2 3/4" (7 cm) 
BODY CLAY: Fine-grained buff                                         ,  
   - 
TIN GLAZE: Bluish white with blue 
speckling. Overall, excluding bottom 
edge. 
SHAPE: Slab-constructed and pierced. 
Three rows of piercings in slightly 
recessed top. Similarly recessed bottom. 
DECORATION: Painted. Long sides 
bear similar scenes of interior with ket- 
tIe heating at hearth, woman drawing 
drape and seated at table with 
teabowls and saucers, and servant 
bringing her wineglass. Short ends 
depict similar boats. Top bears rectan- 
gle filled with quatrefoil motifs, crosses, 
and holes edged in dots. 
Ex colt: K. Hommitt. 
                                                 o pieces with decoration
closely paralleling that on the walls of this 
                                                flower brick are recorded.'
Based on the costumes of the figures, the scenes 
                                                probably derive from types
on Chinese export porcelain, and the ships on the 
                                                brick ends also are of oriental
design. Sunray motifs, one version of which 
                                                appears at the top of the
large scene on the Longridge brick, are a not uncom- 
                                                mon feature of mid-eighteenth-century
English delftware. (The ship on the ends 
                                                perhaps derives from a motif
on a Dutch tile.)' The piercing of the top of this 
                                                piece is similar in pattern
and hole-border motifs to no. D373, but crosses and 
                                                quatrefoil motifs have replaced
the grid ornament.' The painting style of the 
                                                brick shown here is, perhaps,
closest to that on Bristol delftware. 
                                                1. See Grigsby, Chipstone,
no. 191, for somewhat  3. lor l)utch examples, see Plots, Dutch Tile, 
                                                similarly shaped forge forming
part of relief  p. 125, col. pl. 24; pp. 384 385. 
                                                scene with blacksmiths on
1736 dated salt- 
                 4. For the same piercing and hole borders lwith- 
                                               glazed brown stoneware tankard.
                 out filling of the vwids) on a probably London 
                                               2. Ibid., no. 13 (1752 dated
mug with Black-  brick, see Archer, V&A, no. 1.13. 
                                               smith's Company arms): Britton,
Bristol, no. 7.13 
                                               (wall pocket with Chinese
pavilion), bottom of 
                                               p. 84. 
416 The Longridge Collection