87/32

This is a stoneware Bellamine jar with a brown mottled glaze. The neck has a face engraved on it and the main body of the jar has an engraved heraldic lion surrounded by a patterned ring. There are some marks on the body of the jar and it is chipped at the base. Jugs such as this were typically used to store wine. This jug is said to have been dug up at Sandy, Bedfordshire. It was purchased by the Museum to replace a Bellarmine jug that was stolen from the Permanent Exhibition (object number 55/675).

1 Bellarmine jug: pottery (stoneware); good condition

MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Standard museum name: BELLARMINE JUG // Accession number: 87/32 // Classification: DOMESTIC Serving drink // Negative number: 60/15173 // Acquisition method: Purchase // Acquired from, date: From: Jonathan Horne Antiques, 66c Kensington Church St., London W.8. August 1987 // Store: P. Ex. Gallery // Condition: good // Recorder, date: JMB 29.9.87 // Description: Bellarmine jug with mottled brown glaze. Some marks on the body and chipped at base. // The neck has a face engraved on it and the main body of the jar has a heraldic lion surrounded by a patterned ring. // Dimensions: Height: 24.0cm Maximum width: 12.0cm // Associated information: These jars were generally used for storage of wine. // This one is said to have been dug up at Sandy, Beds(?). // COL. SLIDE 4712 // Bought to replace 55/675 which was stolen from the P. Ex. // References:', Letter, MERL to Mr Horne of Jonathan Horne Antiques, 17 August 1987 – 'Dear Mr Horne, // Following my recent visit to your shop, I would like to arrange for Reading University to purchase the agreed Bellarmine jug at a price of £185. // The University's finance department will be sending you a cheque for this amount in due course - it will probably reach you at the end of this month. // If you could give me a ring when the cheque arrives, I will arrange to collect the jug. // Yours sincerely, // Roy Brigden.', Letter, R. Brigden of MERL to Finance Department, University of Reading, 17 August 1987 – 'Please send a cheque for £185, payable to Jonathan Horne Antiques, to: // Jonathan Horne Antiques, // 66c Kensington Church St, // London, // W.8. // This is for the purchase of a Bellarmine jug to replace one recently stolen from the Museum exhibitions.', Letter, Gillian Everard of Jonathan Horne Antiques to MERL, 19 August 1987 – 'Dear Mr Brigden, // Thank you for your letter of 17 August confirming the telephones conversations of that day. As requested, I enclose an invoice for the Bellarmine Jug and hope this is sufficient. // We look forward to receiving the University's cheque and will telephone you on receipt to discuss collection. // I have put the jug away for safe keeping until you are able to collect the same. Please do not hesitate to contact us if there are any queries. // Yours sincerely, // Gillian Everard', Two copies of the invoice from Jonathan Horne Antiques to MERL for £185 for the Bellarmine jug.

Ceramic, stoneware, Glaze

Fired, Glazed