Tile
About this object
Cultural context
Floor tile, Minton & Co.
Specific techniques
Encaustic manufacture, an inlay technique, which consist of clay being pressed into a mold to form a relief. One or more colours of slip clay are then poured into the imprinted design and levelled. The bulk of the tile is composed of a courser clay that was inserted between the imprinted pattern on top and a similar finer clay on the bottom. After the clays dry, which can take up to three weeks, they are fired together. The holes on the back are for aerating.
Physical description
Square ceramic tile with curvilinear and floral motifs painted on front. Background is mostly red-brown. Red-brown tapers inwards towards the top, with the top corners of the tile painted beige. Bottom third of tile painted dark brown. Overtop brown and red, in beige, are the curvilinear and floral motifs. Sides of tile undecorated. Twenty five holes, in rows of five by five, indented on back of tile. Manufacturer’s mark, Minton & Co., stamped on back.
Date Made
C. 1860-c. 1900
Date Acquired
30 Oct 2019
How Acquired
Donated
Credit Line
Measurements
Overall: 15.3 cm x 15.3 cm x 1.7 cm
Object Number
3401/1