Description:
A single garniture or spill vase (part of a larger garniture of five pieces) molded in the shape of a tree stump/ dead tree with four branches, and a ram, sheep, and lamb at the base, leaning against the tree is a shepherd playing a flute, in the crook of each branch are birds seated in nests, there are small scalloped opening for spills or dried flowers at the top of the branches, the stump is decorated with stippling molding and painted with high temperature underglaze oxide colors of green, brown, and yellow, and the rim of the stump is outlined in underglaze blue, the sheep are painted with a tan- yellow color and spots of brown, the shepherd has a brown hat, blue jacket, and yellow pantaloons, and brown shoes, the lower edge of the stump has solid brown border.

Label Text:
This is a rare, complete example of a mantelpiece garniture – typically a set of five ceramic vases that “garnished” the mantelpiece. These pottery vases could have held dried flowers or spills for lighting candles or the fireplace. Although decorative pieces weren’t a major part of his business, the 1819 inventory of the shop of Boston china merchant Horace Collamore included, “[1 pr] stumps with sheep 6/.”

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2023.23.1.3

Research on objects in the collections, including provenance, is ongoing and may be incomplete. If you have additional information or would like to learn more about a particular object, please email fc-museums-web@fivecolleges.edu.