Description:
English creamware cylindrical, food warmer or veilleuse or night lamp or beverage warmer with a food-bowl, pedestal base, and replacement godet. The name '"veilleuse" is probably derived from the French "veiller" (to keep vigil at night) and originally referred to any night lamp, but soon came to be applied to keeping food or beverages warm during the night for one person, and used in a sick-room, nursery, or on a bedside table. This example would be called a veilleuse-theieres because of its incorporated tea pot. Food warmers were produced in silver and all ceramic forms (including delftware, creamware, pearlware, and porcelain) from the mid 1700's through the mid 1800's in England by a number of manufacturers, Europe, and America. Veilleuse forms are particularly difficult to date because the form did not change enormously over time. In his '1790' Catalogue, Wedgwood illustrated a "Night lamp to provide illumination and conserve hot liquids"; and several shapes are illustrated in Plate 211 the circa 1802 Shape Drawing Book, but the food warmer was probaby in production at Wedgwood's some 20 years earlier. Wedgwood's 1817 Catalogue continued to show food warmers with kettle or porringer tops. Late in the 19th century, japanned tin food warmers were produced, usually with a covered food pan, water pan, and small double-wick lamp; one was named the "Berlin Nursery Lamp." Normally varying in height from 9 to 12 inches, the food warmer form was usually a hollow pedestal, into the top of which fit a flanged container such as a covered bowl or small teapot; the container's contents were heated by by a small cup called a godet (or oil-boat, heater or spirit burner) that held a flaming wick in oil, which was passed through the small opening at the pedestal's base. The food-bowl on this example looks like the upper half of a globular-shaped kettle with a ribbed arched handle over the bowl; flat cover with a ball finial; and S-shaped spout. The hollow pedestal stand has two ribbed loop handles; pierced or openwork decoration (for air circulation and some illumination) with a center diamond flanked by two stylized flower shapes, connected by circles over a shaped opening; and a flat base with an molded edge. The tin container inside the pedestal is a replacement for the original creamware godet.
Subjects:
Pottery Link to share this object record:
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