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.

• Iconographic Meaning

  Design is an imitation of English medieval tile patterns.

• 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.

• Cultural Context

  Floor tile, Minton & Co.

---

• Type of Item tile
• Culture English
• Material clay
• Manufacturing Technique encaustic
• Measurements height 15.3 cm, width 15.3 cm, depth 1.7 cm (overall)

---

• Creator Mintons
• Previous Owner Judith Stoffman
• Received from Judith Stoffman

---

• Made in United Kingdom, Stoke-on-Trent

---

• Creation Date between 1860 and 1900
• Ownership Date before October 30, 2019
• Acquisition Date on October 30, 2019

---

• Item Classes ceramics
• Condition fair
• Accession Number 3401/0001