Teapot

Designer Christopher Dresser British, Scottish

ca. 1879

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 516

This teapot was produced by the Sheffield firm of Dixon and Sons, founded around 1808, to a design by Christopher Dresser. The versatile Dresser sold thirty-seven designs to the firm between 1879 and 1882, but not all of them materialized. Highly unusual designs, such as that of this teapot, afforded Dresser the appreciation as a proto-modernist. However, they also departed from Dresser’s own set of rules regarding the cost-effective production and employment of expensive materials.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Teapot
Designer: Christopher Dresser (British, Glasgow, Scotland 1834–1904 Mulhouse)
Manufactory: James Dixon & Sons (British, founded Sheffield, 1806)
Date: ca. 1879
Culture: British, Sheffield
Medium: Silverplate, ebony
Dimensions: confirmed: 5 × 9 × 5 1/4 in., 1.1 lb. (12.7 × 22.9 × 13.3 cm, 500g)
Classification: Metalwork-Silverplate
Credit Line: Gift of Lawrence A. and Janet Y. Larose, 2021
Object Number: 2021.153.2
Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

More Artwork

Spoon holder, Christopher Dresser British, Scottish, Silver-plated brass, ebony, British, Birmingham or London — Spoon holder
Designer Design attributed to Christopher Dresser
Manufactory Hukin & Heath
ca. 1878–81

Sconce, Silver plate on copper — Sconce
1795–1815

Teapot, I. C., Silver, ebony, French, Paris — Teapot
I. C.
1699–1700

The Backgammon Players, Philip Webb British, Painted pine, oil paint on leather, brass, copper, British — The Backgammon Players
Designer Philip Webb
Manufacturer Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co.
Painted by Sir Edward Burne-Jones
1861

Jug, Christopher Dresser British, Scottish, Earthenware, silver mounts, British, Torquay — Jug
Designer Christopher Dresser
Manufactory Watcombe Pottery Co.
ca. 1872–75

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.