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Show COSTLY PIECE OF EARTHWARE. Pennsylvania Museum Acquired Toft Dish Made About 1666. Philadelphia. Ono of the most Important Im-portant of tho recent accessions to the Pennsylvania nuiBoum, In Memorial hall, Is n largo enrthcnwnro dish, known ns a Toft dish, which was mado by Thomas Toft of Stnffordshlro, England, Eng-land, about 1CCG, nt tho time of tho restoration res-toration of Charles II. Toft ware, as it is generally called, Is exceedingly scarce, and this Is tho first exnmplo that Is known to havo been brought'to tho United States. Thu museum owes its acquisition to tho generosity of William P. Hcnszoy of tho Baldwin Locomotive works. Tho director, Dr. Darber, who Is tho recognized recog-nized American authority on pottery, has been for a long tlmo on tho lookout Toft Dlih Given to Pennsylvania Museum. through his ngonts nbrond, for nn authentic au-thentic specimen of tills early English manufacture. Somo tlmo ago ho henrd o( a plcco In possession of a London denier, but tho prlco demanded, $700, was beyond tho limited resources of tho museum, although It was considered consid-ered a reasonable price for so great a rarity. Tho matter was laid before Mr. Hcnszoy, who at onco offered to provide tho necessary sum, and the purchaso was authorized. When tho director received tho pro clous plcco of earthenwaro from the custom houso In Now York he took It up to tho Metropolitan museum and oxhlblted It to tho envious officials there, and ho received an offer ol twlco tho amount that had been paid for It. Toft dishes, which nro usually about 18 Inches In dlnmoter, wero produced In England beforo porcelain was Invented, In-vented, and thoy woro considered nt that tlmo works of great merit. Tho decoration Is mado by pouring liquid clay, or slip, through a quill attached to u llttlo cup, tho designs being traced In tho same manner as patterns In sugar Icing nro applied to cakos. Tho Toft dish which has been procured by tho museum bears flvo medallions, each ono containing a rudo portrait of Charles II, and In tho central medallion medal-lion aro tho Initials II. C, or Rex Carolus King Charles. Toft used ths royalty and nobility of tho porlod as decorative subjects for his dishes. As each pleco was decorated by hand we find no duplications; consequently the plcco now on exhibition In Phlladol phla Is unique, nnd Is ono of tho finest pieces which havo thus far como to light. Studonts of pottory nro famlllat with tho appooranco of Toft waro from Illustrations In books on ceramics, but this Is tho first opportunity presented to them to Inspect a genuine pleco. It hns a particular Interest In connection with tho slip-decorated waro of the Pennsylvnnla Gormans, of which the Pennsylvania museum has a unique collodion. |