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THE PRINCIPAL FLOOR. 
The collection of Staffordshire 'pottery commences in the- 
Wall Cases I. to V., and is continued throughout the range of 
cases along the eastern wall. Among the earliest productions 
of the district, now famous as “ The Potteries/'* are the curious 
butter -pots and the tygs , or drinking-cups furnished with more 
than a, single handle. The slip ware is a coarse brown material, 
ornamented in relief with white clay or “ slip/' and coated with 
a brilliant lead-glaze. Some of the designs on the Toft ware,. 
such as the dish G. 25, so-called from a famous maker, are 
extremely quaint. Other early products of the Potteries are 
seen in the specimens of agate ware and tortoiseshell ware. The 
red unglazed Elers ’ ware represents the work of the two 
brothers Elers, who came from Holland with the Prince of 
Orange in 1688. A large and valuable display of old salt- 
glazed ware , sometimes called Crouch Ware, and quite in- 
correctly, Elizabethan ware, occupies the lower part of these- 
Cases. 
On the upper shelves of the range of Wall Cases YI. to X. y 
wiH be found an illustrative collection of the manufactures of 
.Josiah Wedgwood. Wedgwood was born in 1730, and as a boy 
worked as a thrower in a small pottery belonging to his father. 
In 1759 he commenced for himself in an humble way, manu- 
facturing small ornamental articles. He very much improved 
the Cream Ware of the time, first made by Enoch Wood, and 
having introduced it to Queen Charlotte, he received permission 
to call his manufacture Queen’s Ware. Associated in partnership 
with Mr. Bentley of London, Wedgwood succeeded in securing 
the assistance of artists, such as Fiaxman, and the support of 
the patrons of art. From this time may be dated those beauti- 
ful productions which are so associated with the name of 
Wedgwood — vases, cameos, medallions, and the like, which have 
not been excelled by any manufacturer since his time. A fair 
selection of these will be found in the collection, showing the 
great variety of manufactures in which he engaged. Perhaps 
the most beautiful example is a copy of the famous Portland 
vase. A fine collection of Wedgwood’s cameos, some in black 
basaltes or Egyptian ware, and others in the delicate jasper- 
ware, will be found in two Cases (No. 58), placed one on each, 
side of the pillar opposite to Wall Case VIII. 
As a noble example of Wedgwood’s productions, a copy 
of a large Greek vase in the British Museum collection should 
be noticed, No. 51. This, the largest work executed by Wedg- 
wood, was presented to the Musum by the late Mr. Apsley 
Pellatt ; the original was formerly in Sir W. Hamilton’s 
collection. 
Wnilst the upper part of the Wall Cases numbered YI. to X. 
is devoted to illustrations of Wedgwood’s ware, the lower 
shelves of these Cases are occupied with examples of old 
Staffordshire pottery, showing the character of the manufacture 
as carried on by his contemporaries and successors. The series 
commences with some of the old ware of Ralph and Enoch 
