This container may have been a bulk ink container. A cylindrical brown glazed ceramic flagon/ bottle with a neck narrowing to a pouring lip. It has a cork stopper.container ceramic earthenware

Ceramic hot water bottles were common in the 19th and early 20th centuries. As well as filling hot water containers to warm your bed, you could buy earthenware bottles to use as foot warmers or hand warmers too. Earlier foot warmers used to hold hot coals, or glowing wood, not warm water. In the same way, traditional bed warmers filled with embers were once more usual than hot water bottles.Ceramic foot warmer glazed in cream with a decoration of lattice and pink roses.Maker stamp on base: "The Mecca Foot Warmer / Made in finest English Ivory Ware / Reg. No. 571373 / No sharp corners / Warming Pan / Stone-Trent Englandfoot warmer, household item, bedroom item

Viola Annie McVicars (1911–1990) was born in Korumburra on 29 April 1911. At the age of 21, she married William John Ayling (1909–1995). After their marriage in 1932, they moved to Kew, initially to 81 Tennyson Street, and later to 180 Pakington Street. A professional tailoress, Viola Ayling was also a talented amateur potter, creating her ceramics at her home in Pakington Street, where she had an internal studio and a handmade, wood-fired brick kiln in her backyard. Following her death in 1990, her studio pottery passed to her daughter, and following the daughter’s death, to her granddaughter. This piece of glazed earthenware is part of a collection of 15 functional and decorative ceramic items donated by Viola’s granddaughter to the collection in 2024.A handmade, reticulated ceramic vase, expertly potted and glazed. The style is representative of Australian ceramic design of the period, particularly that employed by Klytie Pate.Wheel thrown ceramic vase with the body pierced between the moulded floral exterior. The vase is fully glazed in orange with the glaze pooling in the recessed sections to provide an opaque contrast. The five petalled flowers and leaves extend to the base, which is separately glazed in a paler colour and signed by the artist. Signature to base: "V. Ayling"ceramics, pakington street -- kew (vic.), vases, reticulated containers, pierced work, viola annie mcvicars, viola annie ayling

Viola Annie McVicars (1911–1990) was born in Korumburra on 29 April 1911. At the age of 21, she married William John Ayling (1909–1995). After their marriage in 1932, they moved to Kew, initially to 81 Tennyson Street, and later to 180 Pakington Street. A professional tailoress, Viola Ayling was also a talented amateur potter, creating her ceramics at her home in Pakington Street, where she had an internal studio and a handmade, wood-fired brick kiln in her backyard. Following her death in 1990, her studio pottery passed to her daughter, and following the daughter’s death, to her granddaughter. This piece of glazed earthenware is part of a collection of 15 functional and decorative ceramic items donated by Viola’s granddaughter to the collection in 2024.A handmade ceramic container, expertly potted and glazed in a style that is representative of Australian ceramic design of the period.Wheel-thrown ceramic container, the interior and exterior fully glazed. Three glazes have ben used to decorate the object. The exterior had an initial glaze in chocolate brown with a second glaze of orange. The interior and the base are glazed in a pale cream colour. The artist's signature is on the base. Signature to base: "V. Ayling"ceramics, containers, pakington street -- kew (vic.), viola annie mcvicars, viola annie ayling

Viola Annie McVicars (1911–1990) was born in Korumburra on 29 April 1911. At the age of 21, she married William John Ayling (1909–1995). After their marriage in 1932, they moved to Kew, initially to 81 Tennyson Street, and later to 180 Pakington Street. A professional tailoress, Viola Ayling was also a talented amateur potter, creating her ceramics at her home in Pakington Street, where she had an internal studio and a handmade, wood-fired brick kiln in her backyard. Following her death in 1990, her studio pottery passed to her daughter, and following the daughter’s death, to her granddaughter. This piece of glazed earthenware is part of a collection of 15 functional and decorative ceramic items donated by Viola’s granddaughter to the collection in 2024.A handmade container, expertly potted and glazed. The style is representative of Australian ceramic design of the period, particularly that employed by Klytie Pate.Handmade, initially thrown lidded container, with applied decorative coils as decorative elements. The pot has a vibrant yellow glazed ground with highlighting in green glaze. The underneath of the separate lid continues the circular design with an incised spiral design. The base is signed with the signature of the artist.Signature to base: "V. Ayling"ceramics, pakington street -- kew (vic.), containers, viola annie mcvicars, viola annie ayling