Miniature vase, with Leith coat of arms

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This porcelain miniature vase is decorated with the Leith coat of arms. It was made for the souvenir market by the Nautilus Porcelain Company at the Possil Pottery in Glasgow and dates from between around 1900 and 1910.

The arms show a galley at sea, with furled sails and flag flying and the Virgin Mary seated in the centre holding the Christchild in her arms. Below is the motto and instruction 'PERSEVERE'. The Virgin Mary is the patron saint of the town and port of Leith.

Crested china became the most important type of British souvenir between 1900 and 1930. Its invention is credited to William Henry Goss (1833-1906), the owner of the Falcon Works in Stoke-on Trent. The main producer of crested china in Scotland was the Nautilus Porcelain Company, at the Possil Pottery in Glasgow. Run by the china merchants MacDougall & Sons, of 77-79 Buchanan Street, the company produced 'Nautilus' miniatures between around 1900 and 1910. The pottery closed in 1911.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-180-001-969-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland Part 2
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  H.1994.806
• Date: Between around 1900 and 1910
  
• Material: Porcelain. Inscription: [Leith coat of arms (virgin and child in boat)] Persevere; Leith; mark: Nautilus [ship] Porcelain 10
  Vase, miniature / souvenir
  
• Dimensions: 45 mm H x 50 mm W
  
• What: Vase, miniature / souvenir
  
• Subject:
• Who: Nautilus Porcelain Company, Possil Park, Glasgow (Maker)
  
• Where: Scotland, Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Possil Park
  Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh, Leith
  
• Event:
• Description: Porcelain vase with the coat of arms of Leith, made by the Nautilus Porcelain Company, Possil Park, Glasgow
  
• References:
  • Evans, G. Souvenirs From Roman Times to the Present Day. Edinburgh: NMS Publishing Ltd, 1999, pp 52-5. 
• Translations:
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