made in Glasgow

Miniature vase, with Galashiels coat of arms

This porcelain miniature vase is decorated with the Galashiels 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 two dogs underneath a tree full of fruit with the heraldic shield flanked by the date 1337. Underneath is the motto 'SOORE PLOOMS'. These arms may have an historical origin around 1337, when a band of English was defeated by the Scots at Gala Water. They may also have been inspired by the fable of the fox and the sour grapes.

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:	000-180-001-964-C
Image Rights Holder:	National Museums Scotland
Project:	0504: National Museums Scotland Part 2 Project description \| View all records in project
Ref:	National Museums Scotland H.1994.787
Date:	Between around 1900 and 1910
Material:	Porcelain. Inscription: [Galashiels arms]; Soore Plooms; mark: 7 Nautilus M Porcelain
Dimensions:	55 mm H x 45 mm W
What:	Vase, miniature / souvenir
Subject:
Who:	Nautilus Porcelain Company, Possil Park, Glasgow (Maker)
Where:	Scotland, Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Possil Park Scotland, Selkirkshire, Galashiels
Event:
Description:	Porcelain vase with the coat of arms of Galashiels, Selkirkshire, 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. Porteous, A. The Town Council Seals of Scotland Historical, Legendary and Heraldic. Edinburgh and London: W & A K Johnston, MCMVI, pp 127-8.
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