Spongeware Mudlarked Sherd Pendant of Red and Green

Historical Information
Type: Hand-painted Spongeware
Fabric: Earthenware
Date: 19th Century
Find Location: Essex, UK
Extra Information:
This pendant is crafted from a fragment of hand-painted spongeware, decorated with bold red and green sponged patterning. Originally part of a household dish, the design would have repeated around the vessel’s edge, created by pressing hand-cut sponges dipped in coloured pigment against the earthenware surface.

Sponge-decorated pottery was especially popular in Britain during the 19th century, when potters in Staffordshire, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland produced simple yet vibrant patterns for everyday tablewares. Affordable, durable, and cheerful, spongeware brightened countless Victorian kitchens. Even in fragment form, this pendant preserves the vivid colour and folk-art charm that made spongeware so beloved.