Norwich Castle Museum (Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service) 626.70.946

Additional Image:

The reverse is printed with The Virtuous Man. Inscribed below is "The end of the upright man is peace". Around him is "By honest and industrious means we live a life of ease, then let the compass be your guide and go where ere you please". The four scenes beyond the compass indicate the fate of the man who does not keep within compass: gambling, and lust (toying with a woman on a sofa) lead to moral disaster (a shipwreck) and prison (scene behind bars). Another version of this design, printed by Thomas Baddeley, is in this exhibit.
What happens to the woman who does not keep within compass: above she admires herself in the mirror as a gentleman visitor enters; below she ends up picking oakum in the workhouse.
Shape Type
Breakfast & Tea Wares
Pattern Type
Genre Scenes
Date
1790-1800
Dimensions
  • Height: 13.70 in (34.80 cm)
  • Length: 21.90 in (55.63 cm)
  • Width: 12.40 in (31.50 cm)
Maker
Unknown
Engraver's Name
Richard Abbey
Printer's Name
Joseph Johnson Liverpool

Engraver's Mark:

Printed
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Printer's Mark:

Printed
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Description:

Creamware teapot printed in black with Keep within Compass prints of The Virtuous Woman and The Virtuous Man, engraved by Richard Abbey and printed by Joseph Johnson. The woman is on the principal side of the teapot, that is, the side which a right-handed person would see as they poured the tea.Below the female figure is "The virtuous woman is a crown to her
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