Bowcock Bowl
- Gallery: Room 46
- Maker: Bow Porcelain Factory
- Made in: New Canton (historic)
- Date: 1759
- Object type: punch-bowl
- Materials: porcelain (soft-paste)
- Museum number: 1956,0503.1
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is the Bowcock Bowl, a stunning piece of soft-paste porcelain made in 1759 at the Bow Porcelain Factory. The bowl’s design is rich with Rococo-style cartouches and chinoise landscape scenes, all painted in vibrant powder-blue against a pale background.
Look closely at the base—you'll see the initials "IOHN & ANN / BOWCOCK. / 1759." This personal touch connects the bowl to John and Ann Bowcock, a real historical couple linked to the porcelain industry in 18th-century England.
Admire the underglaze-blue sailor scene inside, where three figures dance at a shore with a punchbowl in their midst. A castle, boats, and symbols of naval triumph create an image of celebration and achievement.
Made in a Chinese-inspired style, this punch-bowl is more than decorative—it’s a document of life and work at the height of a thriving English porcelain industry. Its unique blend of craftsmanship and personal history makes it a true treasure of the period.
See it in person
Bowcock Bowl is on display in Room 46 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
New, in beta. British Museum support has just launched and is still improving: over 1,000 objects so far, with more added all the time.
