The Federation of the Australian colonies on 1 January 1901 inspired a wide range of commemorative wares celebrating both the 'birth' of the new nation and the abiding closeness of Australia and Britain. On one side of the jardiniere a formal portrait of Queen Victoria has a British soldier on one side and an Australian on the other, symbolic of the agreement by which Britain supplied naval defence for Australia and Australian soldiers promised to defend the Empire. On the reverse is the only Australian figure -- Sir Henry Parkes, the 'father of Federation' -- next to the first governor general, Lord Hopetoun. However Parkes had died in 1896. His most effective work for Federation had been at Tenterfield in 1889 and he had little to do with subsequent negotiations leading to the writing of the Constitution and the referendum campaigns. Similarly although Hopetoun had been a popular governor of Victoria he proved unpopular as a governor general, appointing William Lyne (rather than the far more popular Edmund Barton) as the first prime minister. Joseph Chamberlain's words 'May the Union Between the Colonies and the Mother-Land now cemented by their blood, be for ever maintained' reflects his role as secretary of state for the colonies which meant he introduced the Commonwealth Constitution Bill into the British House of Commons.

Aedeen Cremin (ed), '1901: Australian life at Federation, an illustrated chronicle', UNSW Press, 1901

Doulton & Co were one of the major producers of commemorative wares covering political and military events which were celebrated with a variety of mugs, jugs, busts, flasks, vases and teapots. The design for the Australian federation ceramics was by John Slater and John Shorter.

The Commonwealth of Australia was inaugurated on 1 January 1901 in a ceremony in Sydney's Centennial Park. The official signing of the documents followed a parade through the city streets from the Domain, along Macquarie Street and out through Pitt Street to Oxford Street. Fire fighters, police, stockmen, trade unionists, representatives of foreign governments, British Empire troops and Australia's first governor general, Lord Hopetoun, marched through the lavishly decorated streets watched by a crowd of 250,000. Ten plaster arches spanned the roadway representing aspects of Australian life. A special pavilion, designed by NSW Government Architect Walter Vernon was erected in Centennial Park for the Declaration of the Commonwealth and the swearing in of Lord Hopetoun, the first Prime Minister Edmund Barton and his ministry. The same pen, inkstand and table were used as had been used by Queen Victoria when she signed the Australian Commonwealth (Constitution) Act on 9 July 1900. The Ceremony ended with a massed choir singing God save the Queen and the Hallelujah chorus followed by 10,000 school children singing Advance Australia fair and Rule Britannia.

Jardiniere, Australian Federation 1901 Commemorative Ware, earthenware, made by Doulton & Co, Burslem, England, 1901

Large earthenware jardiniere with a circular body and concave base with an unpronounced foot ring. The sides of the jardiniere are also convex and rise to form a narrow shoulder with a short out curving neck. The exterior of the vessel is white with a gilt line around the rim and green transfer print on the body. The transfer includes images of a light horseman and infantry man flanking a medallion portrait of Queen Victoria above a banner. Above this are medallions with busts of the Earl of Hopetoun and Sir Henry Parkes inside a floral circle. On either side of this is also a portrait medallion of the Duke and Duchess of York. Surrounding this are also sprays of roses, waratah, daisy-like flowers and leptospermums. On the inside of the lip is a floral band of rosettes and flowers.

Designed: Slater, John;

Designed: Shorter, John Austin;

Made: Doulton & Co (Burslem works); Staffordshire, England; 1901

Underneath the medallion portrait of Queen Victoria is, 'AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION 1901' with a quote from Joseph Chamberlain underneath, 'MAY THE UNION BETWEEN THE COLONIES / AND THE MOTHER-LAND, NOW / CEMENTED BY THEIR BLOOD, BE FOR / EVER MAINTAINED / Joseph Chamberlain'. On the base of the jardiniere is the maker's mark, 'DOULTON BURSLEM / ENGLAND'.

A4571

230 mm

290 mm

258 mm