In 2023, Dr Mary Ann Bolger donated three ceramics by Frederick Vodrey to the National Museum of Ireland. These included a teapot, a miniature jug and a sugar bowl. These ceramics were handed down to Mary Ann by her grandmother.

Frederick Vodrey (1845-1897) was an English businessman from Staffordshire who immigrated to Ireland in 1861 and became an art pottery manufacturer. He ran the first Irish art pottery from the rear of 37 Mary Street, Dublin city and also had a premises at 19 Moore Street. Here, Vodrey employed local craftsmen and women to produce ceramics for his shop at prices that provided for both the modest and the wealthy. His ceramics were simple in form and were particularly praised for their rich, highly pigmented glazes.

In 1886, Vodrey donated 47 of his ceramics to the National Museum of Ireland. A generous and a much-appreciated gesture to a national cultural institution still in its infancy. Since then, the Museum has built upon Vodrey’s donation to create a collection of his ceramics that reflect the varied repertory of shapes reproduced by Vodrey in his design and practice. These include miniature vases, decorative ewers and everyday homeware with strong colourful glazes influenced by Arabic, classical and Japanese forms.

The acquisition was filmed by Bo Media for a documentary called Hidden Treasures, which was broadcast on RTÉ television in Spring 2024.

These ceramics are on display in the What’s in Store?, ground floor, Collins Barracks.