The Wedgwood Museum

THE WEDGWOOD MUSEUM AND WEDGWOOD VISITOR CENTRE LAUNCH THE SEARCH FOR THE NEW FROG SERVICE

The original Frog Service was made by Wedgwood in 1773-74 for Catherine II of Russia, also known as Catherine the Great. While most of the service forms part of the collections at the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, the Dessert Plate is on permanent display at the Wedgwood Museum.

The Frog Service, which got its name from Catherine II's suburban palace in Kekerekeksinen - the Finnish for Frog Marsh - originally consisted of 994 pieces painted with 1,244 views of England. Several local scenes are depicted in the Service, including Trentham and Shugborough and the Frog Service Dessert Plate enshrines not only English style at the time, but also the very idea of a nation. It is a unique record of England as it was in the mid 1770s.

As announced by BBC Radio Stoke The Wedgwood Museum and Visitor Centre launched the search for a new Frog Service image. Members of the public were invited to choose the image that they felt best represents Stoke and the surrounding areas today.

The closing date for sending entries has now passed. The judges are now in the process of selecting the winning entry. Watch this space for news of the creation of this new piece.