This placement focuses on exploring the contributions of Jewish art and antique dealers to forming the V&A’s internationally important ceramics collection.

Building on the research objectives of the AHRC-funded project ‘Jewish Country Houses – Objects, Networks, People’ (2019-2024), the student will undertake primary source research using the archives, accession registers and close examination of museum objects, to identify and map the networks of Jewish dealers who contributed to building the collections of European earthenwares (Italian maiolica, French faience, Dutch Delft and German stoneware). The student will use preliminary findings to direct their research into the networks of Jewish dealers, either exploring the impact within the wider trade of historic ceramics of a small number of prolific dealers (e.g. Siegfried Bing, Alfred Spero, Durlacher Brothers) or investigating the larger network of lesser-known Jewish dealers and providing biographical and business information.

Placement candidates will expect to acquire the following skills and knowledge from this placement.

• Provenance research

• Cataloguing

• Public engagement

• Object handling

Possible outputs of the placement

A comprehensive listing in the form of a database of Jewish dealers and agents that appear in the museum documentation and other related archives and libraries. • Improving CMS & Explore the Collections catalogue records, batch editing to update provenance details and biographical information about the dealers. • Delivering a research seminar to Museum staff • An entry on Jewish actors (dealers, donors, collectors etc.) in the museum collection for the V&A Blog, and potentially for external partners

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO CAREFULLY READ THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ATTACHMENTS FOR HOW TO APPLY