readers, to whom Bow is a name, to form some idea of what went on
there more than a century ago. The china cabinet holds more mysteries
within it than many a good housewife dreams of. It will be seen that
the difficulties of china-collecting are legion. At the modern find at
Bow, lovers of china ought to be grateful, for it enabled many vexed
questions to be settled, but what is Bow and what is Chelsea still
puzzles experts. In all probability Bow, Bristol, and another very much
debated factory, Lowestoft, will continue to offer traps and snares and
pitfalls for the unwary collector (or misshapen falsities attributed to
them) till connoisseurs are no more and collecting days are done.
The find in 1903 at Lowestoft is as important as the find at Bow, but
it is exceedingly unlikely that any more facts will ever come to light
respecting these old factories; every available source of information
has been tapped and all that can be known concerning them is known.
The potters who made the exquisite shapes, the artists who painted the
roses on bowl and beaker, have long since departed with the roses of
yester-years. Their life-work is scattered. Much of it, perhaps most of
it, is gone for ever. Each cup and each dish of the long-dead artist is
like “a good deed in a naughty world.” To-day, with a handful of facts,
collectors and connoisseurs wrangle together over theories.
[Illustration: BOW CUP AND SAUCER.
Embossed pine cone ornament and green band.]
[Illustration: BOW CUPS.
The celebrated quail pattern; floral decoration, gilded, birds touched
with blue. Middle cup, floral design in crimson and green.
_In the Collection of the Author._]
Disputes have been held as to the origin of certain pieces of puzzling
technique. Some experts have believed them to be Chelsea or Longton
Hall. Even the “Craft Bowl,” one of the earliest pieces of Bow china,
now at the British Museum, is known to have been decorated in a kiln at
Kentish Town.
CHARACTERISTICS OF BOW CHINA.
Body and glaze often defective, pattern so arranged as to cover flaw.
Insects often introduced for this purpose to hide imperfections.
Coarse, chalky white ware, covered with glaze much pitted and speckled.
The bottom often shows three marks representing points on which piece
rested in kiln. The glaze is thickly applied, and fills up interstices
of raised patterns. The body and glaze varied; the earlier pieces have
a yellow tinge in the glaze. The bottoms of some basins and dishes are
often twice as thick as the sides. The ware, owing to large amount of
lead used, is discoloured.
SALE PRICES.
BOW. £ s. d.
Figures, pair, emblematical of Autumn
and Winter, 7-1/4 in. high. Christie,
February 4, 1902 16 16 0
Groups, pair, a drummer and piper, 10
in. high. Christie, February 4, 1902 48 6 0
Figures, pair, of a girl and youth, with
bagpipes, a dog and flowers, 7-1/2 in.
high. Christie, April 25, 1902 16 5 6
Groups, pair, with figures of a Chinaman,
child, and monkey; and the
companion, on scroll plinths, 9-1/2 in.
high; rare mark, B, intertwined
with the anchor and dagger.
Christie, June 20, 1902 42 0 0
Cream-jug, with flowers in relief,
coloured; impressed triangle mark.
Christie, June 24, 1902 25 4 0
Ink-stand, with ink-vase, sand-box,
candlestick, and pen-tray, painted
with landscapes and insects, the pen-tray
surmounted by a group of a
goat and two children, 9-1/2 in. wide.
Christie, July 2, 1902 17 6 6
Cream-jugs, two, with goats and bee in
relief. Christie, November 28, 1902 16 16 0
Figures of parrots, pair, holding fruit
and perched upon stumps of trees,
resting on tripod scroll, bases encrusted
with flowers, the birds are
painted in natural colours, height
7-1/2 in. and 6-1/2 in. Sotheby, November
11, 1902 33 0 0
Statuette, on scroll base, of a boy playing
a drum, painted in colours, with
gilding and encrusted with jesmine
at sides, modelled by Tebo, height
10 in. Sotheby, November 11, 1902 16 10 0
Figure. Bacchus squeezing grapes in cup,
11 in. high. Sotheby, May 17, 1920 19 0 0
Figure of girl carrying basket, and her
apron full of flowers, 5-1/8 in.
Sotheby, May 17, 1920 6 15 0
Figure of a child, emblematic of Winter,
6-3/4 in. high. Christie, July 20, 1920 8 18 6
Figure of Cupid, kneeling before a
flowering tree with a bird in the
branches, 8 in. high. Christie, July
5, 1920 4 4 0
Figure of two birds, perched on flowering
branches, 6-1/2 in. high. Christie,
July 5, 1920 6 6 0
Pair of Figures of Neptune and Pomona,
7-3/4 in. high. Christie, July 5, 1920 14 3 6
Figure of Jupiter, with an eagle and
thunderbolt, 6-1/2 in high. Christie,
July 5, 1920 8 8 0
Figure of Minerva, richly coloured, on
scroll plinth encrusted with flowers,
13-1/2 in. high. Christie, July 5, 1920 14 14 0
A nearly similar figure on white scroll
plinth. Christie, July 5, 1920 5 5 0
Pair of octagonal dishes, painted with
quails and flowering plants in the
Hizen taste, 9-1/2 in. wide. Puttick &
Simpson, July 16, 1920 10 10 0
Figure of Neptune holding a vase, and
with dolphin, on wave base, 7-3/4 in.
high. Puttick & Simpson, July 16,
1920 8 18 6
Figure of Minerva on pierced scroll base,
outlined with turquoise and gilt,
red anchor and dagger mark, 8-1/2 in.
high. Puttick & Simpson, July 16, 1920 15 15 0
Pair of Figures of a boy and girl, wearing
Eastern costumes, and with dog
and lamb, on shaped bases, with
three scroll feet, red anchor and
dagger mark, 6 in. high. Puttick
& Simpson, July 16, 1920 19 19 0
IV
OLD WORCESTER
[Illustration: EARLY BLUE AND WHITE WORCESTER PLATE.
(Marked with crescent.)
_In the Collection of the Author._]
[Illustration: OLD WORCESTER SUGAR-BASIN AND CREAM JUGS.
(Transfer-printed in black.)]
IV
OLD WORCESTER
In old Worcester china there lies a magic that appeals to the collector
of fine copies and adaptation from Nankin and other Chinese porcelain.
The real old blue colouring of Worcester has a charm about it which
cannot be reproduced nowadays. There is something personal about the
productions of the old factories; the workman was proud to make his
mark at the bottom of the plate or bowl he had created, much in the
same manner as the masons who built Fountains Abbey left each man his
mystic sign on each stone he carved.
If the reader chooses to weave a romance of airy nothingness on an old
cracked bowl of Worcester blue there is substance enough, if he has the
mind to do so. Mr. Austin Dobson, in one of his charming villanelles,
has taught us how much lies in the dreamy depths of a plate with queer
Chinese blue figures on it:—
“‘Ah, me! but it might have been!
Was there ever so dismal a fate?’
Quoth the little blue mandarin.
‘Such a maid as was never seen?
She passed, though I cried to her, “Wait.”
Ah, me! but it might have been!
‘I cried, “O my Flower, my Queen,
Be mine!” ’Twas precipitate,’
Quoth the little blue mandarin.
‘But then ... she was just sixteen,
Long-eyed—as a lily straight—
Ah, me! but it might have been!
‘As it was, from her palankeen,
She laughed—“You’re a week too late!”
Quoth the little blue mandarin.
‘That is why, in a mist of spleen,
I mourn on this old blue plate.
Ah, me! but it might have been!’
Quoth the little blue mandarin.”
[Illustration: WORCESTER PLATE SCALE PATTERN.
Fine painted Flowers in reserved panels. Having square mark.]
[Illustration: WORCESTER TEAPOT.
Powder blue ground with white reserves decorated in blue.]
We have already given the story of old Derby china, and when Derby
and Chelsea and Bow were establishing for themselves a reputation,
Worcester was engaged in experimenting in the same direction in the
person of one Dr. John Wall, a physician of that city. He was a
man of considerable taste, and besides being a clever practitioner,
he was a practical chemist, and an artist of some ability. One of his
paintings hangs in the hall of Merton College, Oxford, of which he
was a Fellow. He was an etcher, and designed stained-glass windows;
one of his windows is at Oriel College. What William Duesbury was to
Derby and the foundation of the china factory there, and what Josiah
Wedgwood was to Staffordshire, that was Dr. John Wall to Worcester.
His was the guiding intellect of the Worcester enterprise, which
culminated in 1751, about a year after Derby had been established, in
the establishment of a manufactory of porcelain in the “faithful city.”
These were restless times, very troublesome then to domestic England,
and having an influence upon art. Only six years prior to this the
Pretender had invaded England with an armed force, and had penetrated
as far as Derby. Party feeling ran very high. It has been asserted
that the industry was introduced to Worcester for political reasons,
so that the Georgian party might gain votes in the county against the
Jacobites, who were strong in Worcester. It seems certain enough that
Dr. Wall began his experiments merely for the love of the study, but
whether he was used by politicians, or whether he used them, is of no
moment to us; suffice it to say that the Worcester Porcelain Company
was founded in 1751, and among the prominent co-operators with Dr. Wall
were William Davies, an apothecary, and Edward Cave, the founder of
the _Gentleman’s Magazine_. This latter was of inestimable use to the
factory for advertising their wares.
[Illustration: Old Worcester Marks.
1751-1776.]
[Illustration: Old Worcester Marks.]
The earliest Worcester productions were based entirely on Chinese
models. Small cups, without handles, of Oriental design were decorated
under the glaze in blue. All the characteristics of the Nankin ware
became those of Worcester. Slowly and surely they attempted with
complete success some of the more brilliant colours of Eastern
ceramic ware, notably from the Japanese.
[Illustration: PAIR OF WORCESTER VASES.
(Dr. Wall period with square mark.)
Finely painted exotic birds in colour.]
The early ware of Worcester may be known by a peculiar greenness of
hue in the body of the china. The first mark used was the letter W in
some form or another. This letter may stand either for Wall or for
Worcester, as D marked on Derby china may stand either for Duesbury,
the founder, or for Derby. We reproduce several of the earliest
Worcester marks. About the same time a crescent was used, which is
believed to have been adopted from the arms of the Warmstrey family, in
whose ancient mansion the factory was first started.
The first two letters, [Illustration: W], in script, were used when
the factory was under the direction of Dr. Wall, who died in 1776. The
capital W was marked in blue on early printed china. The crescent in
outline was one of the earliest marks, while the second crescent filled
in with blue, under the glaze, occurs on blue-printed china, which was
invented about 1755.
Among other early Worcester marks are assimilations and variations
of certain Chinese characters, probably from the models which the
Worcester potters copied. Of the square marks, it may be observed
that they do not always occur on Chinese patterns. Occasionally, too,
a crescent in red is found with one of these squares in blue. Of the
other ornate and curiously Eastern adaptations, it may be that they
were workmen’s signatures, but they are only found on old Worcester.
The love for Oriental flourishes is shown by a series of numbers.
Examples from 1 to 9 are known. We reproduce the numbers 1, 4, 5, 7.
In 1756 the important invention of transferring printed impressions
from copper plates was introduced at Worcester. It is debatable
ground whether Battersea, Liverpool, or Worcester invented it. But in
1757 it had arrived at a wonderful state of perfection at Worcester.
The engraver, Robert Hancock, was employed. Valentine Green, the
great mezzotint engraver, was his pupil. A mug bearing the head of
the King of Prussia, and dated 1757, is held to be one of the most
characteristic pieces of this period.
Thomas Carlyle has a graphic description of one of these King of
Prussia mugs, which piece of prose is worth giving in full, for we do
not often see the historian of the French Revolution in the character
of a china connoisseur:—
“There stands on this mantelpiece,” says one of my correspondents, the
amiable Smelfungus, in short, whom readers are acquainted with, “a
small china mug, not of bad shape, declaring itself, in one obscure
corner, to be made at Worcester, ‘R. I., Worcester, 1757’ (late in the
season, I presume, demand being brisk); which exhibits all round it a
diligent potter’s apotheosis of Friedrich, hastily got up to meet the
general enthusiasm of English mankind. Worth, while it lasts unbroken,
a moment’s inspection from you in a hurrying along.
[Illustration: OLD WORCESTER MUG. (HEIGHT 5-3/4 IN.)
(Transfer-printed in black.)
With portrait of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia.
(Signed with initials of Robert Hancock), and Anchor.]
“Front side, when you take our mug by the handle for drinking from
it, offers a poor, well-meant china portrait, labelled, King of
Prussia: copy of Friedrich’s portrait by Pesne, twenty years too young
for the time, smiling out nobly upon you; upon whom there descends with
rapidity a small Genius more like Cupid, who had hastily forgotten his
bow, and goes headforemost on another errand, to drop a wreath far too
small for ever getting on (owing to distance, let us hope), though
the artless painter makes no sign; and indeed both Genius and wreath,
as he gives them, look almost like a big insect, which the King will
be apt to treat harshly if he notice it. On the opposite side, again,
separated from Friedrich’s back by the handle, is an enormous image
of Fame, with wings, filling half the mug, with two trumpets going at
once (a bass, probably, and a treble), who flies with great ease; and
between her eager face and the unexpectant one of Friedrich (who is
180 deg. off, and knows nothing of it) stands a circular trophy, or
imbroglio of drums, pikes, muskets, canons, field flags, and the like;
very slightly tied together, the knot, if there is one, being hidden
by some fantastic bit of scroll or escutcheon, with a Fame and _one_
trumpet scratched on it; and high out of the imbroglio rise three
standards inscribed with names, which we perceive are intended to be
names of Friedrich’s victories; standards notable at this day, with
names which I will punctually give you.
“Standard first, which lies to the westward or leftward, has ‘Reisberg’
(no such place on this distracted globe, but meaning Bevern’s
_Reichenberg_, perhaps), ‘Reisberg,’ ‘Prague,’ ‘Collin.’ Middle
standard curves beautifully round its staff, and gives us to read
‘Welham’ (non-extant, too; may mean _Welmina_ or Lobositz), ‘Rosbach’
(very good), ‘Breslau’ (poor Bevern’s, thought a _victory_ in Worcester
at this time!). Standard third, which flies to eastward or right hand,
has ‘Newmark’ (that is, _Neumarkt_ and the Austrian bread-ovens,
December 4th); ‘Lissa’ (not yet _Leuthen_ in English nomenclature);
and Breslau again, which means the capture of Breslau city this time,
and is a real success, December 7th to 19th; giving as the approximate
date, Christmas, 1757, to this hasty mug. A mug got up for a temporary
English enthusiasm, and for the accidental instruction of posterity.
It is of tolerable china, holds a good pint, ‘to the Protestant hero
with all the honours,’ and offers, in little, a curious eyehole into
the then England, with its then lights and notions, which is now so
deep-hidden from us, under volcanic ashes, French revolutions, and the
wrecks of a hundred very decadent years.”
This mug bears the letters “R. H.” on it, the initials of the engraver.
In addition to this portrait of Frederick the Great there were others
engraved of George II., George III., Queen Charlotte, the Marquis of
Granby, and William Pitt. The full signature of Robert Hancock is often
found on garden scenes and Watteau-like subjects.
We illustrate as a headpiece a group of two cream-jugs and a
sugar-basin with black Worcester transfer-printed subjects on them.
[Illustration: WORCESTER MUG.
(With subject in Watteau style transfer, printed in black.)
_In the collection of Author._]
[Illustration: WORCESTER DISH (MARKED WITH BLUE CRESCENT).
_In Collection of Mr. W. G. Honey._]
Leaving poetry and coming to fact, we arrive at the beginning of the
second period in the history of the Worcester factory. Dr. Wall, the
originator of the works, had died in 1776, and it must be borne in
mind by the collector that from about the year 1764, when the Chelsea
works became disorganised, up to the death of Dr. Wall, some of the
most exquisite creations of Worcester were produced. Several of the
Chelsea artists had come to Worcester, and mugs of a choice apple-green
were made in imitation of the Sèvres ware, but none of these bear the
Worcester mark. Vases with rich _bleu-de-roi_ ground and salmon-scale
markings, with exotic birds of rich plumage, of varied and elegant
design, belong to this period, and command at the present day very
high prices. Donaldson and O’Neale were two of the best painters, and
painted some of the finest Worcester vases so much sought after. At
the Victoria and Albert Museum, in the collection of the late Lady
Charlotte Schreiber, there are some particularly fine examples.
[Illustration: Flight & Barr Marks.
Chamberlain Marks.]
We reproduce a fine Worcester dish (10-3/4 in. by 8-3/4 in.) from the
collection of Mr. W. G. Honey, recently at the Cork Exhibition. This
specimen is an excellent example of the best period, and is marked with
a blue crescent.
In 1783 the works passed into the hands of Mr. Thomas Flight, who,
together with his two sons, Joseph and John, raised the manufactory
to some eminence. In 1788, George III., with Queen Charlotte, visited
the works, and the title “Royal” was added to the mark, above the
word “Flight.” Later on, in 1791, Mr. Martin Barr joined the concern,
the firm becoming “Flight and Barr.” It should be noted that Mr.
Chamberlain, the head of the decorating department of the old factory,
never came under the Flight _régime_, but established a factory of his
own at Worcester. We give in order of date the various marks used both
by his factory and that of the Flights.
[Illustration: Kerr and Binns Marks.
Grainger, Lee and Co. Marks.]
These two factories continued as rivals until 1840, when they
amalgamated, and the two firms formed one company. The name of Flight
and Barr disappears, and the business being carried on at Messrs.
Chamberlain’s premises, the new Worcester mark became “Chamberlain &
Co.” In 1850 Mr. W. H. Kerr joined the company, and for a little while
the firm was known as “Chamberlain, Lilley, & Kerr.” In 1852 another
change took place, Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Lilley retired, and Mr. R.
W. Binns entered into partnership with Mr. Kerr. From that time the
manufactory, under the management of Kerr & Binns was known as “W. H.
Kerr & Co.” It is important that the collector should know all these
transitions in the ownership and management of the Worcester works,
which has a continuous history of nearly a hundred and fifty years, a
record not reached by any other English factory.
Besides the above-mentioned two main streams of Worcester porcelain
manufacture, there is yet another firm which was established in
1800 by Thomas Grainger, nephew to Mr. Chamberlain. The firm became
Grainger, Lee & Co., and afterwards G. Grainger & Co. We give their
marks, together with the other Worcester marks, to enable our readers
to identify any specimens they may possess. One of the marks in the
Kerr & Binns period requires explanation. The circle with the letter W
radiating from the centre was especially designed for solely marking
the productions of the factory made for the use of Queen Victoria and
the Royal household.
The scent-bottle which we give as illustration has double sides,
the outer being ornamented with perforated work, painted and gilt.
The neck is beautifully decorated with flowers on a yellow ground.
It is marked “Chamberlain’s Worcester.” It is an elegant piece, and
very characteristically shows, for instance, in the double sides and
perforated work, the influence of Chinese models. This specimen is at
the Victoria and Albert Museum.
[Illustration: SCENT-BOTTLE.
CHAMBERLAIN-WORCESTER.
_In Victoria and Albert Museum._]
A set of three vases (15-1/2 in. high), marked “Grainger, Lee, & Co.,
Worcester,” have views on them of Camden Place, Bath, Redcliffe Church,
Bristol, and St. Vincent’s Rock, Bristol.
[Illustration: SET OF WORCESTER VASES.
Grainger & Co. Early Nineteenth Century.
_Left._ Bath, Camden Place. _Centre._ Redcliffe Church, Bristol.
_Right._ Bristol, St. Vincent Rock.
(Marked in script, Grainger, Lee and Co., Worcester, with titles also
in script.)]
About the time of the Exhibition of 1851 there was great energy
displayed by the Worcester factory. Especially noticeable were the
enamelled vases, dishes, and ewers. This Worcester enamel is a
variety of Limoges work (the Limoges being on copper and the Worcester
wholly porcelain), which consists of applying semi-opaque white enamel
of varying strength, produced by superimposing more or fewer layers in
gradation upon a deep rich ground of blue. These enamels were designed
to copy the fifteenth and sixteenth century work, and succeeded very
well in their object. Later, Worcester essayed to produce jewelled
porcelain, in which Berlin and Vienna had excelled a century before. It
won especial praise at Paris in the 1867 Exhibition, and became a great
financial success.
Whether it be with the Limoges ivory or with the newer Japanese
designs which entered into the later Worcester productions, the Royal
manufactory of the “faithful city” has always held its own with the
foreign rivals and competitors at international exhibitions. At Berlin,
Paris, Vienna, at Philadelphia, at Chicago, the success of modern
Worcester is evidence enough of its vitality.
CHARACTERISTICS OF OLD WORCESTER CHINA.
In the early period a simplicity characterised the productions.
“Mandarin” designs from Chinese models prevailed. These old Worcester
under-glaze blue pieces have a tone unlike any other English factory,
and more nearly approach the Oriental quality of depth. Blue and
white dishes with pierced borders, and open basket-work dishes were a
feature.
Transfer printing _over_ the glaze is one of the characteristics of the
factory.
In the second period of Worcester were produced the elaborate vases in
the style of Dresden and of Sèvres, the finest examples of Worcester.
The third period of over-elaboration in decoration marks the decline of
Worcester.
The porcelain is thin and of very beautiful quality, having an
ivory-like texture. There is a greenish tint in the paste when
subjected to a strong light.
The varieties of bodies used at Worcester from time to time make any
generalisation obviously impossible. It is only by handling specimens
that the true feeling of Worcester may become instinct in a collector.
SALE PRICES.
WORCESTER. £ s. d.
Dish, circular, the centre painted with
butterflies, the border with exotic
birds in panels, and butterflies in
medallions in borders of dark blue
and gold, 10 in. diameter. Christie,
February 4, 1902 54 12 0
Cups and saucers, pair two-handled, with
exotic birds and insects in medallions,
in gilt foliage borders on dark
blue scale ground. Christie, February
4, 1902 90 6 0
Bowl, the exterior painted with exotic
birds, flowering trees and insects in
scroll panels, with gilt borders on
dark blue scale-pattern ground, gilt,
with foliage, the interior painted
with birds on white ground; 11 in.
diameter; square mark. Christie,
May 2, 1902 152 5 0
Plates, pair, painted with groups of
flowers and fruit in the centre in
rich crimson scroll-pattern borders
gilt with flowers and foliage, 9 in.
diameter. Christie, June 20, 1902 35 14 0
Cup and saucer, two-handled, painted
with birds and insects in shaped
panels, on pale canary scale-pattern
ground. Christie, July 9, 1902 22 11 6
Dessert dish, centre, scale-blue ground,
painted with exotic birds, foliage and
flowers in white panels of unusual
shape, and surrounded by festoons
of flowers and lattice designs in
chased gold, also painted with
flowers in colours at back. From
the service made for Lady Mary
Wortley Montague. Sotheby, November
11, 1902 101 0 0
Plates, pair, painted with festoons and
sprays of flowers in panels with gilt
scroll borders on dark blue scale-pattern
ground. Christie, November
28, 1902 35 14 0
Teapot and cover, scale-blue ground,
painted in panels of exotic birds,
square mark. Sotheby, May 4, 1903 33 0 0
Dish, large circular, painted with exotic
birds, branches and insects in scroll
panels with gilt borders, 13 in.
diameter, with dark blue scale-pattern
ground. Christie, May 28, 1903 132 16 0