1840, during the mayoralty of Dr. Cookworthy, grandson of the potter.
VI
THE
LOWESTOFT
FACTORY
[Illustration: THREE PANELS FROM LOWESTOFT POWDER-BLUE OCTAGONAL DISH.
(Marked with imitation Chinese mark in blue.)]
[Illustration: LOWESTOFT SAUCE-BOATS (BLUE and WHITE).
(With fragment of Mould from which they were made.)]
VI
THE LOWESTOFT FACTORY
We have dealt with Worcester and with Derby, with Chelsea and with Bow.
Of the latter, we told of the difficulty of determining the marks, and
of accurately naming the china; but what are we to think of a factory,
which we may term the “Mrs. Harris” among china factories, inasmuch as
some people with no less scepticism than Sairey Gamp’s friend, believe
it did not exist at all. The legends of Lowestoft are many and varied,
but we think we shall succeed in presenting some sort of rational
account of the factory to our readers, which may dispel many notions,
perhaps wrongly, held by those to whom “Lowestoft” is a myth and the
collecting of it a snare and a delusion.
[Illustration: BLUE AND WHITE DELFT MARRIAGE PLATE, WITH INSCRIPTION.
(Dated 1755.)]
It is stated that a Dutch sailor, wrecked on the coast, in return
for the hospitality of a gentleman who brought him to his house, was
instrumental in pointing out the value of the white earth which he
discovered on the gentleman’s estate. It is certain that the sand on
the coast of Suffolk at Lowestoft is of great purity, as compared with
that of other parts of the country, and, when the Lowestoft works were
closed, the Worcester factory availed themselves of it in making their
best porcelain.
There are certain plates of reputed Lowestoft manufacture, dated 1752
and thereabouts, bearing the names of Quinton, of Yarmouth, Parrish,
of Norwich, and other local families. These plates are of earthenware
body, with coarse decorations in blue, and having a yellow rim. They
were made to celebrate the marriage of the persons named on them. In
the one we reproduce, specially photographed for this volume, the
inscription runs: “Henrÿ and Marÿ Qu̓inton, Yarmou̓th, nor f f: olk.
1755.” This lettering, with the two dots over the letters y, and the
peculiar placing of the commas over the letters u, is conclusive
evidence that it was written by a foreigner, and presumably plates such
as these were made in Holland to order of some shipmaster.
One of the owners of the original factory was Robert Browne, who died
in 1771, when the management was undertaken by his son—also Robert
Browne—who made great experiments in pastes. There is a story of how
Robert Browne the second paid a visit to London disguised as a workman,
and by secreting himself in a barrel, was enabled to watch the mixing
of the ingredients forming the paste of Chelsea or of Bow.
The presence of coats of arms upon genuine known pieces of Lowestoft
may have caused some confusion, which has continued to the present
day. At the end of the last century a great deal of Oriental china
was made having coats of arms of English families upon it. Although
Lowestoft bore no resemblance in its body to Oriental ware, people
came to suppose that, in some way or another, the ware was brought in
its unfinished state from the East, and then decorated and re-fired
at Lowestoft. With the exception of Plymouth and Bristol, Lowestoft is
the only factory in England which is credited with producing the true
hard-paste porcelain, as made in the East; all other old English chinas
are of soft paste, and a great deal of our wares are earthenware, for
instance, Wedgwood. But the claim that Lowestoft made hard paste has
never been substantiated by facts.
Lowestoft may be divided into two parts, the first dealing with the
early period when blue and white ware was made, and the second period,
when a finer and higher class of goods, with heraldic designs and
floral intricacies, were introduced. At one period of its history the
paste of Lowestoft appears to have been harder than that of Bow or
Chelsea. Roughly, just a half of a century saw the rise and fall of
Lowestoft. It was established from 1756, and in 1802 the factory had
ceased.
Many families in the Eastern Counties to this day possess specimens
of the Lowestoft china with names and dates painted on them. This
china with names or initials upon it, or bearing a date, in addition
to its personal value is of historic interest in determining periods
of manufacture. We give a highly interesting and very rare pair of
dated cups and saucers, with unusual decorations, vine leaves in gold,
clusters of grapes in red, and tablet in centre with inscription, “M.
and E. Calder, Norwich, 1776,” rich blue glaze and gold bands.
Among other dated specimens of Lowestoft white and blue ware is a fine
bowl, with Chinese figures of mandarins painted in blue, and inscribed
at the bottom with the name, “Elizabeth Buckle, 1768.” This Elizabeth
Buckle is known to have been an eccentric old dame, and the service, of
which this bowl is a remnant, was made for her by her nephew, Robert
Allen. This Allen was one of the worthies of Lowestoft. In 1819, in
his seventy-fourth year, he executed a design for the East window
of the Parish Church (we know not whether it is still in existence
at Lowestoft). In acknowledgment of this service, a silver cup was
presented to him, with the inscription: “A token of respect to Mr.
Robert Allen from his fellow-townsmen of Lowestoft, for having, at the
advanced age of seventy-four, gratuitously and elegantly ornamented the
East window of their Parish Church. Ann. Dom. 1819.”
[Illustration:
_By courtesy of Mr. F. U. Yallop, Lowestoft._
OLD LOWESTOFT CUPS AND SAUCERS.
Red and gold decoration. (Dated 1776.)]
After the closing of the Lowestoft works, Allen put up a small kiln at
his own house, where he carried on operations on a limited scale. He
bought the unfinished ware from Mr. Brameld, of the Rockingham factory,
and painted it and refired it, selling it himself afterwards.
[Illustration]
We reproduce a design of a mug painted by Thomas Curtis for his father
and mother, whose names appear on it. It is said that Curtis was
formerly employed at Dresden, and that he was a “silent partner” in the
Lowestoft works. Many other examples of blue and white exist with dates
and names upon them, and there is more than enough evidence to show
that, short as was the history of the Lowestoft factory, it did good
work.
We shall now proceed to give an account of the wonderful decorative
qualities of a great artist in Lowestoft china, whose works now are
worth many pounds, but whose latter days, when he was blind, were spent
in poverty.
We have dealt with the earlier ware made there—of the blue and white
porcelain and of the delft ware probably made in Holland; we now come
to the higher and finer products of Lowestoft, over which so many
debates have taken place. It has been held that this ware was decorated
at Lowestoft, but that it was real Oriental body imported in its
half-finished state from the East, and only painted and re-fired in
this country. However, on the signed testimony of one of the workmen,
it is positively stated that no Oriental porcelain ever came into the
factory at Lowestoft to be decorated. “No manufactured articles were
brought there to be painted, and every article painted in the factory
had been previously made there.”
The question, too, of hard paste being made at Lowestoft is now
disproved; among all the recently discovered fragments is nothing of
hard paste.
The theory that porcelain came over from China through Holland to
Lowestoft, if it be examined, does not hold water. First, it would not
have paid, especially as then a large duty existed on china imported,
whereas Lowestoft china was produced at a fairly cheap cost, and
supplied to the public to compete with Worcester, and Derby, and the
Staffordshire makers. Again, when the Lowestoft factory broke up, there
would naturally have been a lot of unfinished Oriental porcelain in its
white state, prior to the decoration, thrown on the market. What became
of it all in 1802? Nobody ever seems to have seen any white china
bowls, or white tea services, or white vases.
But there is a certain amount of mystery about Lowestoft, and a great
quantity of ware exists both in this country and abroad, which is
classed as Lowestoft china, but which is really Oriental porcelain with
British armorial bearings.
In fact, the little factory has provided a considerable field for
speculation as to what it did and what it did not produce. For so small
a factory there is quite a literature in magazine articles, and one
volume has been written upon it. The factory started about 1765, and
closed down in 1802. When it closed its kilns and heaps of shards were
hurriedly buried, it extinguished the hope of an art that promised
to be greater. The abandonment of an art industry always breaks some
hearts. There is just one fleeting glimpse of one of the old painters
when teacups and roses were no longer wanted.
Perhaps some of our readers will look under the rose and read a story,
sad enough, but true of many a craftsman at the end of the day. One
old artist who, by your leave, ladies, painted red roses and twined
chains of rosy wreaths, who put smiles and sunshine with his artful
brush on to your tea services, had a very aching heart at the end of
the journey. Fate herself twined a chain of grey roses for him. He was
blind and poor. In his old age, he laboured, a broken-down old man, in
the heat of the sun. A couple of donkeys given to him out of charity
enabled him to bring water into Lowestoft. A beggar, he would slake
a beggar’s thirst. “Wreaths of roses”—there is something gruesome in
the sound of the words. Handle your china cups with more tenderness:
human lives have gone to the making of them. The white-hot furnace and
the minute brush-mark of your rose petal turned a man’s day to dark
night. Roses and wreaths of roses, and behind them all—tears.
[Illustration: RARE LOWESTOFT COFFEE-POT.
Decoration in Oriental style in blue.
_In the possession of Mr. Merrington Smith, Lowestoft._]
The writer is able to confirm the above statements respecting
Lowestoft by information which has been courteously supplied by a
kinswoman of the celebrated designer of the bouquets of roses on the
Lowestoft porcelain. The first clay was discovered by Mr. Luson of
Gunter Hall in 1756 (now the estate of Miss Fowler), who sent a small
quantity to London to ascertain its quality. Upon trial it was found
to be excellent, and Mr. Hewlin Luson procured workmen and erected a
temporary kiln on his estate near the old Warren Houses on the Dunes
north of Lowestoft. A good deal of jealousy was aroused and trade
rivals attempted to wreck the scheme and tampered with the workmen
engaged. After a year’s struggle a company was formed who purchased
some houses in Bell Lane, now Crown Street, and established a factory.
In December, 1902, an interesting discovery was made on the site of
the old Lowestoft factory. The kiln for drying malt of Messrs. Morse,
brewers, is actually the old kiln in which the Lowestoft ware was
fired, and upon the flooring of this being removed to make a drain,
several moulds and fragments of china were found. I am especially
indebted for many curious touches of Lowestoft colour and much
information concerning this find to those present while the digging
operations were going on.
[Illustration:
_Copyright._] [_A. Merrington Smith, Lowestoft._
INTERIOR OF THE LOWER ROOM OF THE OLD LOWESTOFT CHINA FACTORY.
Digging for Moulds, July, 1903.]
This important discovery led to a complete investigation of the old
site, and, largely owing to the enterprise of Mr. A. Merrington Smith,
of Lowestoft, steps were taken to commence excavations. These resulted,
in July, 1903, in the further find of several bushels of broken moulds
and fragments of china. We give an illustration of the scene when the
moulds and fragments had been discovered.
Among these fragments are some decorated pieces ready for glazing,
which cannot be washed, as the colours, of course, come off. There are
glazed fragments in blue and other colours. There is quite a variety
of handles for cups, mugs, &c., and there are cups made without
handles. There are some birthday tablets, and some clay pipes with
heraldic devices made for William Harvey, of Yarmouth. One small piece,
evidently part of the bottom of a cup, has a crescent marked in blue;
but this does not prove that Lowestoft used the crescent as a mark; in
all probability it is the fragment of some Worcester piece they had for
purposes of copying.
[Illustration: OLD LOWESTOFT (BLUE AND WHITE).
Toy Teapot and Cream Jug (2 in. high). Inkstand (dated 1791).]
There are also unglazed fragments for basket-work, and Lowestoft
figures, unglazed, ready for firing. There are ribbed tea-cups and cups
with cornflower decoration. Among other fragments are a great number of
toy teapots and toy cups only an inch or two in height, decorated in
blue. We give an illustration of this toy ware painted under-glaze in
blue.
The bulk of these moulds and fragments are in the possession of W. Rix
Spelman, Esq., of Norwich, and it is to be hoped that careful study and
research will, by means of these indisputable facts, re-establish the
reputation of Lowestoft—
“Defamed by every charlatan
And soil’d with all ignoble use.”
Mr. Crisp, of Denmark Hill, London, possesses some of the moulds which
were disinterred at the first discovery on the Lowestoft site. He has
had china made in them and baked, and has presented the results to the
British Museum, where they are now exhibited. They seem too poorly made
to show to advantage the delicate patterns in relief.
The headpiece (p. 113) shows two sauce-boats, blue and white, with
raised decoration. It will be seen from the fragment of mould,
photographed with them, how exactly this newly discovered mould helps
to identify the pieces.
Among the fragments is part of a teapot mould, on which is the date
1761. Chaffers, in his authoritative work on china, remarks of
Lowestoft that some of the larger pieces bear traces of having been
“made in a mould,” and here, just a hundred years after the factory
ceased, comes corroborative evidence.
[Illustration: BLUE AND WHITE LOWESTOFT MUG (SOFT PASTE).
With fisherman drying herrings.
Inscribed “John Cooper, 1768.”
Reverse of mug.
With Lowestoft fishing smack.]
[Illustration: LOWESTOFT CHINA.
Jug, decorated with floral festoons at rim, and having medallion with
inscription: “Sam Cubitt Lowestoft 1772.”
Mug, inscribed: “Mary Curtis.
May love continue
Aand happiness increase
Live in Love and die in peace
1792.”
Both decorated in blue overglaze.]
There is an interesting mould for an oval perforated basket, such as
Bow and Chelsea produced, with diamond spaces to be cut out; and upon
one of the fragments of a mould for a sugar basin appears the most
delicate tracery and exquisite designs in leaves and scrolls, and
prominent among the decoration is the Japanese chrysanthemum.
All East Anglians and lovers of old Lowestoft will be pleased at this
piece of new evidence in favour of the theories held concerning the old
factory, whose reputation has been well-nigh blasted by thousands of
spurious imitations made in France—literally covered by vulgar design
and more vulgar coats of arms.
We are able to reproduce some genuine old Lowestoft. A remarkable
piece is the old mug, about 6 in. high, depicting an old fishwife
with bellows under her arm, and holding a spit of herrings. This is
decorated in blue and white. On the reverse side of mug is a fishing
boat. At the bottom it bears the name “John Cooper, 1768.” Under the
scroll of the handle are the letters “R. P.,” probably signifying that
it is the work of Richard Philips, a painter at the Lowestoft factory.
Unfortunately it is damaged, as will be seen by the illustration,
but for all that it is a specimen of considerable value. The jug we
illustrate, having the “Mandarin” decoration common to Worcester and
Bristol, is a fine example of Lowestoft under-glaze blue painting. It
bears the figure 5 upon it as a mark. It may be observed that many of
the Lowestoft pieces of blue and white bear a striking resemblance to
old Worcester. At first blush one is inclined to believe them to be
Worcester, but the blue is not quite the Worcester blue, and the glaze
tells its own story. There are pits and dimples, and little raised
surfaces here and there, particularly under the bases of cups, that are
characteristic of Lowestoft.
[Illustration: LOWESTOFT BLUE AND WHITE JUG (5 IN. HIGH).
(Marked with workman’s mark. Figure 5.)]
“A Trifle from Lowestoft,” a legend which is a familiar one on
Lowestoft ware, is an inkstand, with floral design in that shade of
red peculiar to Lowestoft but so difficult to describe in words. The
decoration on this piece is especially characteristic of the factory,
and we ask readers to make a note of it.
[Illustration: LOWESTOFT CHINA INKSTAND.
(Floral Decoration in Red.)]
There are certain marks on undoubted Lowestoft pieces which the
writer has examined. The letter “R,” which might be the signature of
Redgrave the painter. On another piece the letter “H” appears under
the rim, which may stand for Hughes. The letters “R. P.” on the mug we
illustrate (p. 125) may equally stand for Richard Powles or Richard
Philips. On one piece two L’s appear back to back ([Illustration: Two
L’s back to back]). Is this Luson, Lowestoft? While on other pieces
appear the mark [Illustration: X with one dot above and one dot to the
right] in red and in blue.
CHARACTERISTICS OF LOWESTOFT CHINA.
The china is soft paste, and is often very badly potted. The blue is
inclined to run. There is a gritty appearance in places on the glaze,
which is spotted as if by sand. In some of the blue decorated pieces,
where a flight of birds is introduced, the crescent moon (like the
Worcester crescent mark) has been put in almost as a challenge to
Worcester. One especial feature is the green hue of the glaze settled
under the rims of saucers and basins and cups. The paste often has
little bumps on it, and a mound in the centre of base under rim. Roses,
set back to back, appear on Lowestoft pieces. The red of Lowestoft is
of a peculiar quality, approaching puce in some specimens, and varying
from mauve pink to carmine.
SALE PRICES.
LOWESTOFT. £ s. d.
Bowl, 10-1/2 in., painted in flowers, with
trees and cattle. S. Mealing Mills,
Norwich, December 3, 1902 7 5 0
Mug, decorated in blue, with figure
holding spit of herrings. Fishing
boats on reverse side, inscribed
“John Cooper, 1768.” Signed
“R. P.”—Richard Philips, a painter
at Lowestoft. Messrs. Notley, Lowestoft,
July, 1903 (illustrated p. 125) 11 0 0
Mug, painted in blue, with inscription—“Add
to knowledge, temperance
(_Peter II_), James Last of Saxmundham,
1769.” Christie, March 8, 1904 16 10 6
Bowl, painted with pastoral subjects, in
panels, foliage, scrolls in red, and
inscription inside, dated 1774.
Christie, April 8, 1904 26 5 0
Bowl, large, painted with medallion
views in brown and with ribands and
foliage round the border in dark
blue and gold. Diameter, 13-1/2 in.
Christie, March 2, 1905 6 0 0
Mugs, two, roughly decorated with blue,
and inscribed below “Abi^m Moore,
August 29, 1765.” Christie, April 7,
1905 5 5 0
Lowestoft china, ten teacups and
eight saucers decorated with border
and sprays of flowers in crimson,
red, blue, and green. Sotheby,
May 17, 1920 5 0 0
VII
COALPORT
[Illustration: TWO-HANDLED CUP, RICHLY GILDED, WITH BLUE AND WHITE
PANELS. COALBROOKDALE. MARKED CBD.]
[Illustration: COVERED CUP AND SAUCER, OLD COALPORT. IN SÈVRES STYLE.]
VII
COALPORT
The history of Coalport porcelain manufactured in Shropshire on the
banks of the Severn is worth the telling, and those readers who are
possessed of specimens of the older ware issuing from this factory will
be glad to hear of its first beginnings.
Unlike some of the other great manufactories, Coalport, we are happy
to say, is still in existence. Bow and Chelsea, Nantgarw and Swansea,
Bristol and Plymouth have disappeared. The potter’s wheel is silent,
and the brush of the artist has been laid aside for ever. Long since
the potters have turned into clay themselves. At Bow, where the
exquisite ware was produced on the banks of the Lea (“New Canton,”
as the manufactory styled itself), a match factory stands on the old
foundation. Instead of delicate and fragile cupids they now make
matches, but of the kind more associated with Lucifer than with Cupid.
With Derby and with Worcester, Coalport can boast that it was
established in the middle of the eighteenth century. Indeed, there
is evidence that the Salopian china made in Colebrookdale is taken
from the same beds of clay which fifteen hundred years ago supplied
the Romans with material for their white ware, for their jugs, their
mortaria, and their bowls, which are constantly being unearthed at
various spots in the valley of the Severn.
The site of the first works was at Caughley, where a small pottery was
begun about 1754. Early in its history the names of Brown, Gallimore,
and Turner occur. In my “Chat” on the great Worcester factory I showed
that Dr. Wall was the leading spirit who infused life into the concern,
and it would appear that Thomas Turner was in some measure induced to
emulate him, and it is seen on comparison that the early examples of
Caughley were very similar to those of contemporary Worcester. The
patterns were principally confined to blue flowers and decorations
on a white ground. From 1756 to 1776 the manufactory attained a
great excellence. There exists a mug bearing the date 1776, and the
name “Francis Benbow.” There is a nautical ring about the name. One
recollects Admiral Benbow and his gallant deeds; our Francis Benbow was
a bargeman, for whom the mug was made, but his name will go down to
posterity on this Caughley mug, as it is the most perfect specimen of
its kind.
We give a reproduction of this mug, and readers will observe the anchor
marked over the name, and we would call especial attention to the
nature of the decoration upon the mug. Dated chinas of old manufacture
are specimens very worthy of notice, as they are much sought after, and
in many cases are being reproduced with the old dates upon them.
[Illustration: CAUGHLEY. OLD BLUE MUG.
(Inscribed and Dated 1776.)]
The excellence of Turner’s porcelain and the invention of the beautiful
dark blue of the Caughley china, attributed to him, brought the
factory into great prominence. But great secrecy was employed in its
manufacture, and the place hidden away in the hills was an ideal spot
for a manufactory wishing to be self-contained and free from prying
strangers. In 1780 was produced the celebrated “Willow Pattern,” which
is in demand even at the present day, and has been copied by all the
other manufactories. The “Blue Dragon,” another favourite pattern,
originated at Caughley, and it was here that the first blue-printed
table service was made in England. It was made for Thomas Whitmore,
Esq., of Apley Park, near Bridgnorth, the pattern was called the
“Nankin.” It is interesting to note that Thomas Minton, of Stoke,
assisted in the completion of this service, being articled as an
engraver there.
Until the end of 1790 Messrs. Chamberlain, of Worcester, had their
porcelain in the white from Thomas Turner, of Caughley. As an instance
of the great secrecy employed by Turner, we may say that he used to mix
all the bodies himself, but afterwards instructed his sister how to do
it. It may add an additional zest to your old white and blue Caughley
ware to know that a woman who could keep a secret was intimately
associated with its manufacture.