[Illustration:
VICAR & MOSES.
Modelled by RALPH WOOD. About 1750.
Marked R. WOOD, BURSLEM.
_At British Museum._]
CHATS ON OLD
EARTHENWARE
BY
ARTHUR HAYDEN
AUTHOR OF
"CHATS ON OLD CHINA," "CHATS ON OLD PRINTS," ETC.
WITH A COLOURED FRONTISPIECE
AND 150 ILLUSTRATIONS, AND TABLES
OF OVER 200 ILLUSTRATED MARKS
NEW YORK
FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
1909
(_All rights reserved._)
TO
MY OLD FRIEND
WALTER EASSIE
WHOSE FINE ENTHUSIASM HAS BEEN
A STIMULANT, AND WHOSE EVER-READY
HELP HAS ADDED MANY ARTISTIC
TOUCHES TO THIS
VOLUME.
PREFACE
Five years have now elapsed since the publication of my volume, "Chats
on English China," and in the interval a great number of readers have
written to me suggesting that I should write a companion volume dealing
with old English earthenware. It is my hope that this complementary
volume will prove of equal value to that large class of collectors who
desire to know more about their hobby but are fearful to pursue the
subject further without special guidance.
It is a matter for congratulation in these days, when so many books
have only a short life for one season, to know that, owing to the
enterprise of my publisher in making the "Chats" Series for collectors
so widely known, the volume dealing with old English China still
retains its vitality, and holds its place as a popular guide to
collecting with profit.
As far as is possible in the limits of this volume, the subject of old
English earthenware has been dealt with in order to show how peculiarly
national the productions of the potter have been. The collection of
old English earthenware, in the main, is still within the reach of
those who have slender purses. English china during the last decade
has reached prohibitive prices, and there is every likelihood that old
English earthenware will in the near future become of unprecedented
value.
I have carefully refrained from confining my treatment of the subject
to rare museum examples which are unlikely to come under the hand of
the average collector. It is necessary to have the ideal in view, but
it must be borne in mind that such specimens must always be ideal to
the larger number of collectors. I have, therefore, without belittling
the old potters' art, given considerable attention to the golden mean
in the realm of old earthenware to be collected.
The two volumes--"Chats on English China," which mainly consists of an
outline history of English china, with hints as to its collection, and
the present volume, "Chats on English Earthenware," with a faithful
_résumé_ of the work of the old English potters--together form a record
of what has been done by the potter in England, and are intended to be
practical working handbooks for the collector of old English china and
English earthenware.
The illustrations in this volume have been carefully chosen to
illustrate the letterpress, and to enable readers to identify specimens
that may come under their observation.
_Lists of Prices_ accompany the various sections whenever it has been
thought that they may be of practical value. I am indebted for the
accuracy of these prices to that useful and authoritative quarterly
publication, "Auction Sale Prices," which is a supplement to the
_Connoisseur_, and forms the standard record in the collectors' world
of the prices realised at auction.
A _Bibliography_ of works on the subject has been given, in order that
those who may wish to delve deeper may consult special volumes dealing
in detail with special sub-heads of old earthenware.
I must here record my thanks for the generous aid I have received
from possessors of fine examples who have willingly placed their
treasures at my disposal, and by so doing have enabled me to present
them as illustrations in this volume. To Colonel and Mrs. Dickson
I am especially indebted for many specimens from their interesting
collection. Miss Feilden has been good enough to select some typical
examples from her fine collection of old earthenware of exceptional
interest, and they are here reproduced by her courtesy, and to Mr.
Richard Wilson I owe my gratitude for kindly allowing illustrations
of some examples of Leeds cream-ware from his remarkable collection.
Mr. Robert Bruce Wallis, with fine enthusiasm, has spared no trouble
to enable me to present some of his rare examples, and Mrs. Herman
Liebstein has kindly supplied some fine pieces from her collection. Mr.
W. G. Honey has also kindly contributed several excellent illustrations
of specimens in his collection.
The illustrations of specimens in the Victoria and Albert Museum
are reproduced by permission of the Board of Education, and similar
permission has been accorded me by the authorities of the British
Museum to illustrate some of the rare examples in that collection. By
a like courtesy I am enabled to give an illustration of an exceptional
piece of marked Wincanton Delft, and some other examples from the
collection at the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh.
Messrs. Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, of Etruria have afforded me the
pleasure of illustrating some fine specimens in their museum, including
examples of the celebrated service made for the Empress Catherine
II. of Russia. I am especially indebted to their courtesy in giving
me facilities for the reproduction of a fine series of photographs
showing the various stages in the manufacture of earthenware, which
illustrations should be of practical advantage to the student and of
no little interest to the general collector. It should be mentioned
that these illustrations have been specially selected to represent the
stages through which a piece of old earthenware passed in the hands of
the Staffordshire potters.
In regard to the illustrations of the rare examples of Leeds and other
pieces decorated at Lowestoft, and for the latest details known of
this class of ware, I have to acknowledge the particular kindness
of Mr. Merrington Smith, fine art expert of Lowestoft, who is known
in connection with the excavations conducted a few years ago on the
site of the old Lowestoft china factory, and whose detailed research
regarding that factory has dissipated many erroneous theories and
thrown so much light on its history and achievements.
To Mr. Rudd, fine art dealer of Southampton, I am indebted for a
considerable fund of information relating to some of the exceptional
examples of old English earthenware which have passed through his
hands, and I am under a similar obligation to Mr. S. G. Fenton, who has
contributed some fine pieces as illustrations to this volume.
Mr. James Davies, of Chester, has given me access to his collection,
and has added some fine examples which are here included as
illustrations. Mr. F. W. Phillips, of Hitchin, has from his fine
collection made a generous selection of noteworthy specimens.
Mr. A. Duncan, of Penarth, has included photographs of some especially
fine Swansea ware.
By the kindness of Mr. Hubert Gould, I am reproducing some typical
examples of transfer-printed jugs from his collection of old
earthenware.
To other friends who have generously forborne with my inquiries, and
lent me their practical aid in various directions in assisting me to
prosecute my researches in attempting to arrive at definite conclusions
in regard to points not hitherto determined, I tender my warm
appreciation of their kindness.
I may say, in conclusion, that a good photographer is a treasure, and
no trouble has been spared by Mr. A. E. Smith, the well-known art
photographer, to render difficult subjects pictorially attractive in
conditions exceptionally detrimental to his art.
ARTHUR HAYDEN.
_March, 1909._
CONTENTS
PAGE
PREFACE 9
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 17
BIBLIOGRAPHY 23
GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED 27
CHAPTER
I. HOW TO COLLECT: A CHAPTER FOR BEGINNERS 33
II. EARLY WARE 83
III. ENGLISH DELFT 101
IV. STONEWARE 133
V. EARLY STAFFORDSHIRE WARE--THOMAS WHIELDON;
HIS CONTEMPORARIES AND SUCCESSORS 159
VI. SALT-GLAZED WARE, STAFFORDSHIRE 195
VII. JOSIAH WEDGWOOD 221
VIII. THE SCHOOL OF WEDGWOOD 257
IX. LEEDS AND OTHER FACTORIES 287
X. TRANSFER-PRINTED WARE 317
XI. STAFFORDSHIRE FIGURES 353
XII. SWANSEA AND OTHER FACTORIES 395
XIII. LUSTRE WARE 423
XIV. LATE STAFFORDSHIRE WARE 443
INDEX 485
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
FRONTISPIECE.
Staffordshire Group, _Vicar and Moses_. Modelled by
Ralph Wood about 1750. Marked R. WOOD, BURSLEM.
_At British Museum._
PAGE
CHAPTER I.--HOW TO COLLECT.
Exterior of Works, Etruria 37
A Corner of Old Etruria Works 41
Mill for Grinding Raw Materials 45
The Thrower (showing the Potter's Wheel) 49
The Oven 53
The Dipping House 57
The Enamel Kiln 61