Pottery and Porcelain, from early times down to the Philadelphia exhibition of 1876Elliott, Charles Wyllys
History
Pottery and Porcelain, from early times down to the Philadelphia exhibition of 1876
Elliott, Charles Wyllys
Pottery -- History; Pottery -- Marks
Some highly-finished dinner and tea services made there, like the
Nanking blue, are excellent, and are much valued. Vases and other pieces
painted in colors, with birds and other highly-colored designs, were
also produced in the same styles as those made on the Continent.
Figures, also, then much in fashion, were modeled here, like those made
at Chelsea and elsewhere.
Cookworthy spent much money, and made none, and he came to his end. At
last, in 1774, he sold his interests and patents to Champion, of
Bristol, and the work ceased.
The mark used was the sign of the planet Jupiter--very nearly the figure
_4_. It was somewhat varied.
Marks used on Plymouth porcelain:
[Illustration: Marks used on Plymouth porcelain]
BRISTOL--HARD PASTE.--The production at Bristol grew out of that at
Plymouth, of which we have given a brief account. Richard Champion,
merchant, of Bristol, was a man of much activity and ability. He took up
the making of porcelain with eagerness, and is said to have produced
both soft and hard china at his factory. The hard paste was used after
his purchase of the patents, etc., of the Plymouth factory in 1774.
Besides some very indifferent porcelain, some very beautiful work was
made at Bristol; and for two or three years there was much activity
there. But Champion, having no technical knowledge or skill, and but
insufficient capital, soon failed, and the work ceased in 1777. He
emigrated to South Carolina, where he died in 1791.
So little of this Bristol hard porcelain was made that it now brings
great prices.
Blue and white tea and dessert services, in the style of the Chinese,
were made there, as were many articles decorated with flowers. Walpole
mentions, in his list of prices, "a cup and saucer, white, with green
festoons of flowers, of Bristol porcelain."
Marryat refers to a fine tea and coffee service made for Edmund Burke in
1774, who presented it to a Mrs. Smith, who had entertained him during
his election. He says: "The china is rich in gilding, the design
elegant, and the execution good."
Mrs. James, of Cambridge, has one or two cups and saucers of blue hard
paste marked with the + in gold--not in blue, which was the usual mark
of Bristol; but there is little doubt that these are true Bristol.
Marks found on Bristol porcelain:
[Illustration: _About 1773._]
[Illustration: _Imitation of Oriental._]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration: _The cross is impressed._]
[Illustration: _Crossed swords of Dresden._]
[Illustration: _Supposed to be the name of Tebo, a modeler._]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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