The factory of Nantgarw was a small one, founded in 1813, by Billingsley & Walker, at some ten or a dozen miles from Cardiff. The former had been an apprentice to Duesbury, of Derby, and had had great experience, having been in partnership with Coke at Pinxton, then acting as manager at Mansfield, working afterwards at Torksey, Lincolnshire, then at Bristol, and serving under Flight & Barr at Worcester, prior to his founding the manufactory at Nantgarw. In 1820, eight years before the death of Billingsley, John Rose, of Coalport, purchased the plant, Billingsley and Walker going into his service. The marks on the Nantgarw porcelain were either in red or impressed, as illustrated. The paste employed was exceedingly soft and fine in texture; the vases, with beautiful handles and covers, the table services and plaques were painted with landscapes, birds, insects, and flowers. At one time Mortlock (of London) purchased Billingsley’s porcelain in white and decorated and fired it himself. The extreme softness and vitreous fracture of the paste identifies it as of Nantgarw when the mark is lacking. Two other marks of this factory may be given. The name is in capital letters, either painted in red, or more usually impressed, and the second is in red. Sometimes the letters “C.W.” are found impressed underneath the name of the factory, which is supposed to mean “China Works.” Billingsley is supposed to have produced an excellent dessert service painted in flowers which is now the property of Mr. Firbank, M.P. [Illustration] [Illustration] THE ROCKINGHAM PORCELAIN--SWINTON, YORKS. [Illustration] The Rockingham factory was originally established for earthenware; but Thomas Brameld introduced the manufacture of the finest description of porcelain in the year 1820 or 1823, collecting his materials from Cornwall, Dorset, Sussex, and Kent. His dessert, dinner, and breakfast sets, and his ornamental pieces and figures, all highly decorated, were of first-class excellence. The mark usually employed--adopted in 1828--was the Rockingham crest--a Griffin--the Swinton Works being on the estate of Charles, Marquis of Rockingham, together with an inscription giving the name of the factory, and of Brameld--himself a painter on porcelain. The mark was in red. In 1826 they became embarrassed, no expense having been spared on the manufacture of the finest work; but they were kept open through the assistance of Earl Fitzwilliam until 1842. In some examples of the Rockingham china (preserved in the Scheiber collection) the mark varies to “Royal Rock Works, Brameld,” and the words “Manufacturers to the King” below the crest; also the name “Brameld” is sometimes enclosed in an oval design. Some genuine Rockingham ware is unmarked; some have incised marks such as “No. 22,” and “No. 31,” also “Brameld,” giving the batons and dots in addition. [Illustration: BRAMELD.]