Figs. 307 to 323.
Figs. 307 to 323.
London Road (and Eastwood Vale).—The works of Mr. William Henry Goss were commenced in 1858 for the production of Parian, ivory-porcelain, terra cotta, &c., and their progress from that time as pure art-productions has been very marked. The most famous of the specialities of Mr. Goss’s manufacture are porcelain floral jewellery and dress ornaments, in which brooches, hair-pins, scent-diffusers, crosses, and other beautiful articles are made; jewelled porcelain, in which vases, scent-bottles, tazzæ and other ornaments are produced; and vessels to be filled with perfumes, including illuminated scent-vases, pomade-boxes, rice-powder jars, pastil and scented ribbon burners, &c., these latter being made largely for the great Paris and London perfumehouses.The process of modelling jewelled porcelain, just alluded to, which is of extreme richness and beauty, is the invention of Mr. Goss, who, many years ago observing that the enamel jewels on the old Sèvres porcelain frequently dropped, or were rubbed, off, turned his attention to the subject. The process adopted at Sèvres was as follows: a gold foil was stamped into circles, ovals, and other required forms for the reception of the enamels, which were then pencilled on, and fired before applying them to the article they were intended to decorate. After being vitrified into imitations of uncutrubies, emeralds, &c., they were stuck on to the surface of the porcelain with a flux, and again fired. The adhesion was by this process often incomplete, and thus it frequently occurred that part of the design became rubbed away. The process invented by Mr. Goss for this mosaic jewellery, is, to indent the designs for the intended jewelled decoration in the dry or moist clay before baking, and in these to insert the jewels, which are all previously cut, and thus attain an increased brilliancy. Being inserted into the hollow or recess prepared for them, they are made secure. The process is an extremely delicate but very ingenious and beautiful one, and the effect produced is richer and finer than is attained by any other processes. Real pearls are often also introduced by Mr. Goss with good effect. For this and other purposes Mr. Goss has taken out a patent “for improvements in manufacturing articles of jewellery, dress ornaments, dress fastenings, smoke-shades for lamps and gas-burners, and the handles of cups and other vessels of ceramic materials”—an invention peculiarly applicable to the “manufacture of brooches, earrings, the heads of scarf-pins, hair-pins, and shawl-pins, the trinkets called charms, bracelets, necklaces, stud and ring fittings,” and a vast number of other articles. The floral brooches, crosses, &c., are of great beauty, and in delicacy of modelling remind one of the famous Bristol and Derby floral plaques. Some are produced in pure white bisqué, others are tinted in the natural colours of the flowers represented, and others are in ivory-porcelain prepared by a patented process.
In Parian, for which Mr. Goss ranks deservedly high, busts, statuary, vases, tazzas, scent-jars, bread-platters, and many other ornamental goods, are made. Notably among these are admirable busts of Charles Swain and of myself, the author of this work; this forms the frontispiece to the first volume. This fine work of Art was modelled expressly for the purpose in 1875, and is pronounced by those capable of judging to be a fine and highly successful example of Ceramic Art. These are modelled by Mr. W. W. Gallimore, under the personal and artistic supervision of Mr. Goss. They, as are all the busts which emanate from this combined source, are of the highest style of Art in point of pose and poetic treatment, and of the most careful character in manipulative workmanship. As portrait-busts they rank far above the average, and are, indeed, perfect reproductions of the living originals. It is not often that this can be said of portrait-busts, but it has beena particular study of Mr. Goss, and of his coadjutor, Mr. Gallimore, and they have succeeded admirably.[44]Of Mr. Gallimore it may be well to say a word or two. He at one time was engaged as a modeller at the Belleek Works in Ireland, and while there, by the bursting of a gun, lost his right arm. His modelling has, therefore, ever since then, been entirely done by his left hand, and, strange as it may seem, is far better than when he had both.
Figs. 324 to 330.
Figs. 324 to 330.
One of Mr. Goss’s specialities is ivory porcelain, and this he produces of the full soft mellow tone which characterizes the finest ivory, while, from the nature of the body he has by constant experiments and study succeeded in producing, it is far more lastingand durable, and capable of more decoration, than the ivory itself. It possesses all the delicate beauty of the ivory, with, as just stated, more durability, and, unlike it, is unchangeable. In this material one of Mr. Goss’s most successful productions is a pierced scent-bottle of the pilgrim-bottle or puzzle-jug form. Its centre is double pierced in a very elaborate pattern, and judiciously heightened with lines of gold.
In terra cotta, which is of peculiarly fine quality and rich colour, water-bottles and all the usual articles are made, a speciality being the fern-leaves with which they are decorated. All kinds of enamel colours and lustres are made at these works. The name W. H. GOSS is sometimes stamped in the ware, and on the other higher class goods the crest, a falcon rising, ducally gorged, is used.
London Road.—In 1856 a field on the London Road was found to contain a valuable mine of red clay, and a manufactory of floor, roof, and ridge tiles, &c., was commenced. This property was purchased by Mr. W. Kirkham, who still continues the works. In 1862 Mr. Kirkham built a manufactory for the production of Parian, terra cotta, and general earthenware for the home and foreign markets. To this he has more recently added the making of door-furniture, brass-founders’ fittings, knobs, mortars and pestles, chemists’ goods, stoneware, &c.; a patent is also worked for the production of porcelain bottle-stoppers, feeding-bottles, &c. The terra cotta goods, comprising water-bottles, ornamental flower-pots and stands, table-jugs, spill-cases, tobacco-jars, and an infinite variety of other articles, are of a high degree of excellence, both in body, in form, in colour, and in style of ornamentation. In colour it is of a deep, rich, full red, and is remarkably close, compact, hard, and durable in texture. The ornamentation consists of embossed borders of more than average relief; printed groups of Etruscan figures, borders, groups of flowers, &c.; rich enamelling in various colours; and dead and burnished gilding. Some of the fern decorations are graceful, natural, and elegant; and those with the Etruscan figures and the enamelled borders are in pure taste. The table-jugs are of excellent form, many being good examples of severe Art, and their decorations are faultless.
The Campbell Brick and Tile Company.—The company to whom this manufactory belongs was formed in 1875 for the purposeof carrying on the business of Mr. Robert Minton Taylor, who had till that time conducted it at Fenton. A new manufactory was, in 1876, erected at Stoke, when the Fenton business was transferred to it. In addition to this, new buildings and machinery have been erected for the production of all kinds of bricks, roofing and other building tiles, &c. The works were established at Fenton, as just stated, by Mr. Robert Minton Taylor—nephew to the late Mr. Herbert Minton, and until the past few years a partner in the firm of Minton, Hollins & Co.—in 1868, on a dissolution, consequent on effluxion of time, of the old firm. The productions of these works, as were those at Fenton, are encaustic, mosaic, geometrical, and majolica tiles, and in these every variety of design, from the purely ornate to the severe classic, are made.
The encaustic tiles are produced not only in the usually simple red and buff colours, but also in various combinations of buff, red, blue, green, yellow, white, black, brown, grey, and every shade of compound colour. The designs are very effective and pure, and are the result of considerable study on the part of the artists employed in their preparation. The geometric tiles are of every conceivable form and of great variety in colour; they are prepared with mathematical nicety, and produce remarkably rich and effective pavements.
One of the specialities of these works are majolica and coloured tiles. These are of the highest possible class of beauty and excellence, and the richness of the colours and their harmonious combinations cannot be surpassed: they are perfect works of Art, and are a great and marked advance upon any which have preceded them. Some have the ornament in relief—sometimes approaching even toalto-relievo—and exquisitely modelled: the ornament consisting of arabesques, foliage, flowers, birds, &c., in endless variety. In reproduction of natural objects, as the hawthorn, the bramble, the violet, the primrose, the anemone, the lily, and the lilac, Mr. Minton Taylor is particularly happy: the effect is strikingly beautiful. The tiles, of course, are adapted for wall decorations of churches, &c., for ceilings, grate-cheeks, lining of fire-places, flower-boxes, friezes, inlaying in cabinet work, &c., but not for floors.
Figs. 331 to 338.—Campbell & Co.’s Tiles.
Figs. 331 to 338.—Campbell & Co.’s Tiles.
Figs. 339 and 340.—Campbell & Co.’s Tiles.
Figs. 339 and 340.—Campbell & Co.’s Tiles.
Among the other features of these works are the tesselated pavements, which are careful reproductions of examples of the Romano-British period. In these the antique character is well preserved, the designs copied with scrupulous accuracy, the colourskept strictly to the originals, and the effect of the rich guilloches admirably preserved. Tile hearths, too, are a speciality of Mr. Minton Taylor’s, and these are produced in great variety and of extreme beauty: they are among the most successful adaptations of ceramic decorative Art to domestic purposes. The principal designs are by E. Welby Pugin, John Gibbs, J. Seddon, Dr. Dresser, and others.
The mark used by Mr. Minton Taylor while at Fenton was the name “ROBERT MINTON TAYLOR, TILE WORKS, FENTON, NEAR STOKE-ON-TRENT,” arranged in various ways, and impressed or raised on the back; or the initialsused in the same way. That of the present firm (the proprietor of which is Colin Minton Campbell, Esq., M.P., and the manager, Mr. Robert Minton Taylor) is a compassencircled by the words “CAMPBELL BRICK & TILE CO., STOKE-UPON-TRENT.”
Harrison and Wedgwood.—John Harrison, of Newcastle, and afterwards of Cliff Bank, Stoke, a man possessed of some means, but little taste, entered into partnership with Josiah Wedgwood on the latter first commencing business. He was not a practical potter, but was taken into partnership by Wedgwood for the advance of capital. They carried on the business at what was Mr. Aldersea’s pottery, at the top of Stoke, opposite the works of Hugh Booth. Here, besides agate and other knife-hafts, they made the ordinary kinds of wares then in demand, both “scratched” and blue. In 1754 they entered into partnership with Thomas Whieldon, and later on the works were, I believe, bought and pulled down by Josiah Spode.
Bankes.—Mr. R. Bankes and Mr. John Turner, in 1756, made white stoneware on what, later, formed a part of Josiah Spode’s premises. In 1762 Mr. Turner removed to Lane End, and about 1780 discovered a valuable vein of clay at Green Dock; this he turned to profitable and artistic use in the making of his fine and celebrated cane-coloured and other wares.
Aldersea.—John and Thomas Aldersea were makers of tortoiseshell, clouded, and other wares.
Hugh Booth, of Cliff Bank, was one of the leading manufacturers of the district. His productions were common cream-coloured, mottled, and, I believe, lustre-wares. He died unmarried in June, 1789, aged 57, and was succeeded by his brother, Ephraim.
Ephraim Booth(an alderman of Plymouth), who took into partnership his two sons Hugh and Joseph, and carried on the business under the firm of “Ephraim Booth and Sons.” The eldest of these sons, Hugh Booth, married Ann, daughter of Thomas Lovatt, Esq., and died in 1831. This firm was somewhat extensive, and produced blue printed and other wares. The heading of their bills in 1792 was “EphmBooth & Sons, Potters to His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence and St. Andrew’s, in the Kingdom of Great Britain, Earl of Munster, in the Kingdom of Ireland.” “Stoke, Staffordshire.” At that time (1792) some of their productions were “barrel-shape” and other jugs, “ewers and basons,” “cups and saucers, bell-shape handled,” “coffees and saucers, fluted,” all “printed Dresden pattern;” “tureens and ladles, green edge, cream-coloured glaze;” sallads, baking dishes, fish-drainers, oyster-shells, pickle leaves, egg-cups, peppers, mustards, scollop shells, sauce tureens, all stands either “green edge,” “blue edge,” or “blue and green;” tea-pots, milks, bread and butter plates, &c., “narrow flute, printed Dresden pattern,” &c.
Wolfe.—Mr. Thomas Wolfe was a very successful manufacturer, the latter part of last century. He died in 1818, and was, I believe, succeeded by his son-in-law, Mr. Robert Hamilton, and afterwards by Messrs. W. Adams and Co.
Bird.—Daniel Bird, the “flint potter,” as he was called, at Cliff Bank (afterwards Mayers), made agate-ware knife-hafts and buttons, and the usual earthenware of the period.
The manufacturers at Stoke in 1829, were, according to Shaw, Spode; Minton; H. and R. Daniel, who here made only porcelain, their earthenware works being at Shelton; Adams, in one part of whose works the first steam-engine for grinding flints is said to have been erected; Zachary Boyle & Son, near the churchyard, who made both china and earthenware; Thomas Mayer (CliffBank), formerly Daniel Bird’s, who was called the “flint potter,” through his having ascertained the exact proportions of flints and clays required “to prevent cracking in the oven”; and Ward and Forrester. In 1843, there were Spode and Copelands; Messrs. Mintons; Messrs. William Adams and Co., who at one time or other had five separate manufactories, three of which had formerly been Mr. Wolfe’s, the fourth the Bridge Works, and the fifth Hugh Booth’s; Messrs. Henry and Richard Daniel; Mr. Zachary Boyle; Messrs. Samuel and George Reade; and Messrs. Lowndes and Hill.
Figs. 341 and 342.—Campbell & Co.’s Tiles.
Figs. 341 and 342.—Campbell & Co.’s Tiles.
Fig. 343.
Fig. 343.
Fig. 344.—Campbell & Co.’s Tiles.
Fig. 344.—Campbell & Co.’s Tiles.