The ceramic art of Great Britain from pre-historic times down to the present day, Volume 1 (of 2)

“In the front of this book is a note in pencil, written in 1866, stating that—

“In the same collection are two books of pencil sketches by a French artist named De la Cour, of plants, trees, festoons of flowers, rococo scrolls, cane handles, frames, chimney-pieces, landscapes (among which is a view of London), figures, single figures for statuettes, &c. Another book contains coloured engravings by Martin Engelbrecht, of Nuremberg, of a great variety of subjects suitable for painting on china: costumes of various nations, ladies and gentlemen splendidly attired, shepherds and shepherdesses, garden scenes and summer-houses, palaces, birds, animals and insects, hunting scenes, musicians, Chinese figures and scenery, interlaced ornaments, &c. A fourth book, published by Edwards and Darley, 1754, consists of engraved subjects,—Chinese interiors, vases, figures, pagodas, bridges, animals, exotic birds, insects, &c. The Chinese designs are mixed up with rococo scrolls and other ornamental work.”

Enough will have been gleaned from the foregoing regarding the various productions of the Bow Works. One or two noted examples, however, require to be specially named, as being usually associated in the minds of collectors with this manufactory. One of these is a well-known small goat milk-jug which was formerly always attributed to Bow. It bears a bee in relief under the spout which was supposed to be allegorical of the initial B of Bow. Some examples, however, are without the bee. They are occasionally marked with a simple triangle, which, however, has been shown to have been occasionally used at Chelsea; and that the goat jugs were also there made.[71]

The marks attributed to the Bow factory are numerous and varied; and some which are so ascribed have not, I believe, the slightest connection with those works. The following are among the marks, said by one writer or other to belong to Bow, but some of them are very doubtful. Indeed, there is almost an absolute certainty that some of those ascribed to Bow, in reality belong to Chelsea and other places. Some of these marks are incised.

Stratford.

The London Chronicle of 1755 contains the following paragraph: “Yesterday four persons, well skilled in the making of British china, were engaged for Scotland, where a new porcelain manufacture is going to be established in the manner of that now carried on at Chelsea, Stratford, and Bow.” From this it is evident that in 1755 a china manufactory, distinct from that at Bow, was carried on at this place. Nothing, however, is at present known as to its history.

Kentish Town.

In the middle of last century John Giles had a small establishment and kiln at Kentish Town, where he finished and burned china, &c., procured in the white from other manufactories. He advertised “to procure and paint, for any person, Worcester porcelain to any or in any pattern;” and here vases and other articles, decorated by himself and by other artists and amateurs, were burned. An interesting reference to this kiln will be found in my account of the Bow china works on another page, where Thomas Craft, speaking of a bowl he had made, writing from memory in 1790, says “about the year 1760:” “I took it in a box to Kentish Town, and had it burned there in Mr. Gyles’s kiln, cost me 3s.” In 1771 Giles took premises in Cockspur Street, as a sale-room, &c. On the 9th of July in that year the lease of these premises was granted from “George Stubbs, of the parish of St. Margaret, Westmr., in the county of Middx., Esq.,“ to James Giles, of the parish of St. James, within the liberty of Westmr., in the said county of Middlx., china-man,” of “all that messuage or tenement and premises, lately called or known by the name of the Gun Tavern, in the parish of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, in the said county of Middx., situate and being on the north side of a street called Cockspur Street, leading from Pall Mall to Charing Cross, and lately in the tenure or occupation of Susannah Cannon, deceased, together with all ways,” &c., &c., for a term of 21 years, at an annual rental of £110. These premises were held from the Crown, on a longer lease, by Stubbs, so that this was a sub-letting to Giles, who had power to enter upon them on the above date, but to be free from rent until September 29th in consideration of any sums he might lay out in repairs, he covenanting to lay out in improvements and repairs £300, if requisite. The deed, in my own possession, bears the signature and seal of “Geo. Stubbs,” and the attesting signatures of “G. Stubbs. Jos. Mead, his Clerk.”

Giles appears to have become involved soon after this, and was assisted with loans and money and in other ways, by Duesbury, of the Derby china works. This is proved by papers in my own possession, amongst which are several notes of hand, as “Borrowed of Mr. Duesbury five guineas, which I promise to repay on demand. James Giles.” “Paid Mr. Heath a Bill on Mr. Giles, dated Feb. 20, at two months, value £120.” “April 1, James Giles’s note due 4th June, 1777, £50.” “May 29, Jas. Giles’s note due July 12, £50,” etc., etc. Ultimately Mr. Duesbury, on the failure of Giles, took to his stock and entire concern, and the original accounts, &c., connected with this are in my own possession. One of these, the balance-sheet of the estate for 1776–77, is very curious as showing some of the fashionable people with whom he did business:—

Jas. GILES’S ESTATE, Cr.

Jas. GILES’S ESTATE, Dr.

The £25 2s. 10d. “for enamelling sundries to complete stock” was thus expended:—

Acct. of Goods Enamel’d to compleat the Stock, and Deld. to Mr. Duesbury, Augt. 28th, 1776, by Js. Giles.

The “Debt to Flight & Co.,” and “Cost of Arrest to do.,” as entered under the date of April 30th, is thus explained:—

Thomas Flight and Robert Tabor
Against
James Giles.

In the Common Pleas.

Hilary Vacation, 1778.  

Received 30th April, 1778, of Mr. James Giles, the above-named Defendant, Fourteen Pounds, eight Shillings and 2d., for the purposes above mentioned.

One of the assignees of James Giles was Mr. Wm. Randall, who died before Dec. 23, 1779. In the balance-sheet of his accounts, from May 7, 1776 (the date of assignment), to that date, are frequent entries of postage of letters from Worcester; and among the receipts are accounts from Lady Melbourne, Lady Warren, Paul Orchard, Esq., Mrs. Powis, — Kent, Esq., Lady Jersey, Dutchess Dowager of Leinster, etc. The account is as follows:—

The Account of the late Mr. William Randall, as one of the Assignees of the Effects of the late Mr. Giles, from May y^e 7th, 1776, to December y^e 23rd, 1779.

Euston Road.

In 1860 Messrs. W. and T. Wills, sculptors, having turned their attention to the production of works of art in terra-cotta, commenced the manufacture at this place. The works produced consist of vases, figures and groups of figures, busts, &c., of a size and character for drawing-room use. The subjects are principally mythological, and are admirably modelled—each piece sent out receiving its finishing touches from the artist’s own hands. In colour, Messrs. Wills’ terra-cottas are a delicate pink and deep rich red. Their names are marked on each piece.

Oxford Street.

Among London establishments who, from a long and intimate connection with some of the more eminent of our porcelain works, may almost be considered to be manufacturers, are the following. To these firms the world owes many of the most striking and beautiful of ceramic productions. These have been designed by the firms themselves, and made specially for them; they thus become literally their own productions.

Mortlocks; Oxford Street.—This house was established in 1746, by John Mortlock, and has been uninterruptedly continued since that date through five generations, in direct line, of the same family; its head at the present time being, as it was more than one hundred and fifty years ago, a John Mortlock. In the palmy days of the old Rockingham works, John Mortlock was London agent for the goods made there. One speciality of these works, the “Cadogan” teapot, formed on the model of an example of Indian green ware brought from abroad by the Marquess and Marchioness of Rockingham, or the Hon. Mrs. Cadogan, was the means of adding largely to his connection with these works. The first of these was made for the Marchioness of Rockingham; and when the Prince Regent, afterwards George IV., visited Wentworth House, the seat of Earl Fitzwilliam, these teapots were then in use, and were much admired; the prince, who was a great connoisseur in tea, I believe, bringing one of them away with him. On the return of the prince and his suite to town, inquiries were made for them of John Mortlock, who supplied the palace with china, &c. He at once saw that they would come into great repute, and ordered a large quantity, stipulating that his name, MORTLOCK, should be stamped upon them. This was done in place of the word ROCKINGHAM, and they thus passed as Mortlock’s own make; he ordered at one time as much as £900 worth for one season’s consumption. (See “Rockingham Works.”)

When the Nantgarw works were first started, Mr. Mortlock became a large purchaser as well as agent. He regularly took a large quantity of the ware in the white; this he had painted in London, by Webster, Randall, and various other artists, and fired at the enamel kiln of Messrs. Robins and Randall, in Spa Fields. At this time Mortlock was also agent to the Coalport and Swansea works; and Mr. Nore, of Coalport, feeling a jealousy, and finding that the sale of the Swansea and Nantgarw productions interfered with his own, bought up those two concerns, removed their models, &c., to Coalport, and closed them. The firm still retain an agency for Coalport, and also for Messrs. Minton & Co. Mr. Mortlock has special marks for some of the Coalport productions prepared from his designs.

Hoxton.

In 1693 there was “a famous brick-moulder at Hoxton.” Some very interesting particulars are given by Houghton, in his “Husbandry and Trade Improved,” 1693.

Hammersmith.

Houghton, in 1693, thus alludes to the brick works at this place: “Some can make fourteen or 15,000 in a day, some 18,000; but Nicholas Gooding, of Hammersmith, for a wager of 10l., made in one day 22,000 bricks, upon which Sir Nicholas Crisp assisted him to set up, and he is now living at Hammersmith, and worth several thousand pounds. His master’s name was Gosling, who had three men whom he often encouraged to wagers.”