In Britain

Very few earthenware figures were produced in Britain - or elsewhere in Europe - before about 1700, but early to mid- 18th-century white, salt-glazed stoneware pieces are now among the most sought-after items of ceramic art. Some are freestanding and single, while others are grouped on a pew. Pew-groups in good condition rarely fetch less than £60, 000. (more…)

Over the last century, individual potters and decorators have produced unique, sculptural ceramics that stand apart from mass-produced pieces.

The term ‘Art Pottery‘ has been used since the second half of the 19thC century, often interchangeably with the similar ‘studio pottery‘. Both refer to one-off, individually designed and decorated pieces produced in a workshop run by a craftsman or craft group. The term also encompasses the work of artists who finished individually signed pieces in studios set up by firms such as Doulton and Minton. (more…)

Between the Metropolitan Railway, whose line ran north-west out of London through Wembley, Pinner and Chorleywood to Amersham, created the concept of Metro- land as an ideal place for city workers to live, outside the spread of London but conveniently linked to it by train. Given the vogue for fresh air and sunlight, outdoor sports and hiking, it was an inviting prospect which speculative builders helped to fulfil with a rash of tidy suburban homes in the revived ‘Queen Anne’ style. (more…)

In the greatest possible contrast to all this white and cream-coloured wares come teapots in the austerest black –but all the same with decorative possibilities for those with an eye for contrasts. There are those in black basaltes, an unglazed sort of stoneware originally developed by Josiah Wedgwood. It is stained black all through and usually has only moulded decoration, but there are some types with red encaustic colours. The shapes are pretty well the same as in jasper ware. Then there are the so-called “Jackfield” pots, which are actually on red earthenware, but covered by a shiny black glaze sometimes with gilded decoration—though this is often quite worn off from years of washing. The early Jackfield ware has a browny tinge, but the trade also uses this name for black-glazed Victoria wares which sprout all over with coloured pads of flower and curlicues. (more…)

WORKBOXES AND GLOVE BOXES

Moving on to the larger affairs, there are, of course, all the workboxes, with their fascinating array of ivory, bone or mother-of-pearl accessories : everyone should have one of these if only to get a glimpse of what the needlewoman used in other days. Then there are glove boxes, some covered with fancy paper and frills, others painted like the powder boxes. Oval ones, for bands of ribbon, are I believe called band or “brides boxes” and were filled with ribbons. With all these boxes it is very necessary to inspect the hinges—superfluous advice, one would have thought, but many a pretty box has been brought home, only for it to be found that the weak hinge could not be repaired. (more…)

After boxes and caskets, let’s look at bottles. Bottles for scent and smelling salts, pomades and creams, for snuff, medicine, wine, beer, spirits, acids—in other words for everything that needs a stopper rather than a lid. Like boxes, they come in every sort of material, from porcelain to silver, from gold to stoneware.

I believe that one of these days collectors will wake up to the fact that the last hundred years has been the making of more collectable bottles than at any other period of history. Glassmakers, metalworkers, potters, and now plastic manufacturers, have been designing and making bottles, not only as lovely works of art and craftsmanship, but as mass production items which nevertheless are examples of excellent and interesting design. The astute collector will therefore look not only at the exquisite things of the past with which we start our brief review of bottles, but also at what has been made in the last century by the factories. Much of this is now beginning to take on that interesting look of the once commonplace thing which no longer does its original job, and which has acquired a new strangeness, even beauty, in our eyes. (more…)