Poole, Dorset.
The Architectural Pottery Company’s works were established in 1854 by Messrs. Thomas Sanders Ball, John Ridgway (china manufacturer, of Cauldon Place, Hanley), Thomas Richard Sanders, and Frederick George Sanders. In 1857, Mr. Ridgway retired from the concern and it was carried on by the remaining partners until 1861, when Mr. Thomas Sanders Ball also retired. Since then the works have been continued by Messrs. T. R. and F. G. Sanders alone. The Company produce patent coloured and glazed bricks and mouldings, semi-perforated and pressed; patent mosaic, tessellated, encaustic, vitreous, and white, blue, and other glazed wall tiles; embossed and perforated tiles; quarries and fire-clay goods, and other articles—the clays used being Purbeck clay, Cornish china clay, and Fareham clay, while those for plain quarries are from the Canford estate.
Figs. 808 to 811.
The encaustic paving tiles are of good design, many being carefully copied from mediæval examples, while others are new and of extremely good character—some being classic and others gothic. The colours used in the encaustic tiles are very varied and, in some instances, rich; red, buff, blue, chocolate, black, white, brown, green, &c., of different shades and of harmonious combinations. A speciality of these works are the tessellated tiles, under Bale’s patent process. These are literally formed of thin tesseræ of various colours, laid on and forming a part of the quarry itself. By this means all the richness and intricacy of the geometrical designs of tessellated pavements is produced, and at small trouble in laying down. Their character, as a rule, is better than the Italian tiles produced on the same general principle. These “tessellated tiles” possess every quality for general adoption, and no doubt will, in time, become, so to speak, acclimatised to this country. In quality the Architectural Pottery Company’s decorated tiles are not so hard and compact in body as some others are, but doubtless this can be improved upon.
The marks used by the company are:—
ARCHITECTURAL
POTTERY COMPANY
POOLE DORSET
REGISTERED
ARCHITECTURAL
POTTERY CO
POOLE : DORSET
ARCHITECTURAL
POTTERY CO.
POOLE DORSET
PATENT · INLAID
MOSAIC
PATENT
ARCHITECTURAL
POTTERY . CO
POOLE · DORSET
PATENT
ARCHITECTURAL
POTTERY CO
POOLE,—DORSET
BALE’S PATENT
INLAID MOSAIC
A P · CO
POOLE
PATENT
A. P. CO.
A. P · CO
POOLE
Bourne Valley Pottery.—At this pottery, worked by Messrs. Standing and Marten, who have an establishment at Bourne Valley Wharf, Nine Elms, London, glazed stoneware sewage and sanitary pipes, on Creshes’ patent, and terra-cotta vases, figures, chimney-tops, garden edgings, and architectural enrichments are made.
Branksea Pottery.—These potteries were built by Col. Waugh for the manufacture of stoneware sanitary goods and terra-cotta, in 1855, who also established alum works here. Fire-clay goods of the usual quality of the district are made, and the sanitary pipes are of a hard and durable nature. The works have the advantage of a large bed of excellent clay close at hand.