Swansea—The Cambrian Pottery—Opaque china—Etruscan Ware—Lowesby Pottery (Leicestershire)—Liverpool, Herculaneum (1794–1841)—Bristol, Joseph Ring (1784–1825)—Caughley or Salopian (1751–1775)—Derby, John and Christopher Heath (1758–1780)—Isleworth, Shore & Goulding (1760–1830)—Marks—Prices.
Undoubtedly the earthenware productions at Swansea are of a high artistic order. For a century, from 1768 to about 1870, the Cambrian Pottery at Swansea manufactured ware bearing various marks and comprising a wide range of examples. During part of the time a rival factory at Glamorgan, which existed from 1814, to 1839, produced "opaque china" and cream ware in common with Swansea.
Practically the history of the Cambrian Pottery dates from 1790, when George Haynes bought the factory. Fine black basalt ware was produced. There are two recumbent figures of Antony and Cleopatra, the latter in the Victoria and Albert Museum having the impressed mark Swansea, and the former in the possession of Mr. C. F. Cox, and marked with the name of the modeller, "G. Bentley, Swansea, 22 May, 1791." The length of these figures is 12 inches. Two somewhat similar recumbent figures of Antony and Cleopatra in colours have been attributed to Lowestoft (see "Lowestoft China," by W. W. R. Spelman, Jarrold & Sons, Norwich, 1905). But these more properly belong to the Staffordshire school, and are probably by Neale and Palmer.
Under-glaze blue-printed ware, notably "willow pattern" from Caughley, had been made at Swansea probably before Haynes bought the factory, certainly not later than 1790, when Leeds commenced similar imitations of Turner's "willow patterns." Salt-glazed ware, some marked "Cambrian Pottery," but mostly unmarked, was made and decorated in enamel colours with figure subjects, landscapes, and flowers.
The transfer-printed ware is of great variety and is excellently finished, and compares very favourably with the best of the Staffordshire cream ware similarly decorated, or with the highest productions of Leeds in the same manner. We illustrate ([p. 405]) a group of various types of transfer-printed ware in black and brown, and blue under-glaze transfer-printing. As will be noticed, the Oriental influence from Caughley and the china factories was very strong, but in the print of the ship there is something suggestive of Liverpool.
SWANSEA PLATES.
1. Cream ware, rim painted in green and violet with vine pattern.
Mark impressed Swansea.
2. Earthenware, black transfer-printed.
Mark impressed Dillwyn & Co. Swansea.
(In the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh.)
SET OF FINELY PAINTED SWANSEA BULB POTS.
(In the collection of Col. and Mrs. Dickson.)