[230] See Nightingale’s English Porcelain, pp. li. seq., and Bemrose’s Bow, Chelsea, and Derby Porcelain, pp. 153 seq.
[231] The rococo vases, however, of this ware in the British Museum seem to be of a somewhat later date, if we take Sprimont’s work at Chelsea as a criterion.
[232] These ‘Darby figars’ may possibly have been of earthenware. There are some richly painted statuettes of this material at South Kensington, though these indeed seem to be of a somewhat later date.
[233] Mr. Bemrose, in his work on Bow, Chelsea, and Derby Porcelain, gives photographic reproductions of several pages from Duesbury’s work-book.
[234] These details I take from the notes of a man who had formerly practical experience of such work—Mr. Haslem, in his Old Derby China Factory.
[235] And yet the colours are sometimes brilliant and effective—for example, on a large dish or tray of Spode ware at South Kensington (see below, [p. 373]). This strange ‘breaking-down’ of the old Japanese patterns may be compared to the scattered fragments of the original Greek design that we see on the pre-Roman coins of Gaul and Britain.
[236] It appears from a correspondence that has been preserved that in 1791 the second Duesbury was looking out for royal support. ‘A gentleman about the court’ whom he consulted recommended him to seek the patronage of the Duke of Clarence, for, said he, ‘the duke is the only prince that pays the tradespeople.’ At that time there was great jealousy of the Worcester works, where the king had lately made large purchases.
[237] Why Tonquin, of all places? We should rather have expected to find Nankin or Canton, as at Bow.
[238] See the engraving in the Gentleman’s Magazine for August 1752. This was in the nature of a puff. In the corner we read ‘A sale of the Manufacture will begin at the Worcester Music Meeting on September 20th, with great variety of ware and, ’tis said, at a moderate price.’ Edward Cave, the originator of the Gentleman’s Magazine, and ‘the father of parliamentary reporting,’ was an important shareholder of the Worcester works.
[239] Steatite is essentially a silicate of magnesia. We have seen that a soapy rock, probably of this nature, entered at times into the composition of the porcelain made at King-te-chen. At a later time silicate of magnesia, in various forms, has found its way into the hybrid pastes of Italy and Spain.