Of much of the work of Robert Hancock, fortunately, there can be no possible doubt, for his name appears in full on some examples, and his initials—at least, initials believed to be his—on others. These will be seen in the accompanying engraving:—
Figs. 515 to 517.
Two of these, it will be seen, are somewhat curious, having the Chelsea anchor attached to the name of Worcester. It is a problem worth solving whether this monogram of RH conjoined was that of Robert Hancock, and, if so, whether he had previously been connected with the Chelsea works; or whether the anchor was adopted as a mark by Richard Holdship in allusion to his name, hold ship, which, it must be admitted, would be a clever and very appropriate colophon. The engraving, looked at as engraving alone, upon some of the pieces of this period, is truly beautiful and sharp; but when considered as transfer on to china paste, is very wonderful.
In Mr. Binns’s possession is a watch-back of Battersea enamel, transfer printed, bearing the initials “R. H. f.” The subject was a popular one for china and enamels, and was frequently reproduced.
Fig. 518.
Richard Hancock, it is supposed, was employed at Battersea before coming to Worcester, where he must have been settled before the date (1757) of the poem just quoted. He was an excellent engraver, as the watch-back (Fig. [518]) will testify. Examples of his engravings, transferred on to Chinese porcelain, are also preserved, and are considered to be his trial pieces from transferring on to this material.
The copper plate itself from which these foreign china specimens as well as many of the choicest known examples of Worcester china have been printed, I had myself the good fortune to discover a few years ago at Coalport. It bears the engraver’s name—R. Hancock fecit.
Vol. I.