Fig. 520.—Worcester China in the Chelsea style.
After many changes in proprietorship,[82] the Worcester works, in 1783, were purchased by Mr. T. Flight, a merchant of Bread Street, London, and of Hackney (who was agent to the Worcester Porcelain Company), for his sons, Joseph and John, for the sum of £3,000, including premises, models, plant, and stock, and here he established them. These two brothers were jewellers, and carried on both concerns at the same time. Under their management the works rapidly more than regained their former eminence, and became very successful. The mark used by Messrs. Flight was as follows—
simply the name in writing letters. Another mark of this period was the name, in italic capitals, impressed on the ware, sometimes with the crescent painted in blue. In 1786 Joseph Flight, one of the partners, “jeweller and china manufacturer,” advertised that he had taken Mr. Bradley’s shop, 33, High Street. Shortly afterwards he removed to larger premises, No. 45, where he received the king and queen.
Figs. 522 and 523.
Figs. 524 to 526.
In 1788 an event of great importance to the works occurred. In that year the king, George III., with Queen Charlotte and the princesses, visited Worcester, and having gone through the porcelain works, and been much pleased with the beauty of the articles manufactured, his majesty desired that the word “royal” might be prefixed to the name, and recommended the proprietors to open a show-room in London. This suggestion was at once acted upon, and a warehouse opened in Coventry Street, which secured a large and very fashionable patronage for the ware. After the king’s visit the distinctive mark of a crown was added to the marks, which at this time were the following. The subsequent changes in the proprietorship, consequent on deaths, were “Messrs. Flight and Barr”—Mr. Martin Barr having joined the concern in 1793—“Barr, Flight, and Barr,” and “Flight, Barr, and Barr” (Joseph Flight, Martin Barr, and Martin Barr, jun., and afterwards George Barr in place of the elder Martin). From 1829 till 1840 the firm was simply “Barr and Barr,” the parties being Martin and George Barr. Some of the marks I here give. Others, which were printed marks, it is scarcely worth while to engrave; they are as follows:—“Flight, Barr, and Barr”—B, the initial of Barr, scratched in the ware; “Barr, Flight, and Barr, Royal Porcelain Works, Worcester; London House, No. 1, Coventry Street,” in five lines, and surmounted by two crowns; “B.F.B.,” imprint on the ware: “Barr, Flight, and Barr, Royal Porcelain Works, Worcester; London House, Flight and Barr, Coventry Street” (within an oval), “Manufacturers to their Majesties, Prince of Wales, and Royal Family; established 1751” (surrounding the oval); the whole surmounted by a crown and the Prince of Wales’s feathers: “Flight, Barr, and Barr, Proprietors of the Royal Porcelain Works, Worcester, established 1761,” in five lines; above are the royal arms, and beneath are the Prince of Wales’s feathers, the whole within a circle; surrounding the circle is, “Manufacturers to their Majesties and the Prince Regent; London Warehouse, No. 1, Coventry Street.”