The glass made at Bristol appears to have been principally white, of different shades, and was made in a great variety of articles, including teapots, jugs, cream ewers, beakers, &c. The commoner varieties of decorative glass were painted in a rapid style with varnish colour, and submitted to a gentle heat, just sufficient to fix it on the surface. This, of course, soon rubbed off in use, and on the examples which are still remaining the patterns have almost disappeared.

The highest class of goods produced by Mr. Edkins was beautifully and perfectly enamelled, the colours were remarkably good, and thoroughly incorporated into the glass. Examples of this kind are very rare, but one or two specimens still remain in the family and are highly prized.

As the prices charged by Michael Edkins for painting on glass, and for enamelling, naturally become a guide to the prices he had been paid as a painter on delft-ware, and further as a guide to the prices of painting on china at that time, I append a few extracts from his ledger, which will be read with interest by collectors. For these extracts I am indebted to Mr. William Edkins, of Bristol, grandson of the painter, who has the original book in his possession. The accounts for painting and enamelling on glass extend from April, 1762, to December, 1787. The following are a few of the items:—

1762.£s.d.
April 26.To 5 long dozn. Aml.[101] Beakers0100
May 3.To 3 do. basons, cans, & cream jugs060
„  5.To 3 Do. sorted blue ware0120
„  10.To 2 Lg. dzn. Amell ware040
„  12.To 1 Lg. dzn. Aml. Beakers020
„  14.To 20 Sugar dishes & covers026
June 12.To 5 Lg. dzn. Aml. ware0100
„  17.To 1 Dn. blue pint bowls080
„  19.To 1 sett Jar & Beakers 5 in a Sett026
July 15.To 8½ Long dzn. Amell sorted0170
„  19.To 4 blue jars & Beakers with Mosaick border, to match a large sett for Mr. Wilson020
„  20.To 1 do do Amell cans020
„  26.To 1 pint blue can ornamented with gold and letters008
„  30.To Amell 12 pint cans020
Sept. 4.To 6 setts blue jars and Beakers with mosaick borders 1s. 6d. sett090
„  13.To 12 blue quart canns 6d. each060
Dec. 3.To 3 long Dozen cream Bucketts 2s.060
„  3.To 12 sett large blue Jars & Beakers0180
1763.
Feb. 11.To 15 long dozn. sorted Blue ware100
April 13.To 10 „ „ Do. Do.200
May 31.To 12 small blue jars & covers 4d.040
June 24.To 1 pint Blue Can with name John Vowell006
Aug. 18.To 6 Enamell pint Cans—wrote “Liberty & no Excise” 4d.020
„ „ To 6 Cannisterrs blue 6d.030
Oct. 18.To 1 dozn. Canns & Milk jugs011
Nov. 12.To 12 Wash hand Tumblers 4d.040
„ „ To 12 Saucers 4d.040
„ „ To 6 Flower bottles010
1765.
May 28.To 2 blue pints “Mary & John Vowell”010
1766.
Aug. 20.To 12 long Dozen fine Wine—wrote “Pitt & Liberty” 3s. Dozen1160
1767.
Dec. 4.To 3 large setts Enamell richly ornamented with Gold and Flowers 5s. sett0150
1769.
Sept. 22.To 3 pair blue Cornucopias ornamented with gold 1s. pair030
1773.
Aug. 25.To 84 blue wash hand basons & Plates0140
1775.
Aug. 23.To 24 large Shades, with a large gold border at top and the bottom rim gilded300
1787.
Dec. 10.To Ornamenting 1 Enamell Jar with Gold [last Entry in Ledger]010

Salt Glaze.

It is said that the delft-ware potteries were preceded by a maker of salt-glazed stoneware—a German named Wrede or Read—and a curious story is told in connection with him and the difficulty he had in establishing his works. It appears that the people being surprised at the glaze he produced on his ware, and at the secrecy he endeavoured to preserve regarding his pottery, and noticing the dense clouds of vapour which every now and then arose from his kiln (caused, of course, by the throwing in of the salt through the fire holes when the ware had arrived at a certain degree of heat), believed that he had called in supernatural aid, and that the fumes which ascended were caused by the visits of the devil. He was “mobbed” by the people, his place injured, and he was forced to fly the town.

Brislington.

About a century ago, I am informed, there was a pottery at St. Ann’s, in this parish, conducted by a family named Macken. The older productions are described as “a drab-coloured ware with a plum-coloured glaze; the more modern were the same ware covered with a layer resembling porcelain; white, and apparently of felspar, this kind has almost invariably a rough blue pattern.” One of the Macken family had a pottery in Bristol.

A manufactory formerly existed at this place, and the ware produced may be described as very closely approaching, in general appearance and effect, the common descriptions of Turkish pottery. The patterns were produced, in coarse and rude designs, in a kind of copper or red lustre, on the plain buff clay ground. Examples are somewhat rare. The works were carried on by Richard Frank, of Bristol, and his family, but were closed in the latter part of last century. The works, which were of course but small, still stand, but are converted into cottages. “They are situated at the bottom of St. Ann’s Wood, between St. Ann’s Vale and the river, on a line about half a mile beyond Netham Dam,” and opposite to Crewshole. Some good examples of this ware, which is remarkably clumsy and coarse, but very curious, are preserved in the Bristol Museum (Fig. [804]). The circular dish is fourteen inches in diameter with a small centre of nine inches. On its back is the rude monogram (Fig. [805]) of Richard Frank, its maker.