In Mr. Hailstone’s possession is a remarkably fine fountain of large size. It has a dolphin spout, shell terminations, mermaids and shells for handles, and has figures and ornaments in relief in front.
In tea, coffee, and chocolate services, a large variety of patterns were produced; both plain, engined, fluted, pierced, and otherwise decorated. Many of these are of similar form to Wedgwood’s, to whom their manipulation would, indeed, have been no discredit. The great peculiarity of the tea and coffee pots, &c., is their double twisted handles, with flowers and leaves for terminations. Many of these are extremely beautiful, both in design and in execution. These services were made either in plain cream-colour, or painted with borders and sprigs of flowers in various colours. The chocolate cups are usually two-handled, or without handles. The stands are, in many instances, highly ornamented with perforations, or take the form of melon or other leaves, and have ornamental sockets for the cups attached. Several patterns appear in the engravings of which I have spoken. Tea-kettles and milk-pails with covers were also made, and in the possession of the late Mr. Lucas was a fine example of a tea-kettle with double twisted handle, with foliated terminations.
In the early part of the present century, white earthenware was made at these works. It was a fine, hard, compact body, and had, like the cream-coloured, a remarkably good glaze. In this ware services, especially dinner and tea, were produced, and were decorated with transfer printing, painting, lustre, and tinsel. “Tinselling,” it must be understood, is the peculiar process by which a part of the pattern is made to assume a metallic appearance by being washed here and there over the transfer or drawing. Examples of these, consisting of plates, and a cup and saucer, belonging to Mr. Manning and Mr. Davis, are marked with the curved mark to be hereafter described.
Fig. 857.
The plates also bear a small blue-pencilled letter C, and impressed flower of seven lobes, and kind of cross pattée; these are, of course, workmen’s marks. The cup and saucer in Mr. Davis’s possession have flowers and rude landscape in colours and copper-coloured “tinsel.”
An excellent example of the white earthenware of Leeds is the puzzle jug in the possession of Mr. Alfred Britton, here engraved (Fig. [857]). This is one of the most elaborate in design, and careful in execution, which has come under my notice. The upper part is ornamented with “punched” perforations, and the centre of the jug is open throughout, having an open flower on either side, between which is a swan standing clear in the inside. The jug is painted with borders and sprigs of flowers, and is marked with the usual impressed mark of LEEDS POTTERY. A curious example of the white earthenware is in the possession of Mr. Hailstone. It is a large jug, having on one side a spirited engraving of “the Vicar and Moses” in black transfer printing, and coloured, and on the other side the old ballad of “the Vicar and Moses,” engraved in two columns, and surrounded by a border. In front of the jug, pendent from the spout, is painted the arms of the borough of Leeds, the golden fleece, commonly called the “tup in trouble.” On each side of this are the initials J. B. and S. B., and beneath are the words—“Success to Leeds Manufactory.”
Transfer printing was introduced at Leeds, probably, about 1780, but this is very uncertain. In the title-page of the “Book of Patterns in 1783,” it is said, “the same enamel’d, Printed or Ornamented with Gold to any pattern; also with Coats of Arms, Cyphers, Landscapes, &c.;” and in 1791, the copper-plates then in use were valued at £204. The patterns were principally willow pattern, Nankin pattern, borders, groups of flowers, landscapes, and ruins. I may mention that several of the original pattern-books of drawings of the articles themselves, and of borders and other decorations, of the early Leeds productions are in my own possession.
Lustre, both gold and silver, was used occasionally in the decorations at Leeds, and excellent examples of “lustre ware” were also produced. These, like the other early productions of the works, are scarce.
About the year 1800, black ware was introduced at Leeds. This was of the same character as the Egyptian black, then so largely made in Staffordshire by Wedgwood, by Mayer, by Neale, and others. The body is extremely compact, firm, and hard, but had a more decided bluish cast than is usual in other makes. In this ware, tea and coffee pots, the latter both with spouts and with snips, cream ewers, and other articles were made. I believe there are but few collectors cognizant of the fact that this Egyptian black ware was made at Leeds at all; but I have been fortunate enough, by careful examination, to ascertain that up to 1812–13, probably from ninety to a hundred distinct patterns and sizes of teapots alone were produced in black at these works. This is an interesting fact to note, and is one which will call attention for the first time to this particular branch of Leeds manufacture. The patterns of the teapots were very varied, both in form, in style of ornamentation, and in size. In form were round, oval, octagonal, and other shapes, including some of twelve sides. In ornamentation some were engine-turned in a variety of patterns, while others were chequered or fluted. Others again were formed in moulds elaborately ornamented in relief with flowers, fruits, borders, festoons, &c., &c.; while others still had groups of figures, trophies, and medallions in relief on their sides. The “knobs” of the lids were seated figures, lions, swans, flowers, &c., &c. The lids were made of every variety, both inward and outward fitting, sliding, and attached with hinges. In speaking of engine-turning, it may be well to note that “engined” mugs, jugs, &c., were made at these works as early as 1782, if not at an earlier date. And here, in connection with the black ware, let me note too, that pot-works were established at Swinton, by some of the family of the Greens, of Leeds (see Swinton); and that here, too, black ware teapots were made, which were known as “Swinton pattern.” Of these I shall have more to say in my account of the Swinton works.