Trent Pottery.—These works were established in 1861 by Mr. George Jones, the head of the present firm of “George Jones and Sons.” Messrs. Jones manufacture all the ordinary description of ordinary earthenware; from the gaily-decorated articles required in Africa and in South America, and the spotless white granite for the United States, to stoneware, and printed, enamelled, and gilt wares, for home use and for the Colonies. The firm also make a large and striking variety of articles in majolica, in which they successfully vie with most houses in the trade. In this they make both useful and ornamental articles, most of which are of a high order of art, being well modelled, carefully finished, and of a quality that will bear comparison with most others. Some of the productions exhibited at Paris in 1867 (when they obtained a medal), at London in 1871, and at Vienna in 1873, are shown by Figs. [283 to 306]. The imitation Palissy ware is highly successful. In vases, candelabra, centre and side pieces, flower shells, and numberless other articles, Messrs. Jones have produced many striking and good designs. Some of these are shown on the engravings; others, especially an aquatic centre-piece of four heights, in Cupids, shells, dolphins, and coral; a flower-pot, in which the magnolia forms the basis of ornamentation; and an ewer abundantly decorated with lizards, snakes, &c., are bold, good, and highly effective in design. The mark used by Messrs. Jones is simply the monogram composed of the initials G J joined together.
Figs. 283 to 286.—Trent Pottery Majolica.
Figs. 287 to 306.—Trent Pottery Majolica.
Albert Works, and Copeland Street Works.—(Poole, Stanway, & Wood.)—The business of this firm was established in 1859 in the Albert Works, Liverpool Road, by Messrs. George Turner, Joseph Emery Hassall, and William Bromley, as a Parian manufactory only. In 1863, the present much larger works were built. In 1862, Mr. Bromley retired from the concern, and in 1863 Mr. Thomas Peake joined it, and the firm continued as “Turner, Hassall, & Peake” until 1871, when the latter withdrew, and was succeeded by Mr. Poole, when the style became “Turner, Hassall, and Poole.” In 1873 Mr. Hassall retired, and was succeeded by Mr. Stanway, and the firm then became “Turner, Poole, and Stanway.” Later on Mr. Turner also retired from the firm, and Mr. Josiah Wood, having entered into partnership with the remaining partners, the style was altered to its present form of “Poole, Stanway, and Wood.” At first Parian only was made, but after a time the decoration of china (bought in the white) was added. After this had been done for about ten years the manufacture of china was commenced, and is now a large and profitable branch of the business. The present productions of these works are Parian, principally statuary, of the higher quality in body, in colour, and in workmanship; china, in which tea, breakfast, dessert, trinket, and other services, vases, figures, groups, &c., are made in every style of decoration, and of excellent quality; majolica, in all the usual varieties of articles; and terra cotta, in which they produce water-jugs, fern-stands, tobacco-jars, filters, candlesticks, flower-vases, tea-pots, &c. The speciality of the works is, however, in Parian, and in this they rank very, and deservedly, high; in this the novelty was introduced by Mr. Turner of decorating the Parian body with majolica colours. By this means a greater clearness and brilliancy as well as softness of colour is attained, “crazing” is avoided, and a more pleasing effect and finish gained. The operations of the firm are not confined to the home markets, but a considerable trade is done with foreign ports. The terra cotta goods are produced in red and cane colour, and richly enamelled. The body is remarkably fine and even, and very hard, compact, and durable. In statuary Parian, a large variety of groups, single figures, animals, and ornamental pieces are produced. The groups and figures, both after the antique and original designs by celebrated modellers, are of a high degree of excellence. Notably among these is a very charming pair, “Night” and “Morning,” by Carrier. Busts, too, are produced very extensively, and of various sizes, both copied from classic models and of modern celebrities. In centre-pieces, compotiers, &c., Messrs. Poole, Stanway, & Wood are particularly successful. A set of four, with juvenile figures representing the Seasons, are peculiarly graceful and elegant, the open-work dishes of these and others being of admirable design and faultless finish; as is also another in which the stem is surrounded by three cleverly modelled Cupids. The tinting of these is pleasing and artistic; the creamy richness of the body (of course unglazed) giving a peculiar softness to the flesh, while the drapery and accessories, being delicately coloured and glazed, impart a finish to the designs that is very charming. A centre-piece with a pedestal rising from three gracefully modelled female figures, and supporting an exquisite open-work dish, is of peculiar elegance; the angles of the tripod base are formed of boldly modelled sea-horses, whose curled tails rise gracefully up and support three smaller dishes. A very successful and powerfully conceived design is a comport in which the base is formed of three young Tritons, who, surrounding an elegant lyre standard, alternate with the same number of shells; above them rises the open-work bowl.
It is interesting to add that one of the partners of this firm, Mr. Josiah Wood, is a worthy descendant of a long line of potters; his grandfather, Aaron Wood, himself a famous potter, was the son of Aaron Wood (who was apprenticed to Dr. Thomas Wedgwood), and the brother of the celebrated Enoch Wood, of whom notices are given in other parts of this volume. Mr. Stanway, another of the partners, is the son of William Stanway, whose fifty years’ connection with the Wedgwoods I have spoken of in my “Life of Wedgwood” and alluded to in another part of this volume.