The firm does a large home trade, as well as an export one to Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Russia, Italy, Spain, Portugal, United States and other parts of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and other countries. The manufactory is very extensive; upwards of five hundred persons being employed.
Figs. 443 to 446.
Figs. 447 to 453.
T. Furnival & Sons.—This firm (who occupy two old manufactories, viz., those formerly belonging to Adams and to Blackwell) has been established about thirty years, and ranks high as manufacturers of white granite and vitrified ironstone, and decorated toilet wares, for the United States and Canadian markets, to which they ship large quantities of goods, as they do also printed goods to the continental markets. For the home trade Messrs. Furnival & Sons produce, in their beautiful “patent ironstone,” dinner and other services of various qualities in point of decoration. Among their more recent “specialities” are dinner services, &c, of rich Italian design (made for Pellatt & Wood), plain white, with a china-like surface and glaze; the ornamentation, which is indented, is produced from an embossed mould, the lines being as fine and delicate as if cut in by the graver, so as to have the appearance of chasing; and the lines being filled with glaze the surface is still even. Other noted patterns are the “Dresden Flute” and “Lemon Knob” services. In crested services for the home markets a large and satisfactory trade is done. Another noticeable feature is the happy combination in services of transfer printing, hand painting, enamelling and gilding; some of the services, those decorated with grasses and insects especially, are of high artistic order, and show how advantageously the two processes can be combined. Our engraving shows a group of articles produced at that manufactory, which are remarkable for their elegant forms and for the simple beauty of their decorations. Another engraving exhibits a remarkably elegant flower-pot and stand, with relief figures and other decorations. But these are not a tithe of the beautiful articles produced by Messrs. Furnival. Among the more successful of their productions are the “Swan” and “Nautilus” toilet services, which are of great beauty. The body of the former ewer is oviform, with bulrush decorations in relief; the neck, mouth, and handle make a well-formed swan. These are produced in white, heightened with gold, and enamelled in colours. The “Nautilus” pattern has the mouth of the ewer formed of a nautilus shell and the handle of coral, while the decorations are sea-weeds, true to nature, both in modelling and in colour. The mark of the firm is simply FURNIVAL impressed in the ware.
In connection with these works Mr. F. J. Emery, the then cashier to the firm, introduced, a few years ago, a method of crayon drawing and painting on the bisqué surface of earthenware and china. This beautiful process, which is especially applicable to tiles for fire-places, &c., but is also admirably adapted for the decoration of ordinary articles, has become much in repute, and exquisite drawings have been made in it by some of the first artists of the time, as well as by lady and other amateurs. The bisqué articles, and prepared crayons and colours, were supplied by Mr. Emery, who afterwards became a partner with Mr. E. Clarke at Longport.
Fig. 454.