REAL
IRONSTONE
CHINA
impressed in the ware, and the royal arms, with supporters, crest, motto, &c., above the words IRONSTONE CHINA, printed on the bottom of the goods. The marks used by Messrs. Ashworth are, a circular garter, bearing the words “Real Ironstone China,” and enclosing the royal arms and the name “G. L. Ashworth & Bros, Hanley;” Mason’s mark (Fig. [488]) with the addition of the word ASHWORTHS; a crown, with the words ASHWORTH BROS. above, and a ribbon bearing the words REAL IRONSTONE CHINA beneath it; and the royal arms, with supporters, crest, motto, &c., and the words, IRONSTONE CHINA.
ASHWORTH
REAL
IRONSTONE
CHINA.
Mason at one time produced what he called Bandana or Sandana ware. In this jugs and other articles were made, and were of a peculiarly striking and rich character in printing. The designs were complicated Indian foliage and grotesque animals, printed in red and black on a buff or other ground. The name I presume to have been taken from the famous Bandana handkerchief patterns. The mark, on a jug in my own possession, is a circular garter bearing the words, “Mason’s Bandana Ware, 1851,” and enclosing the words “Patentee of the Patent Ironstone China,” the whole surmounted by a crown. I have an impression of a similar mark, which for some purpose has evidently been altered to Sandana, and the date to 1801. As Mason’s patent was only granted in 1813 the alteration of this mark is very palpable.
Cauldon Place.—These works were founded about 1794, and the present manufactory built in 1802, by Mr. Job Ridgway, father of John and William Ridgway, the eminent potters; and were carried on by him and his sons until his death in 1814, under the style of “Ridgway & Sons.” The business was then continued by his two sons for some years, when a dissolution of partnership took place, the elder, John Ridgway, continuing the Cauldon Place Works, and the younger, William Ridgway, removing to a new manufactory which he had erected. Mr. John Ridgway continued, with various changes of partners, under the firm of “John Ridgway & Co.,” until 1855, when the Cauldon Place business passed into the hands of the present firm of “T. C. Brown-Westhead, Moore, & Co.”; Mr. Ridgway continuing his connection with it until 1858, when he finally retired. Mr. W. Moore had for many years previously been a valuable assistant of Mr. Ridgway. He died in 1866, and his brother, Mr. James Moore, succeeded to the management of the potting department, and was admitted into partnership in 1875; in that management he is assisted by his nephew, Mr. Frederick T. Moore, son of Mr. W. Moore. By the present firm the premises have been considerably enlarged, and another manufactory, “The Royal Victoria Works,” has been added, and this business, which formerly was confined to the home and American markets, extended to all foreign ports. Mr. Ridgway, who was “Potter to the Queen,” was awarded in 1851 a Prize Medal for the excellent quality of his ware, the jurors in their report stating that the firm was one of the most important in the Staffordshire Potteries. In 1862 the present proprietors also received a similar distinction. The productions of this manufactory are, and have uniformly been, the useful varieties of china and earthenware, of elegant forms, where applicable, and of various styles of decoration. Table, tea, breakfast, and toilet services in fine earthenware, printed or otherwise decorated, and in china, in endless variety of forms and patterns, are produced in immense quantities. The firm has also introduced improvements in druggists’ and perfumery goods, anti-corrosive tops, &c. Parian is also, to a small extent, produced. A great feature of the manufactory is sanitary ware, which is of the highest quality and reputation, and is made up in a variety of ways for cabinet fittings, plug-basins, lavatories, drinking-fountains, &c. In some of the largest articles, such as the “Toilettes Victoria,” which were used by the Imperial family and elsewhere in Paris, they have accomplished results which have never before been attained or attempted as to magnitude and finish of goods.
In 1843, Mr. William Ridgway, younger son of Job Ridgway, held, with his partners—composing three or four distinct firms of which he was head—six different manufactories in Hanley and Shelton. These were, 1st, a china manufactory in Hanley, formerly worked by George, and afterwards by Thomas, Taylor; 2nd, the earthenware works late belonging to Elijah Mayer & Son; 3rd, the pot-works formerly worked by Robert Wilson and next by Philips & Bagster, where ordinary earthenware and high-class chemical goods were made; 4th, the pot-works previously belonging to Toft & May; 5th, the “Bell Bank” works, in Shelton, formerly George Ridgway’s; and 6th, the old manufactory formerly belonging to John Baddeley (where printing with oil is said to have been first introduced) and next to Hicks, Meigh, & Johnson.
The goods produced at Cauldon Place embrace almost every description of ceramics. In earthenware all the usual table and toilet services, and useful and ornamental articles of every class are made. The quality is peculiarly good, hard, compact, and durable, and the patterns chaste and effective. They are produced in white and in every variety of printed, flown, enamelled, painted, and gilt patterns. In china, which in body and glaze is of the highest quality and of peculiar durability, an immense variety of services and articles are produced, and all are equally good in point of artistic decoration; the ground colours, whether rose du Barry or otherwise, of a remarkable purity and evenness, and the gilding, both dead and burnished, of unusual solidity. The same remarks apply with equal force to the dessert ware, some of the patterns of which are of surpassing loveliness and give evidence of the highest and most successful cultivation of decorative art. One special design has an outer rim, so to speak—for the plate itself is perfect without it—formed of loops of ribbon standing out clear from the beaded edge of the plate. This simple but graceful arrangement imparts a lightness and elegance to the service which are quite refreshing. Another has the rim formed of rays of pellets with a pleasing and novel effect; the tripod stands of the comports being, like the plates, exquisitely modelled and richly painted and gilt. Other patterns, notably one with a rich maroon ground and white bead edge, are, besides being exquisitely painted and gilt, enriched with jewelling. Vases of pure and severe taste in form, and displaying great skill and judgment in decoration, are also produced, as are likewise jugs of faultless excellence. Among other elegant articles Messrs. Brown-Westhead, Moore & Co., have a sandwich-box of white china; it is of wicker or basket work, with a fern leaf laid across the lid, on which rests the butterfly which forms the handle. At each corner hangs a piece of stem bent into a ring and tied into form with a ribbon. This ribbon and the butterfly being tinted in azure with enamel, and all the rest of pure white, give a purity and simplicity to this design that are very gratifying to the eye. Equal with this is an elegant basket, also in white china, which forms an attractive addition to table decoration. In services a novel idea has been introduced by this firm. The handle is formed of a double cord, doubled and passed through a loop, and either tied around the rim or formed into four knots as feet. The design is simple, but one of the prettiest and most striking yet introduced. A rose du Barry cup and saucer, with the cord and knots in white heightened with gold, and on embossed gold lines, is peculiarly elegant. Another admirable contrivance, which has been patented by Toft, and is produced at the works, is a self-acting lid or cover for hot-water jugs, &c. By this contrivance, the lid is hung on a pivot or axle, which fits into a notch on each side the mouth of the vessel, so that, being lightly hung, it opens whenever the jug is sloped for pouring, and closes again when held or set down in an upright position. It is, without exception, the best and most effective plan yet brought out, and one that cannot be superseded.
In 1876–7 Messrs. Browne-Westhead, Moore & Co. manufactured for the Prince of Wales a splendid and costly china dessert service, decorated with finely painted hunting subjects, no two pieces being alike. They also made for the Imperial family of Russia, richly decorated dinner, tea, dessert, and breakfast services, all of which orders were obtained in competition with the Sèvres, Dresden, and other Continental manufactories; and also services for the Emperor of Morocco, including punch bowls of extraordinary largeness. In addition to this it is interesting to record that they also made for H.R.H. the Duchess of Edinburgh a series of toilette services from designs drawn by herself.
