The firm have more recently extended embossed relief by the introduction of the primrose on tea, breakfast, and dessert services. The leaves and flowers of the primrose are in relief, and are beautifully painted and tinted from nature; they are also finished in various styles, but always in strict accordance with the simplicity of the original design. Messrs. Harvey Adams & Co. have also entered very largely into the work of ornamental flowering in relief à la Dresden, and have brought out a number of good shapes in vases, jardinières, and other articles, with flowers and plants modelled on the ware, and painted true to nature. In this and in other departments of the art-manufactory they secured the services of several well-known artists; among them Mr. Henry Mitchell, medallist of the Paris and Vienna Exhibitions, celebrated as an animal, landscape, and figure painter, and whose works are remarkable for their finish, their modelling, and their delicacy of treatment, and whose greys and flesh tints are of peculiar purity and beauty; Mr. Swan, and Mr. Longmore—the former a clever flower painter, and the latter highly skilled in his artistic treatment of birds. The firm has recently brought out in great variety a series of designs of the Chinese, Japanese, and Persian style, consisting of figure and floral decoration, and have adapted them to tea, breakfast, dessert, and ornamental goods—the cobalt blue, introduced largely in these patterns, being of a specially pure and rich colour; and while many of these are for the general buyer, a very large number are of a high class character. In these Mr. Slater, the art manager, has happily realised the full force of the special characteristics of this ancient style of art, and produced admirable works. Some of his plaques, which are admirably drawn and exquisitely coloured, evince much force, and show that he has thoroughly studied the works of these countries, and is acquainted with the peculiarities of their gems of art.
The general art director of the works (which employ nearly seventy artists, gilders, &c.) is Mr. Harvey Adams, to whose pure taste and artistic judgment their high state of excellence is to be attributed; the principal modeller being Mr. W. M. Clowes.
Figs. 620 and 621.
Figs. 622 and 623.
Market Street Works.—These are said to be the oldest works in Longton—the first there established—and to be contemporaneous with those of Wedgwood at Etruria. They were originally carried on by Cyples, afterwards by Cyples & Barker, who were succeeded by Mr. Thomas Barlow. For many years Egyptian black and other tinted bodies only were made, but these were of a fine and very superior character. Lustre wares were also produced, and some of these were marked with a large letter B impressed in the body. Later on china for foreign markets was produced of good average quality, both in body and glaze. Within the past few years the present proprietor, Mr. Thomas Barlow, has successfully turned his attention to the production of the more costly classes of decorated goods for the home markets, and in these he now vies in excellency of body and glaze, and in purity and beauty of design and decoration, with most other houses in the trade. In 1871 Mr. Barlow exhibited some of his productions, which attracted much attention. Some of these are engraved on Figs. [632 to 643], and consist of a selection of cups, saucers, and dessert-plates of remarkably chaste and elegant design. The productions of these works consist of tea, breakfast, dessert, and déjeuner services, and a number of ornamental articles, in every style of decoration. The whole evidences a purity of taste, a delicacy of finish, a chasteness of form, and a harmony of colouring, in the highest degree creditable to the proprietor. Many of Mr. Barlow’s designs and patterns are original and worthy of high commendation. Mr. T. W. Barlow produces earthenware in all the usual varieties at Coronation Works in Commerce Street.
High Street Works.—This manufactory, formerly belonging to the Bridgwoods, and next to Cyples & Ball, has, since 1842, been carried on by Messrs. Adams & Cooper. Formerly Egyptian black, brown, and lustre wares, as well as china, were made, but china is now its exclusive product; it is made both for home and foreign markets.