“I remain, Gentlemen,
“Yours very truly,
“L. L. Dillwyn.”
“Messrs. Brameld & Co.
Near Rotherham.”
The letter is addressed to Messrs. Brameld, and a pencilled note by Mr. Brameld says, “Too high, unless a good mill with it.” The negotiations fell through, and thus Swansea was deprived of a good chance of becoming an important centre of porcelain manufacture.
About 1848 or 1850 Mr. Dillwyn introduced a new branch of manufacture—that of an imitation of Etruscan vases, &c. This ware, which was called “Dillwyn’s Etruscan Ware,” was a fine rich red body. On this was printed, in black outline, Etruscan figures, borders, &c., and the general surface was then painted over and up to the outlines with a fine black, leaving the figures of the original red of the body. The effect was extremely good, and some remarkably fine examples, although but few pieces were made, are still preserved. The accompanying engraving exhibits an example formerly in my own collection. It is of extremely elegant form, and the pattern, both border and figures, is in remarkably good taste. The mark is the one shown below. It is printed in black on the bottom of the vase. The forms were all taken either from vases in the British Museum, or from Sir William Hamilton’s “Antiquités Etrusques, Grecques, et Romaines.” But very little was produced, as it was not a ware, unfortunately, to command a ready sale. It was made from clay found in the neighbourhood, which, when not too highly fired, burns to a good red colour.
Fig. 654.
