In terra-cotta, vases of good design, as well as other pieces, were produced. In the possession of Mr. Beard is a remarkably fine pair of covered vases, with boldly-modelled heads of satyrs for handles, and festoons on the sides. The vases are black, and the heads and festoons gilt. This fine pair is marked Herculaneum. In Mr. Rathbone’s collection is a wine cooler of vine leaves and grapes, of similar design, and of the same reddish colour as some of Wedgwood’s terra-cotta coolers. It is marked Herculaneum, impressed on the bottom.
In Blue Printing the Herculaneum Works produced many remarkably good patterns, and the earthenware bearing those patterns was of a fine hard and compact body, of excellent glaze, and the potting remarkably good and skilful. Some services had open-work basket rims, of similar design to those produced by Davenport. One service bore views of the principal towns in England, the names of which were printed in blue on the bottoms of each piece, which mostly bear the impressed mark of Herculaneum in large capitals. Batt printing was also practised.
CAMBRIDGE
Fig. 35.
In 1800 the manufactory was considerably increased, and again in 1806 it received many additions. At this time, in order to augment the working capital, the number of proprietors was increased. Early in the present century china was made at these works, and continued to be produced, though not to a large extent, to the time of the close of the works. Of the china produced several examples may be seen in the Mayer museum. In 1822 it was ordered by proprietors at a meeting held in that year, that “to give publicity and identity to the china and earthenware manufactured by the Herculaneum Pottery Company, the words ‘Herculaneum Pottery’ be stamped or marked on some conspicuous part of all china and earthenware made and manufactured at the manufactory.” In 1833 the company was dissolved, and the property sold for £25,000 to Mr. Ambrose Lace, who leased the premises to Thomas Case and James Mort, who are said to have carried on the business for about three years only. By these gentlemen, it is said, the mark of the “Liver” was introduced. About 1836 the firm of Case, Mort & Co. was succeeded by that of Mort and Simpson, who continued the manufactory until its close in 1841. During the time the works were carried on by Case, Mort & Co., a fine dinner-service, of which a portion is in Mr. Mayer’s museum, was made for the corporation of Liverpool. It was blue-printed, and had on each piece the arms of Liverpool carefully engraved, and emblazoned. In the same collection is part of another service of somewhat similar description, but with the earlier mark of Herculaneum impressed. The marks used at the Herculaneum Works at different periods appear to have been the word
HERCULANEUM HERCULANEUM
impressed in large capitals. The same in small capitals, also impressed. These have generally a number attached, which, of course, is simply the mark of the workman or of the pattern. The same name also occasionally occurs in blue printing. A crown, with the word Herculaneum in a curve, above it, impressed. A crown within a garter, bearing the word Herculaneum; impressed. (Figs. [36] and [37].) The words in capitals, impressed,
HERCULANEUM
POTTERY.
