Print Books

101 Ceramic Highlights; The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery

101 Ceramic Highlights profiles the ceramic collections at The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, through 101 carefully selected entries. Introductory essays also explore how this unique and special collection has developed from its origins in the 19th century. Naturally, this attractive publication references the world’s largest collection of North Staffordshire pottery, but also features objects from all over the world, exploring more than 4000 years of international ceramic history. 101 Ceramic Highlights features more than 200 high-quality images and is the perfect gift or souvenir.

Here is what Spode History Blog says about the book: Every time I revisit the book I learn something new, whether leafing through the pages to look at the beautiful photographs by Matthew Coupe, or reading in more depth the fascinating history of the museum and how its collections came about. Miranda Goodby, Claire Blakey and Joseph Perry did a wonderful job selecting, researching and writing about just 101 objects from this remarkable and huge collection, giving a great snapshot of what stories it can tell... and tempting you to a visit to see the galleries.

19th Century Patterson Potters and Pottery

Released in 2021, this book presents history and wares manufactured by Patterson and associated potteries in the North East of England between 1821 and 1900.  The book Includes details of pottery and marks never seen in any previous publication, and includes over 120 pictures of pottery.  An essential buy for any North East Pottery collector.  Written by the great great grandson of Thomas Patterson, who manufactured pottery at Tyne Pottery Newcastle and Sheriff Hill Pottery Gateshead. Read a summary of the book in the December 2021 Bulletin p. 13.

The book costs £12.99 and the author is happy to post it subject to any postage rates applying. Current postage costs (2021) have been UK (£4.00 signed for), Europe (£5.50 tracked), Norway (£5.30 confirmed International delivery) and USA (£12.50 confirmed international delivery).  To confirm postage and to order, contact Tony Patterson. 

A Guide to Mason's Patent Ironstone Patterns c1813 to c1848 A Mason's Collectors' Club Publication

Edited by the Club Chairman, and compiled from Club research over the past 40 years, this new B5 size publication offers a full colour 175 page guide to Ironstone patterns produced by the Mason's factory from c1813 to c1848.

The price is £35 including postage. Cheques should be made payable to: Mason’s Collectors’ Club. All enquiries about payment, postage, other publications and Club membership to: alandwhite_lenborough@hotmail.com.
(Those unable to purchase with pounds should contact the club secretary to determine best method of payment.)

Alan D White
Secretary
Mason's Collectors' Club
Lenborough House
Hillesden Road
Gawcott
Buckingham
MK18 4JF
UK
www.masonscc.co.uk

A Potted History, Henry Willett’s Ceramic Chronicle of Britain

Assembled between 1860 and 1900, the Willett Collection of Pottery and Porcelain is unique in being the only collection in public ownership (Brighton & Hove Museums, UK) to illustrate what Henry Willett called ‘popular British history’, through the medium of ceramics. It is of enormous importance for its innovative approach to collecting, for the outstanding quality of many of its individual pieces and for the fact that it is intact over 100 years after it was formed.

Willett was a renowned collector in his own lifetime. He was a close collaborator with Sir Augustus Franks of the British Museum and is also mentioned in the diaries of Lady Charlotte Schreiber, whose collections form the basis of the English ceramic holdings at the Victoria & Albert Museum.  Willett’s collection is comparable with either of these, with the Glaisher Collection at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge or the Burnap Collection in Kansas, USA.

Some 2000 items include vessels, dishes, tiles, ornamental busts and figures, dating from the late16th to the late 19th century. They represent a complete range of English ceramic bodies and manufacturing technology as well as a wide variety of decorative techniques. The collection includes one of the largest groups of printed wares in the UK, including hollow-ware, plates and tiles.  Despite the fact that he was not primarily concerned with documentary pieces, the collection includes many important, rare and unique examples from named factories and well-known decorators and engravers.

The book respects Willett’s original intentions, grouping his pieces under historical themes representing aspects of British history. Some, such as ‘Royalty and Loyalty’, ‘Naval Heroes’, ‘England & America’ and ‘Statesmen’ (Politicians) are traditionally commemorative, celebrating historic events and personalities. Others have strong social and cultural history interest, such as ‘Music’, ‘Drama’ and ‘Pastimes and Amusements’ as well as ‘Trades and Professions’ and ‘Clubs and Societies’. ‘Crime’ documents some salacious court cases, while ‘Domestic Incidents’ accounts for rites of passage in family life.

The book, containing over 700 illustrations, includes comprehensive footnotes and bibliography. I have endeavoured, however, to give more than a thumbnail sketch of the events and personalities featured, especially where they are commemorated by more than one object. I have also tried to account for why these particular events and celebrities caught the public imagination, to the extent that the potters considered it worth producing a sizeable souvenir edition, reflecting Willett’s original intentions. I have drawn extensively on contemporary press comment and diaries for evidence of interest among ordinary people.

Available for purchase on Amazon US, or Amazon UK

Adams Ceramics: Staffordshire Potters and Pots, 1779-1998

By studying primary source material, the authors have compiled the most authentic and readable record of the prolific Adams ceramic wares from England, including earthenware, bone china, jasper, stoneware, basalt, and Parian made over a 200 year period.

American Historical English Pink: American Views on English Transferware

In addition to recording not only the potter and his pottery but the known forms and colors, she also provides a glimpse into the historical significance of every magical motif.
102 pages 8.5 by 11 inches Spiral binding $25.00

Order book directly from Margie Williams. $7 shipping for non-Transferware members, free for Transferware members. (Learn about membership.) Send your check and order to: Margie Williams, 1835 Oak Terrace, Newcastle, CA 95658 OR order directly from Amazon. Or contact Margie via email: mjhrww@gmail.com

An Historical Atlas of Staffordshire

Within its ancient boundaries, Staffordshire is a county of diverse and contrasting historic landscapes. The two major contributions of the Black Country and the Potteries that now dominate the county co-exist with smaller towns that in their day had similar standing as centres of the Mercian state. The county's world-renowned industrial complexes based on ceramics and the metalware trades, products of the industrial revolution and before, sit alongside agricultural systems embracing both arable and grassland specialisms. In the built environment, castles rub shoulders with the meanest of urban-industrial housing, and religious expressions range from the cathedral centre of a vast diocese, through the austere surroundings of Mow Cop, the birthplace of primitive Methodism, to the humble and ubiquitous well-dressing ceremonies. The overtly planned landscapes of Needwood Forest and the gardens of Alton Towers mingle with the seemingly natural appearances of the uplands of the Moorlands and the heathlands of Cannock Chase. These many and varied landscapes are both products and reflections of a multiplicity of histories.

Students of the county have been keen to explore and relate these pasts. However, no systematic attempt has been made to express these accounts in spatial form. For the first time, this book seeks to demonstrate by maps the various histories that contribute to the diversity of Staffordshire. With its succinct discussions and detailed map presentations of these themes, incorporating new thinking and recent research, the atlas provides an innovative and major contribution to the study of the history of Staffordshire.

Within its ancient boundaries, Staffordshire is a county of diverse and contrasting historic landscapes. World-renowned industrial complexes sit alongside agricultural systems; castles rub shoulders with urban-industrial housing; the cathedral centre of a vast diocese lies close to the birthplace of primitive Methodism; overtly planned landscapes mingle with the uplands of the Moorlands and the heathlands of Cannock Chase. These varied landscapes are products and reflections of a multiplicity of histories. This book seeks to demonstrate by maps the various histories that contribute to the diversity of Staffordshire. With its succinct discussions and detailed map presentations of these themes, incorporating new thinking and recent research, the atlas provides an innovative and major contribution to the study of the history of Staffordshire.

Contents:

• Text figures and tables
• Contributors
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• The Staffordshire Setting
• Pre-Conquest and Domesday Staffordshire
• Later Medieval Staffordshire
• Early-modern and Modern Staffordshire
  References and bibliography
• Index
• Fold-out large-scale ancient parish and township map of Staffordshire
• Over 300 colour maps and diagrams
• Illustrated text

An Illustrated Guide to British Jugs From Medieval Times to the Twentieth Century

With over 800 illustrations, this book is an invaluable reference for all collectors, dealers and enthusiasts as the author discusses techniques used for these decorative jugs. Jug collectors, and there are many of them, have general books to refer to, but the few specialist volumes available are either of poor quality or cover only specific wares. This extensively illustrated volume covers all decent-sized everyday serving jugs, which were predominantly made in earthenware or stoneware, and features all decorative techniques, including two good chapters on transfer printing. This book was given the Literati Club's 1998 Award for Excellence for the best specialist reference title.

Swan Hill Press (1997), hardback, ISBN 9781853107474, not currently in print

Try on Amazon

Blue and White Transferware: 1780 to 1840

Blue and white transfer-printed earthenware was produced in vast quantities in the early nineteenth century. It was made in the Staffordshire Potteries, and also in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Northumberland and South Wales. After the Napoleonic Wars a large export trade to North America was established. The wares that have survived are now avidly collected on both sides of the Atlantic and some are now exported from Britain as antiques.

This book describes and illustrates over 150 of the relatively few pieces of blue and white transfer ware that do bear the makers' mark. This will help dealers and collectors in their attempts to attribute other specimens. Great stress is also laid on the need to examine all characteristics of the pieces before identifying their makers - colour, glaze, shape, etcetera are fully considered. The captions to the photographs add much detailed information, and a great many new facts about transfer-printed pottery are included. These will greatly assist collectors, and anyone beginning to take an interest in the subject. -- from the book's dustjacket.

Bottle Ovens and the Story of the Final Firing

Note about the book: In 1978 Gladstone Pottery Museum in Stoke-on-Trent had the audacious idea of firing a potters' bottle oven, with coal, for the very last time. This traditional way of firing pottery had ended in the early 1960s with the introduction of the Clean Air Act. Before all the knowledge and skills of firing a bottle oven were consigned to history the museum embarked on a project which proved to be an enormous undertaking, massively complex and tremendously daunting. This book, published in the 40th anniversary year, tells the story of The Last Bottle Oven Firing.

Part 1 answers the question 'What is a bottle oven?'
Part 2 details the 1978 final firing with contemporary reports and previously unseen images.
Part 3 is a bottle oven dictionary explaining some of the unusual words specific to bottle ovens and the pottery industry.

Note about the authors: Terry Woolliscroft has a degree in ceramic technology and trained in commercial pottery manufacture at Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Ltd., Barlaston. His interest in bottle ovens developed quickly as a youth when he saw these remarkable buildings rapidly disappearing from The Potteries skyline. He photographed many potbanks before they were demolished. He joined Gladstone Pottery Museum as a volunteer and worked on the Potteries Bottle Oven Survey of 1976. He was a member of the team which organised the Last Bottle Oven Firing of 1978 and worked throughout making an audio record and logbook of the event. He also shovelled coal! He has created several websites including The Potteries Bottle Oven, The Last Bottle Oven Firing, The Gladstone Pottery Museum Story and The Potbank Dictionary.

Pam Woolliscroft (née Bott) has enjoyed a career in Stoke-on-Trent museums, working at Gladstone Pottery Museum, Chatterley Whitfield Mining Museum, Ford Green Hall and the Spode Museum. With her background in ceramic history she has worked as a consultant with specialist archives and museums and also for ArtUK. She began her museum work as a volunteer at Gladstone Pottery Museum eventually becoming curator under the leadership of David Sekers. She was a member of the team which organised the Last Bottle Oven Firing 1978 and became the key link between museum staff and over 70 volunteers. Pam kindled the first firemouth of the final firing. She has created the Spode History and Spode ABC websites and works as a volunteer at Stoke-on-Trent City Archives.

Quote from Angela Lee, Manager, Gladstone Pottery Museum, 2018 Echoes of the Last Bottle Oven Firing: The Last Bottle Oven Firing was one of the most important events in the history of Gladstone Pottery Museum with significant and lasting effects over the 40 years since that amazing achievement. The information recorded plus practical skills and knowledge gained by the volunteers who worked on the project is invaluable. It has continually informed the ways the museum can help visitors to understand coal-fired bottle ovens. It has also made a lasting impression on those who witnessed the event. Almost every day there will be a visitor to the museum sharing their memories of that special time. Gladstone Pottery Museum will forever be grateful for the vision, determination, organisational skills and hard work which created the Last Bottle Oven Firing.

Quotes from the book about Bottle Ovens
"09:50 Saturday 26 August 1978 Eight placers start placing ware into saggars. Full saggars taken to the oven to be set in. Arch bungs, between the bags, at the back of the oven, were set in first.

"12:37 Tuesday 29 August 1978. Kindling started. Eight firemouths set alight using flaming newspaper or a specially made flaming taper. Each firemouth was kindled in turn. Firemouth No.1 kindled by Pam Bott (Gladstone Pottery Museum Curator/member of Organising Committee). The crowd gave a spontaneous round of applause." The final firing on its way.

"Based on the measurement of the Bullers rings, years of experience and just gut feel Alfred Clough, the fireman, decided on making just one more baiting - No.9. "We need a big one," he said. "Have we got plenty of fuel in? Get everybody ready."

"Removing the clammins was quite a spectacle. Sparks flew from inside the oven suggesting the inside was under pressure. It was a carnival atmosphere. Oohs and aahs were heard and children shouted with glee."

"The oven grumbled as it cooled. The structure which had remained idle for many years had been brought to life by fire and had coped well with the inevitable expansion of brickwork and bonts. But as cooling and shrinkage took over it struggled once more with the movement of brick against brick, groaning as it returned to its normal size."

"Bottle Ovens - Out of the filth came great beauty. From these curious brick-built and iron-strapped structures came the most exquisite, delicate and utterly beautiful pottery in the world."

Published by Gladstone Pottery Museum, Uttoxeter Road, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST3 1PQ, England

ISBN 978 0 9505411 3 6
Date of publication: 1 August 2018
£9.95

60 pages. Perfect bound. Portrait style 11.7 x 8.3 inches (A4) Over 25,000 words. Over 140 illustrations.

Available from the Gladstone Pottery Museum shop by phone, please call +44 1782 237777

Produced with the generous support of the Friends of the Potteries Museums & Art Gallery

Canadian Advertising Pot Lids

2016 The Paul and Gladys Richards Foundation Research Grant Program

Advertising pot lids can be found from many countries particularly English speaking nations and are collected by a dedicated group of enthusiasts across the world. These fascinating transfer-printed ceramic containers often feature inventive designs and typefaces as well as details of the individuals and companies that sold them. They were used to retail a broad range of commodities and the vast majority were originally thrown away after a single use. In the last 50 years or so, they have been re-discovered from the excavation of former rubbish tips.

These containers became available due to pioneering developments in the pottery industry. The creation of wares than were durable, alongside advances in transfer printing, paved the way for mass production. Staffordshire, England became a key production centre that also supplied a hungry export market. The excavation of several rubbish tips from several former Staffordshire potteries has confirmed that some of Canada’s pot lids were sourced and manufactured in the UK. These pot lids are often the only tangible evidence of long defunct businesses that elected to use the latest form of packaging. Canada, in comparison to many other countries, records relatively few examples although there are a number that are highly appealing and desirable. Over the past decade or so, the prices for coveted examples have achieved astronomical sums as collectors have recognised their rarity and historical significance.

This guide is the first time that all-known Canadian pot lids have been carefully catalogued and the history of the businesses that sold them properly researched. They represent an important part of our social development highlighting sophisticated marketing and manufacturing skills although they are too often underappreciated. This guide, complementing other recent publications, will help change this attitude and bestow the recognition they rightly deserve. It puts Canadian lids firmly on the map.

How to order hardcopy
Price US $10.00 Price UK £10.00 pounds

Postage determined when order is placed Email b.pynn@shaw.ca to place an order

Download PDF (members only)

Caughley Blue & White Patterns

For the first time ever, a definitive book of Caughley blue and white patterns and accompanying borders has been published by The Caughley Society and is available now. 151 patterns and their borders are fully described and illustrated with nearly 500 newly commissioned digital photographs of pieces in both private and museum collections, many of which have never been published before. Each pattern occupies at least one page and is illustrated by one or more photographs. A detailed description accompanies each, which includes a date range during which the pattern is believed to have been used, the pattern’s rarity, the marks that accompany the pattern, the shapes it was used on, which borders accompany it, whether it is printed or painted, and details of whether the pattern was also used by the Worcester factory. A commentary elaborates this information and draws attention to particular features.

With 256 pages, this hardback book with dust jacket has been produced to the highest professional standards and is printed in full colour throughout. It has been written by a team of leading experts from the Society and, with a foreword by Geoffrey Godden, contains additional chapters on the patterns in their historical context, borders, documentary pieces, and marks. It will be a comprehensive and invaluable source of information for auctioneers, ceramic historians, collectors, curators, dealers, and others interested in eighteenth-century porcelain.

Reviews:

“This new Society-backed publication, with its wide range of helpful illustrations, will surely testify to the importance of this very rural Shropshire factory.” – Geoffrey Godden

“Neat classifications of patterns by names and numbers are incredibly useful. This book will not only help auctioneers, dealers and museums catalogue their pieces, it will become the bible for existing collectors and encourage new ones.” – John Sandon

This long-awaited book has been published in a limited edition of 500 copies. The cover price is £45.00, and the cost of shipping varies according to country. 

We share information about this book with thanks to the Caughley Society.

Ceramic Makers' Marks

Erica Gibson’s comprehensive guide provides a much-needed catalogue of ceramic makers' marks of British (primarily), French, German, and American origin found in North American archaeological sites. Consisting of nearly 350 marks from 112 different manufacturers from the mid-19th through early 20th century, this catalog provides full information on both the history of the mark and its variants, as well as details about the manufacturer. A set of indexes allow for searches by manufacturer, location, mark elements, and common words used. This guide will be of interest not only to historical archaeologists, but material culture specialists, collectors, museum professionals, students, art historians, and others interested in ceramics.

Read Connie Rogers' review of Ceramic Makers' Marks.

CHINOISERIE: Printed British Ceramics in the Chinese Style 1750-1900

It is a hardcover, 416-page book, 270 x 210 mm (10.6 x 8.27 in), with over 1450 color images. Published by Gomer Press, South Wales.

Generous support from the TCC Richards Foundation Research Grant Program helped to make this book possible.  A website with much more information about the book and how to order is available.

Cleaning Historic Transferware

Antique transferware collector Scott T. Hanson shares his process for removing grime and under-glaze stains from historic Staffordshire transferware dishes. Using close-up photographs and clear text, the process is illustrated and described using two examples. Antique dealers have had their secret methods for cleaning these beautiful pieces of pottery but have not wanted the public to discover how it can be done. After ten years of trial and error and experimentation, Hanson has developed a method that will remove the deepest stains from virtually any piece of glazed transferware, returning pieces to the bright colors and clean white backgrounds they had when they left the Staffordshire potteries in the 19th century. Clear, close-up photos walk you through the entire process, step by step. Two examples are shown to illustrate cleaning both a typically stained and dirty piece and a badly stained and grimy piece. Also included is a concise description of the process used to create transferware in the Staffordshire region of England in the 19th century. Understanding how the pieces were made will help you to understand how they became stained under the glaze and how the method illustrated works to remove the stains. Scott T. Hanson is a Maine based architectural historian who collects antique transferware to display and use in his 19th century home, Whitten House. Using documentary research into probate inventories of members of the original family to own the house, and shards of historic transferware found under and around the house in the course of restoration, he was able to identify the exact patterns that were in the house during the time two generations of the Whitten family called it home. Searching in shops, flea markets, auctions, and online, he has slowly found pieces of the patterns the Whitten family owned and assembled a collection reflecting their time in the house. Scott Hanson is also the co-author of The Architecture of Cushing's Island, written with Maine State Historian, Earle G. Shettleworth, and published in 2012. He has appeared, along with Whitten House, on the television program "If Walls Could Talk" on HGTV.

Amazon Review
An extremely useful book
By LGL on February 28, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
We've collected Staffordshire Blue for years. We try to find the pieces we want in as pristine condition as possible, but sometimes a piece turns up that is stained but desirable in other ways. The approach outlined in this book is the first one we've tried that actually does exactly what the author claims. It isn't fast - it took us almost three months to do our test clean on a blue & white Victorian sugar bowl we'd been given that was badly stained. (And I do mean "badly" - it was brown in places.) At the end of the three months, following Hanson's directions exactly, it looks almost like new. After that we did an older piece, a sauce tureen by Hall, that wasn't as badly stained and required somewhat less time. It, too, looks pristine. Based on our experience with these two pieces, I think the approach is certainly worth trying, and thank the author for sharing the results of his experimentation. We bought the Kindle version of the book.

About the Author
Scott T. Hanson is a Maine based architectural historian who lives in a 19th century home, Whitten House, in the mid-coast region. He grew up in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, before settling on the Maine coast. His most recent publication (and first eBook) is "Cleaning Antique Staffordshire Transferware." Using documentary research into probate inventories of members of the original owners of his house, and shards of historic transferware found under and around the house in the course of restoration, he was able to identify the exact patterns that were in the house during the time two generations of the Whitten family called it home. Searching in shops, flea markets, auctions, and online, he has slowly found pieces of the patterns the Whitten family owned and assembled a collection reflecting their time in the house. After a decade of collecting, he has brought back to the house many items matching those owned by the Whittens in the 19th century. As part of that process, he developed an effective and affordable method for cleaning transferware, which he shares in the book.

Collecting English Pink Appreciating, Understanding and Gathering English Transferware

Looks at the myriad types, sets and pieces of ware, focusing on transfer-printed wares in pink. Takes an in-depth gaze at attributing and dating transferware, moves through collecting tips, explores the ware’s enormous range and its usage and ends with a glance at the English pottery industry. 160 pages 9 by 12 inches Perfect binding $45.00

Order book directly from Margie Williams. $7 shipping for non-Transferware members, free for Transferware members. (Learn about membership.) Send your check and order to: Margie Williams, 1835 Oak Terrace, Newcastle, CA 95658 OR order directly from Amazon. Or contact Margie via email: mjhrww@gmail.com

Copyhold Potworks and Housing in the Staffordshire Potteries 1700-1832

"This book presents research by the author Peter Roden, who is a descendant of Josiah Spode I and who also has a special interest in Spode history. Whilst not Spode specific, it is hugely important for anyone interested in the history of Spode. 

I have found Roden's research of invaluable use when putting flesh on the bones of the early Spode businesses. This book brings us detailed new information about these businesses. It gives a more detailed look at property owned by the Spode family and helps to date more accurately the beginnings of the Spode business.

During the period, 1700-1832, the copyhold business in the court of the manor of Newcastle under Lyme provides a unique record of the development of the central area of the Staffordshire Potteries. Over 50 different potworks sites are mentioned in these records; fields can be followed into housing developments; and for many of the thousands of people involved in the developments, there are details of their family history and financial affairs. Who knows, this might be where you find that missing link in your family history researches.

When you learn that there are over 12,000 pages of minutes in these old manor court records then it is not surprising that Roden describes it as his '15 year gestation period' for this book! The amount of diligent and careful research that has gone into this publication is astounding.

Don't be fooled into thinking this book is just a list of potworks and businesses. It is a very enjoyable read and for anyone unfamiliar with these types of records, like me—the first part of the book explains the complexity of interpreting the archaic formalities found in copyhold records. It concludes with several appendices, including a description of how the manor court operated, who ran it, and what other business it was still doing at this time as its wider medieval functions declined. The book is extensively indexed, including the names of almost 2,000 people.

There are maps and diagrams, tables and annotated plans. The illustration on the cover is of Spode's'Meadowe and Potworks potovens pothouses….' of the late 1700s. It's worth buying it just for that if you are a Spode enthusiast! The Meadowname was still in use on the site up to its closure in 2009, by then relating to a modern building. I hope that any commercial development on the site in the near future will keep this name alive. Perhaps we can have a Meadow Café!

I admit to a definite bias towards Spode but every time I pick this book up I learn something new about The Potteries, its industry, associated properties and people. For anyone who thought a complete record existed of all the businesses connected with the famous pottery industry in Stoke-on-Trent at this formative time, think again, for here are new businesses and names previously unknown.

This is must-have book for anyone with a love of Spode history and of the ceramic industry in general. An absolute bargain at £25 [+p&p (£4.50 UK p&p). You can purchase this direct from the publisher."

—Review (slightly modified by the TCC Web Administrator) courtesy of Pam Woolliscroft in her website Spode History.

Orders to: Wood Broughton Publications, 1 Wood Broughton Barn, Cartmel, Grange-over-Sands, LA11 7SJ. Price £25 [+p&p (£4.50 UK p&p)]. Contact publisher for International postage charge.

Dated in Blue: Underglaze Blue Painted Earthenware 1776 - 1800

140 pages, 450+ illustrations.

Dated in Blue is a catalogue of dated underglaze blue painted earthenware, both creamware and pearlware, from 1776 to 1800.  One hundred and ninety four examples are featured, the majority of which are illustrated and published for the first time. They give a unique insight into ceramic bodies, shapes and decorative styles used at the time of their production, and much of the information gathered can be used to help date other types of earthenware being produced concurrently.

International Buyers, Price is £22 (sterling) plus postage
To order & for postage fees, email datedinblue@gmail.com

Dishy Animals ABC: An Alphabet Book for Children and Adults

Inexpensive children’s china was made in Britain throughout the 19th century as gifts for good behavior, christening presents, souvenirs, and rewards for excellence in school.  It was inexpensive because the pattern was transfer-printed on the pottery rather than hand-painted.  Of the many hundreds or perhaps even thousands of patterns made,  I have culled patterns that include animals.  Animals on children’s pottery both delight and instruct.  For example, when you look at the first page you’ll see that “A” is the first letter of the alphabet and is represented by the word “Ape”.  Not only is the image amusing, but by extension, the child could be asked “What else begins with the letter “A”? What a lovely way to learn the ABCs!
 
Judie Siddall has combined her love of children and china to create this book.  She taught in the Palo Alto, California Parent Education Program, PreSchool Family, for 25 years, and has operated Merlin Antiques, specializing in 19th century British transfer printed pottery, for 21 years. She is a founding member of the Transferware Collectors Club, and has served as its president, vice president, and membership chair.

PDF of information.

To order for $17.98 + shipping from Lulu.

Contact the author.

Extraordinary British Transferware 1780-1840

This 320-page hard back book brings to the attention of the collecting public nearly 300 transferware items from 1780–1840, including examples of dinner ware, toilet and medical ware, and pieces for food preparation and storage. The exceptional pieces cataloged are uncommon in pattern, shape, use, or other factors; interesting in terms of history of its use; and/or thought provoking because its use is a mystery. Each of these very unusual, rare, and extraordinary items are presented here on its own page with multiple images showing every aspect of the piece, including source prints if available. In addition, each piece is accompanied by a full description, including the historical context of these wares and how people lived in Georgian and early Victorian times, as well as details on the maker, size, date of manufacture, and marks. With more than 1200 images, this book of pottery objects for every conceivable use will appeal to collectors, historians, auctioneers and dealers alike.The book is now available from Amazon.

A Review by Judie Siddall
"Extraordinary British Transferware: 1780-1840 illustrates more than 300 unusual patterns and shapes that delight the eye and the brain of both the casual and informed collector of transfer-printed pottery. Richard and Rosemary Halliday, transferware collectors, researchers, and dealers, have photographed beautifully and written in luscious detail about each piece of pottery. The photography is excellent and the writing even possibly better. The book proves to be more than a picture book. It focuses on the unusual, but is really a smorgasbord of transferware. And, like a smorgasbord, there is a taste for everyone." Read the entire review.

Flourish – A Golden Age for Ceramics in Wales

A chance to enjoy highlights of the world's largest collection of historic Welsh ceramics. 

The names Swansea, Llanelli and Nantgarw are world-renowned for their pottery and porcelain, and this is the first comprehensive exploration of their history in decades. Between the 1760s and 1920s, a small group of remarkable people were pouring passion, talent and money into producing world-class pottery and porcelain. We also celebrate, with stunning, detailed new photography, the remarkable skills of the artists who decorated the items as if painting on canvas.

With a foreword by renowned ceramicist Lowri Davies, who casts a contemporary eye over this historic collection.

£19.99

Glamorgan Pottery

This is a comprehensive study of The Glamorgan Pottery at Swansea, Wales, which flourished for 24 years, and competed successfully with many of its rivals.There are a wealth of 179 coloured illustrations, many of previously unrecorded pieces. Pearlwares, creamwares, sprigged, and green glazed wares are illustrated, and mention is made of mocha, banded and marbled wares also being produced at this small factory. The majority of pieces however, are transfer printed in predominantly blue (also flow blue), but black, green, pink and brown transfers were also used.

There are chapters on children`s plates, tea and dessert services, toilet wares, and also the more unusual decorative items such as cow creamers, puzzle jugs and vases. Marks are shown and there is an interesting section showing part of a workman’s book which the author discovered. There are recipes for glazes and colour pigments, together with diagrams of kilns. This is a most worthwhile addition to any ceramic collectors library.

This book is out of print but may be available used.

Godden's Guide to Ironstone, Stone and Granite Ware

British Ironstone China and the related stone china and granite ceramic bodies are as important in their way as English creamwares or indeed bone china itself. Initially, the ironstone-type bodies were introduced to emulate, rival and undersell the vast and popular importations of Oriental porcelains. Not only did the ironstone manufacturers succeed in this ideal but they progressed to take over the trade.

H&R Daniel Earthenwares

The reputation of Henry and Richard Daniel is based on their glorious porcelain but, in spite of its importance to the commercial success of the company, little has been written about their huge production of earthenware. Signposts to Daniel earthenwares were provided in the pioneering works of Geoffrey Godden and Michael Berthoud, but few have followed that path until now. This is the first book to attempt a comprehensive survey of the various shapes and patterns produced in earthenware by H&R Daniel and to differentiate them from other contemporary manufacturers such as Thomas Dimmock & Co, to whom they are frequently attributed.

Brian Smith and Bryan Beardmore have between them over fifty years experience in identifying and collecting Daniel, and are co-authors of the most recent work on Daniel porcelain tablewares.  John and Jeannette Simpson had considerable experience as technical authors before being drawn into the ceramics world, and since 2010 have been editors of the Journal of the Daniel Ceramic Circle.

Foreword by Geoffrey A Godden

Published in a limited edition of 200 copies by the Daniel Ceramic Circle with the generous support of the Transferware Collectors Club through the Paul and Gladys Richards Charitable foundation Research Program.

134 pages, paperback, printed in full colour throughout.
ISBN: 978-0-9562391-2-9

Cover price £25 but for TCC members there is a special price of £20.
Shipping extra – within UK £3, overseas buyers please enquire.

To order this book please email dcc@simpson.uk.com or see website www.danielcc.org

H&R DANIEL EARTHENWARES FIRST SUPPLEMENT (MAY 2018)

Back in 2015 the TCC kindly gave us* a grant towards the publication of our book, H&R Daniel Earthenwares. As with any publication on a new subject it focussed attention and resulted in new items being brought to light. This year we felt we had enough material to publish a supplement. We issued it as a supplement to the May DCC Journal, so that members would receive it free of charge. We felt that the TCC should also have a copy with our compliments and thanks. —  * John & Jeannette Simpson, Brian Smith, Bryan Beardmore. 

Historical Guide to Advertising Pot Lids

Advertising pot lids can be found from many countries particularly English-speaking nations and are collected by a dedicated group of enthusiasts across the world. These fascinating transfer-printed ceramic containers often feature inventive designs as well as details of the individuals and companies that sold them. They were used to retail commodities such as tooth paste, cold cream, food pastes, hair preparations, ointments & salves, and a range of other products. The vast majority were originally thrown away after a single use and have been re-discovered over the past 50 years or so from the excavation of former rubbish tips.

It has taken 11 years to compile this book, which is the result of contributions from hundreds of collectors from around the globe. It aims to catalogue, as far as possible, all UK and Irish advertising pot lids that were used broadly between 1830 and 1930, as well as providing a brief overview of examples that were used in other countries.

This guide records over 8,500 different examples, features over 7,500 images and provides trading details on over 600 businesses that used them. It is the authors’ intention to continue cataloguing examples not featured and publish a supplement to this book when feasible.

Printing supported by a TCC Paul and Gladys Richards Charitable Foundation Research Program grant.

Pricing:
Standard - £120 (hard-cover but very limited availability; priority to contributors); £70 soft-cover.

TCC Members - £100 (hard-cover) and £60 (soft-cover)

Contact seller for shipping estimate / cost  jimlayden1@gmail.com

Also available: Historical Guide to Advertising Pot Lids, Update including a Guide to Beauty Pots

Historical Guide to Advertising Pot Lids, Update Including a Guide to Beauty Pots

This recent publication is more an extensive supplement, than an update, providing over 480 new advertising examples and a new section on beauty pots to supplement the 8,000 plus images and detailed backgrounds of over 600 companies which were featured in the original publication. It is a “must” purchase for anyone who possesses the original volume.

Purchase arrangements can be made with either Bob Houghton great.pots@btinternet.com or Jim Layden jimlayden1@gmail.com.

The publication printing was supported by the TCC Paul and Gladys Richards Research Grant Program for Studies in British Transferware.

Also see Historical Guide to Advertising Pot Lids

India on Transferware: A Compendium of Indian Scenes on Transferware Together with Their Source Prints

Every known scene of India on transferware is included in one book, together with photos (where available) of both the patterns and the source prints from which they were derived. Each pattern and its source prints (sometimes there are as many as five) are shown side by side so that they can easily be compared.

Publication Update:  India on Transferware (Michael Sack)

The ink was hardly dry on India on Transferware at its publication in October 2009 before additional patterns and better images of some objects started showing up. I have been accumulating this new information ever since and now feel that I have enough stored up to issue this supplement. Since it is appearing in digital format, I will be able to update it as more material shows up. The new information which follows is set out in the same order as the chapters in the book so that readers can easily relate the information in the supplement to the original. I have decided not to sell this supplement but simply to issue it in pdf format for anyone to download, with the caveat that there may be further revisions. The original book is still available on Amazon or through me directly. My email address is msack@michaelsack.com. Download supplement.

Inside the Head of a Collector

Publisher: Lucia Marquand
Hardcover $40
Purchase on Amazon

• Introduces neuro- and behavioral economics for collectors  and art professions to help them understand their own decision making
• Brings a unique collector's perspective, providing insight for art dealers, collectors, and museum professionals. Includes artworks and objects that have never been published before
• Chronicles the exhibit Elegance from the East: New Insights into Old Porcelain, which was one of the first museum exhibits to use a neuropsychological approach
• Examines Order of Cincinnati fakes versus authentic articles, with photos to demonstrate

Collecting objects gives enormous pleasure to approximately one third of the population, providing such benefits as intellectual stimulation, the thrill of the chase, and leaving a legacy. On the other hand, the same pursuit can engender pain; for example, paying too much for an object, unknowingly buying a fake, or dealing with the frustrations of collection dispersal. Until recently, there was no objective way to enhance the positive (pleasure) aspects of collecting and minimize the negative (pain). Now, for the first time, scientific research in neuro- and behavioral economics gives us a way to turn this around. 

Neuroeconomics is the study of the biological foundation of economic thought, while behavioral economics incorporates insights from psychology and other social sciences into the examination of monetary behavior. By using examples from these disciplines, Shirley M. Mueller, MD, relates her own experiences as a serious collector and as a neuroscientist to examine different behavioral traits which characterize collectors. 

The contents of this book are cutting edge, unique and sure to get attention. Mueller breaks new ground in an area not previously explored. Her information is relevant not only for collectors, but also for colleges, and universities which teach collection management, plus museum staff who interact with collectors and dealers of objects desired by collectors. Heavily illustrated with ceramics from Mueller's collection and packed with useful information, this book will become a required vital resource.

Jugs

Before the days of modern packaging the only vessel available for fetching, storing or serving liquids was the simple jug. Jugs were the staple product of many pottery firms and, since most households would need several, the potential market was vast and there was great competition among the manufacturers. Decorative jugs sold best and, despite the fact that jugs were utilitarian, a vast number of attractive designs emerged. Although jugs from the eighteenth century are scarce, those from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries have survived in large numbers and can fill many a collection. This book reveals the many and varied techniques of decorating jugs throughout the ages, including one chapter on transfer printing. An ideal introduction to the history and design of jugs.

Shire Publications (2009), paperback, ISBN: 9780747807346, £5.99 / $12.95

www.shirebooks.co.uk or www.amazon.com

Liverpool Porcelain

Liverpool Porcelain 1756-1804 has 15 information-packed chapters covering all the 18th century Liverpool porcelain factories. The history of each factory is clearly set out, including who operated them and their periods of production. The wares of each factory are described and compre-hensively illustrated in a vast array of color photographs. Many of the pieces have never been illustrated before. The ways in which the porcelain of each factory can be identified are explained. The book includes 570 pages and 1,300 illustrations and is printed with hardback covers.

An important chapter illustrates and discusses over 120 underglaze blue printed patterns and another is devoted to overglaze printing on Liverpool porcelain by John Sadler and others. Dated pieces are discussed, as is the marketing of Liverpool porcelain and its export to America. There is a foreword by Geoffrey Godden.

Maurice Hillis is an independent researcher on ceramic history. His ceramic interests are extremely varied and he has published widely on 18th and 19th century pottery and porcelain. He has also lectured extensively on ceramics, in both Britain and North America. In 2001 he was elected Chairman of The Northern Ceramic Society, the largest society in Britain devoted to the study of pottery and porcelain and its history.

For a number of years, Maurice and his wife Lyn have organized two annual ceramic seminars for the NCS--a Winter Weekend at Manchester University in January and a Summer School at the University of Chester in August. Ceramic enthusiasts from around the world attend these events.

Liverpool porcelain is one of his particular interests. He has been researching this book for over thirty years and is the acknowledged authority on this difficult subject.

---Text modified slightly from the website "The Liverpool Porcelain Book."

Manufacturing Processes of Tableware during the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries

Lavishly illustrated, full colour, 186 page book. It displays the vast experience and knowledge the author has of the manufacturing processes of bone china and earthenware tableware, mainly as carried out in the Spode works; these were typical of the methods used throughout the pottery industry and should be of interest to all people involved with pottery and porcelain, whether as collectors, customers or dealers.

To order Robert Copeland’s new book, send a PayPal payment in British Pounds of £35 (price includes £25 for the book plus £10 for international shipping and handling abroad) to:  publications@northernceramicsociety.org . 
Be sure to state on the PayPal form that payment is for the Copeland book and to include your shipping address.
British residents may order the book on the Northern Ceramic Society web site: Use this link.
Please note less than 500 copies are available.