William Chaffers

“ Porcelain of soft paste has the appearance of an unctuous white enamel like cream; it is also to the touch of a soft, warm, and soapy nature, something like the surface of fine fayence. The pâte tendre is also soft in another sense, being unable to bear so great a degree of heat in the furnace as hard porcelain. The soft paste may, therefore, be easily cut or scratched with a steel point or a file, which would have no effect upon the hard paste; it is consequently liable to become much scratched by frequent use. The hard paste or true porcelain is of the whiteness of milk ”

“ This great potter took out his first patent in 1671, and probably established a manufactory at Fulham in that year, which was successfully carried on through two patents of fourteen years each. The Fulham stoneware is of exceedingly hard and close texture, very compact and sonorous, covered with a salt glaze, of grey colour, ornamented with a brilliant blue enamel in bands, leaves, and flowers, having medallions of kings and queens of England in front, with Latin names and titles, or their initials only. ”

“ About 1775 a great improvement was perceptible in the fayence of Sinceny; the paste became finer in quality, the colours brighter and more varied, in more exact imitation of the porcelain of Japan. This was accomplished by what is called le feu de réverbère, in contradistinction to the old process au grand feu; the latter included only one baking, while in the other the ware was placed a second time in the kiln, and the pigments were not exposed to so great a heat, which allowed the employment of brighter colours. ”

“ Fig. 328.—Porcelain Vase.
Painted in enamel colours.
The Père d’Entrecolles tells us the manner of painting vases in China, and how the different parts [Pg 289] of a landscape on one vase were intrusted to various hands according to their ability to paint special objects mechanically. He says: “One is employed solely to form the coloured circle which is seen round the border of the ware, a second traces the flowers in outline, which a third fills in with colour; another excels only in painting the water and the mountains, while the next is only competent to portray birds or animals.” ”

“ The manufacture of a brown stoneware with Renaissance medallions, arabesques, &c., in relief flourished here in the 16th century. At a later period, fine fayence was produced, painted in blue camaïeu. The designs are delicately traced with a brush on a fine paste; the forms are canettes, jardinières, &c. At the end of the 18th century a fabrique of fayence was carried on by a Herr Schmidt, who assiduously copied the English ware; there are specimens in the Sèvres Museum bearing the counterfeit mark of “Wedgwood.” ”

“ The early pieces of pottery are somewhat like maiolica, but the colours are brighter, green predominating in many specimens; figures in relief in niches are frequently seen on vases. Several chimney-pieces of this ware of the 15th century are still in existence, one is in the castle of Salzburg, and many [Pg 85] pieces treasured up in museums are supposed to have been made by Hirschvogel himself. The Nuremberg pottery of the 16th and 17th centuries is not uncommon. ”

“ It is very serviceable for domestic utensils, such as drinking bottles and vessels of everyday use, and is covered with a thin transparent glaze, effected by throwing common salt into the kiln when the ware is nearly baked—the salt vaporised by the heat surrounds the vessels, and acting upon the silica of their surfaces produces a thin gloss of silicate of soda over the ware, rendering it perfectly impervious. ”

“ The next important pottery in England in the 17th century was that of Lambeth. In the History of Lambeth it is related that about 1650 some Dutch potters established themselves here, and by degrees the industry became important, for the village contained no less than twenty manufactories, in which were made the glazed pottery and tiles used in London and various parts of England. The ware was very much of the character of Delft, with a fine white creamy glaze, painted with landscapes and figures in blue. ”

“ Some beautiful examples of porcelain painted in the Chinese style were produced about this time, but as the rage for oriental ware seemed so prevalent, the proprietor, to insure the sale of his china, copied the Chinese marks as well as the style of decoration. Crown Derby was produced from 1780, and was continued by Bloor, the successor of Duesbury, as late as 1830. After the purchase of the Chelsea and Bow works, the Derby porcelain manufactory rose to great importance, the proprietors having of course retained the best workmen who had been engaged there. ”

“ The painting upon porcelain is executed after the ware has been baked. Whilst in a biscuit state, the piece to be painted is dipped into a diluted glaze; it readily absorbs the water, leaving on the surface a thin coating of components which quickly dries [Pg 111] into a solid shell, uniformly thick over all its parts, and sufficiently firm to bear handling without being rubbed off during removal into the seggar or case which protects it in the kiln.
The amateur must be upon his guard in collecting porcelain, and not place too much reliance on the marks which he may find upon the ware. ”

“ The Chinese themselves are great forgers, and endeavour to impose not only upon the Europeans, but upon their own countrymen, many of whom are great amateurs, and are willing to pay extravagant prices for ancient examples of porcelain, especially if made by a celebrated potter. ”

“ Thomas Minton established a manufactory at Stoke-upon-Trent in 1791; he was apprenticed to Turner of Caughley as an engraver. His productions were of the useful kind, viz., services for the table, in imitation of common nankin. He died in 1836, and was succeeded by his second son, the celebrated Herbert Minton, who brought the potter’s art to great perfection. He largely increased the business, and manufactured articles in earthenware, hard and soft porcelain, and parian. [Pg 237] Reproductions of Italian maiolica, Delia Robbia, Palissy, and Henri II. ware were also extensively made by him. ”

“ The manufactory of porcelain at Stratford-le-Bow was established about the middle of the 18th century. Thomas Frye, an eminent painter, appears to have been instrumental in bringing the china to that perfection for which the manufactory was celebrated. ”

“ On his return, he made such important improvements in the composition and decoration of porcelain that henceforth it became superior in many instances to the Chinese, especially in the manufacture of the best specimens, upon which much time and labour were bestowed. The porcelain of Japan is very much like that of China, but the colours are more brilliant on the fine pieces ”

“ The manufactory of Castelli, a small town in the Abruzzi, north of the city of Naples, was still flourishing towards the end of the 17th century. Francesco [Pg 28] Saverio Grue, a man of letters and science, became about this time director of this Neapolitan maiolica fabrique. The ware was boldly ornamented with subjects, correctly designed and well painted; sometimes the landscapes were delicately heightened with gold. His sons and brothers continued to add lustre to his name for nearly a century. ”

“ The New Hall China Works at Shelton owed their origin to the purchase of Champion’s (Cookworthy’s) patent by a company of potters in 1777, and were the first porcelain manufactory in Staffordshire. The ware made here was not of a fine character; inferior artists were employed in its production, and it was never held in any great esteem. The manufacture consequently soon fell to decay, after many changes. ”

“ Ralph Wood was established at Burslem about 1730, and was succeeded about 1750 by his son Aaron Wood, who served his apprenticeship to Thos. Wedgwood; he was a very clever cutter of moulds for stoneware plates and dishes, with raised pattern borders, &c., which have been erroneously termed Elizabethan. Cream ware is said to have been invented by him. He was succeeded, about 1770, by his son Enoch Wood, who was also a sculptor, and made many busts of eminent men. His successors were Wood and Caldwell, who continued the manufacture of busts and groups. ”

“ Coffee-pot and cover, chocolate coloured ground, decorated with gilt scrolls; F, the cypher of Frederick the Great, under a crown in front; about the middle of the 18th century; height 9 in.
Cologne (Köln) . The stoneware made here in the 16th century is better known throughout Europe than any other description of pottery; its durability [Pg 89] for domestic uses and the elegant character of its ornamentation in relief, caused it to be sought for everywhere. ”

“ A manufactory was in full work here towards the end of the 18th century. It is said to have been established by a French flower painter named Maubrée, and several Genevese artists painted on the porcelain, occasionally marking it with a “G” or “Geneva” in full; but there never was a manufactory of china at Geneva itself. ”

“ In 1754 Dietrich became Director, and he was succeeded in 1796 by Marcolini, whose beautiful productions are well known. Porcelain of his period is always distinguished by a star underneath crossed swords. In spite of the precautions taken at Meissen to prevent the secret becoming known—the penalty being death, or perpetual imprisonment in the Castle of Königstein—some workmen escaped to reveal it elsewhere. ”

“ The Persian ware is principally decorated with blue and black. The lustres are a rich orange gold, a dark copper colour, and a brass lustre. The patterns upon the tiles and vases are similar, and consist of elegant arabesques, foliage, and ornamented flowers, more or less in imitation of nature. Among these we notice the tulip, the Indian pink, the rose, and other flowers. The tulip in Persia is the emblem of Affection, which is thus symbolised at the present day. The bowls and vases are sometimes ornamented with fabulous birds, gazelles, antelopes, hares, &c., mixed with scrolls and foliage. ”

“ These fayence vases are generally enamelled in yellow, green, and brown. Fig. 40, a bowl, is decorated with foliage, on the stem are three lions seated, in full relief; round the bowl runs a wreath of yellow flowers; and within is a man wrestling with a dragon, surrounded by a wreath. There was a manufactory of this sgraffiato ware at La Fratta, near Perugia, which was continued down to a late period. Fig. 42, a basket-shaped pot, has ornaments in relief. Similar ware was also made at Pavia in the 17th century. ”

“ Another important establishment was founded by Mr. John Sadler, the son of a painter, who had learnt the art of engraving.
He was the inventor, about 1752, of the method of transferring prints from engraved copper plates upon pottery, and in conjunction with Guy Green, proposed to take out a patent in 1756, the draft of which is still preserved, but they preferred keeping the invention secret to the doubtful security of patent rights. ”

“ Madame de Pompadour considerably encouraged the ceramic art, and it arrived at the height of perfection. The buildings were found too small to meet the increasing demands for the beautiful productions, and in 1756 the works were [Pg 210] removed to a large edifice at SÈVRES built expressly for the company.
A favourite decoration of Vincennes porcelain was flowers and birds, on a beautiful bleu de roi ground, and cupids painted in camaïeu of a single colour. ”

“ In 1769, after Macquer had brought the making of hard paste to perfection, the manufacture was successfully established at Sèvres, and both descriptions of china continued to be made until 1804, when, Brongniart being director, soft paste was altogether discontinued, and declared to be “useless in art, of expensive manipulation, dangerous to the workmen, subject to great risk in the furnace, &c.” ”

“ The king also transported great quantities of the clay and a portion of the collection. Independently of this, and the better to insure employment for the five hundred persons engaged in the processes, he restricted the Jews resident in any part of his dominions from entering into the marriage state, until each man had obtained a certificate from himself, which was only granted on the production of a voucher from the Director of the manufactory that porcelain to a given amount had been purchased, and that there was reasonable cause for granting the indulgence. ”

“ A manufactory of soft paste porcelain was founded at Bristol about 1750. Later Richard Champion, having in 1774 purchased Cookworthy’s patent, opened a manufactory for hard paste. The ware was brought to great perfection, but the large outlay prevented its being remunerative, and in three or four years he sold his interest in the patent to a company of Staffordshire potters. ”

“ By the middle of the 18th century, owing to the competition of English pottery, the Delft industry was already on the wane. In 1780 the factories were reduced to one half their former number, and by 1808 only seven existed. All these gradually succumbed, and now only one factory, “The Old Porcelain Bottle,” remains. ”

“ The trade flourished here for more than a century, until about 1780 or 1790, at which time the Staffordshire potters, by the great improvements they had made in the quality of their ware, and having coal and clay ready to their hand, were enabled to produce it at a cheaper rate, and eventually beat the Lambeth potters out of the field. ”

“ There is also a great resemblance between the early ware made here and at Genoa, in consequence of the emigration of many workmen. We learn from a complaint made on the subject by the potters of Marseilles to the Intendant of Provence in 1762, from which it seems they took a great number of apprentices at very low wages, and the wages were paid in fayence, which mode of payment they said deteriorated the quality, and caused the workmen to emigrate to Genoa. ”

“ Petersburg, where he established a manufactory. We have no information on the subject, except a notice of it in the “Connaissances Politiques,” of Beausobre, published at Riga in 1773: “There is also among the porcelain manufactories at St. Petersburg a fabrique of fayence, on the other side of the Neva, where they make every description of vessels of correct design and in good taste. A private gentleman of Revel has also established at his own cost, near this city, a fabrique of fayence, and has obtained painters and potters from Germany.” ”