English « Past Imperfect, The Art of Inventive Repair

Posts Tagged ‘English’

“Stone China” transferware jug, c.1830

Friday, May 14th, 2010

“Filled-in transfer” is the term describing the of use of multicolor enamel washes over printed transfer decoration. This English “Dutch” shape jug was most likely made by Spode, founded by Josiah Spode in Stoke-on-Trent in 1767. His “Stone China” line, a new type of stoneware that gave the appearance of porcelain, was introduced in 1813 to great acclaim.

This oriental style of decoration copied the popular Chinese export porcelains of the 18th & 19th century.

Jug measures 5″ high by 7″ wide.

Cobalt blue transfer mark printed on the bottom includes the ubiquitous lion and unicorn.

Tin handle has rusted over the years but still functions as a practical replacement.

This jug with similar form and transfer decoration maintains its original handle.

Photo courtesy of Hudson Antiques

Tags:English, metal handle, pottery, transferware
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English “Chinese House” mug, c.1790

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

This large soft paste pearlware ale mug was most likely made in Staffordshire, England in the late 1700s. Standing 6-1/2″ tall, the mug is decorated in cobalt blue underglaze with the “Chinese House” pattern, a popular middle class replacement for similarly decorated Chinese porcelain, affordable only to the wealthy. I am quite fond of this loose, stylized decoration; a melding of Eastern and Western influences. The sturdy 19th century replacement handle, with thumb rest and support straps, is made of Britannia metal, aka Britannium, a composite made up of 93% tin, 5% antimony and 2% copper. A traveling tinker made repairs such as this for the townspeople who saved their cherished broken wares in need of his services. Members of the upper class would have taken their damaged goods to a silversmith, resulting in a more refined sterling silver replacement.

This is what the simple loop handle must have looked like before it broke off, as seen on this similarly shaped mug of the same period.

photo courtesy of Earle D. Vandekar

Tags:blue & white, English, metal handle, pearlware, pottery, soft paste, Staffordshire
Posted in mug/tankard | 2 Comments »

Bone china cup with saucer, c.1850

Friday, April 30th, 2010

Although found together, this Victorian bone china teacup has nothing at all to do with the Imari patterned saucer, as they were “married” sometime after the saucer went missing. The only mark on the teacup is “2/1247”, hand painted in red on the bottom. The undamaged saucer is marked “Pointons England” on the bottom and dates from 1891. I would have been thrilled had the saucer also been a recipient of an inventive repair!

I do love the simple yet effective replaced handle on the cup, made from a bent iron rod

The ends of the iron rod protrude through carefully drilled holes on the inside of the cup

Teacup measures 2-1/4″ high, 3-5/8″ in diameter and the saucer measures 5-1/2″ in diameter

Tags:English, metal handle, porcelain
Posted in cup/saucer | No Comments »

Child’s cream jug, c.1840

Sunday, April 25th, 2010

This small pottery creamer from a child’s tea service is 3 inches tall and has green transfer decoration depicting a woman with a basket of flowers and a castle in the distance.

This close up shows the pointillist transfer decal decoration in “high definition”.

A crudely made copper armature was attached as the base structure for a replacement handle. Many layers of gesso and enamel matching the original colors were applied over this, but have since fallen away.

Another jug with similar form and decoration suggests what the handle on my little jug may have looked like.

Photo courtesy of eBay

Tags:English, metal handle, porcelain, transferware
Posted in jug | 1 Comment »

Silver resist lustre jug, c.1820

Sunday, April 25th, 2010

This soft paste pottery “Dutch” shape jug is decorated in a stylized grape leaf pattern using a silver resist method of decoration. This type of decoration is achieved by painting the design with a resist substance such as thinned honey, applying the silver glaze over the entire jug, washing off the resist to reveal the unglazed decoration and firing to set the silver lustre background

Silver lustre, or “poor man’s silver” was first introduced in the 18th century by John Hancock for Spode. It remained popular throughout the 19th century, until the invention of electro plating brought silver plated items in to the masses in 1838. This jug measures 4-3/4″ tall

Tin was used to fashion a replacement handle and strap, most likely by an itinerant tinsmith or china mender

Another silver resist lustre jug shown with its original handle with the same silhouette as the replacement

Photo courtesy of John Howard

Tags:English, lustre, metal handle, pottery, soft paste
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“Liverpool Birds” tea cups, c.1775

Monday, April 19th, 2010

This pair of lightweight creamware tea cups, each measuring 2-5/8″ tall, has orange transfer decoration with the “Liverpool Birds” pattern

These were most likely made in Wedgwood, England

When the handle of the cup on the right broke in three places, metal cleats were attached on either side of the cracks and painted to mask the repair

The cup on the left has metal staples holding the cracks stable and were also painted to match the body of the cup

Tags:creamware, English, staples/rivets, Wedgwood
Posted in cup/saucer | 2 Comments »

Flow blue jug, c.1840

Friday, April 16th, 2010

“Flow blue” describes a technique of firing transferware pottery with lime or ammonia chloride added to the kiln, resulting in an intentional blurry or runny effect. Over 1,500 different patterns were produced throughout Europe, England and the United States during the Victorian era

This ironstone pottery jug stands 6-1/4″ high and has a popular Oriental pattern in deep cobalt blue

Although unmarked, I believe this piece to have been made in England

A silvered metal handle with wide bands were secured to the jug, replacing the original broken handle

This similarly shaped flow blue jug shows what the original handle might have looked like on my jug.

Photo courtesy of eBay

Tags:blue & white, English, metal handle, pottery, transferware
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Wedgwood sugar bowl, c.1840

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

I am still researching this 3″ high by 5-1/2″ wide black basalt open sugar bowl with an incised WEDGWOOD mark on the bottom.

I purchased this piece of jasperware in London at the Covent Garden Market and was told by the dealer that the piece dates from 1753, though I feel it to be from a later date, and that the hallmarks on the (added?) sterling silver rim date to 1853.