ANTIQUE PORCELAIN: ENAMELS, GOLD AND PARIAN
ANTIQUE PORCELAIN: ENAMELS, GOLD AND PARIAN
ENAMELS
Enamels are used to obtain the colours on top of the glaze and are in simple terms finely ground coloured glass. This melts on firing and fixes itself to the glaze. Where it has started to flake off, the firing has failed to reach a high enough temperature to create a good fusing of enamel and glaze, or there has been a bad match in the coefficient of expansion of the two, so that over the years the constant rising and falling of room temperature has resulted in the enamel crazing and losing cohesion. Over-firing, on the other hand, can result in the warping of the piece or the burning of one or more of the colours.
GOLD
Gold for gilding is pure 24 carat in solution and can be applied like paint with a brush or printed and transferred. This standard is used for the best work, raised designs for example. For ordinary wares, 22 carat is employee and down to 10 or 12 carat proprietary brands are used for lustres. Different golds will produce different colours of gilding d very slight impurities of copper or other metals create other shades. not be fooled, as many people are, into believing that, when a piece they are buying has 4been decorated with pure 24 carat gold’, it is something special. Even mass-produced every day services with gilding used pure or almost pure gold or the pattern would degrade during or after firing. ‘Silver’ is produced from platinum; rhodium is occasionally employee for different textures. The ‘jewels* on pieces such as are blubs of enamel and much the same is used for ‘simulated’ jewellery.
PARIAN
Parian was the name given to a particular, hard, white porcelain body with an appcarance of marble. Developed ln the 1840» by a number of major manufacturera, including Copeland, Minton, Wedgwood and Worcester, it was ako known as Statuary Porcelain. lt was used mainly for reduced reproductions of famous marble statues by contemporary artists.
There is some dispute over the actual discoverer, but it is certain that figures were being produced by 1844 by Copeland and Garratt. Large numbers of the figures were given away as prizes in lotteries, such as the Art Union, the Crystal Palace Art Union, etc.
The figures are mostly slip-cast and the ’signatures1 that appear on them an those of the original sculptors and were part of the mould. Minton and Copeland figures both have date codes, others were often dated. The parian budy was also employed for useful wares. including highly elaborale centrepieces and the frequently encountered jugs. It was also the material that enabled the English pate-sur-pate developed by M.L Solon (p.409) to be so superior to its Continental hardpaste counterpart. ‘
It is Worth digressing a little into the method of producing most figures. Tliis was by a lechnique known as slip-casting, used not only for figures, but also for moulded vases and jugs. From the original arlist’s model a plaster mould was produced, in rwo parts only for a simple jug, or sub-divided still further for more complex objects. Handies, high-relief heads and limbs, etc., were cast separately. The material for the body in the form of a liquid slip is poured into the mould to the btim and allowed to stand. The plaster absorbs the water from the slip, forming a film of clay on the inside of the mould. When the required thickness hrs been produced, the excess liquid is poured off and the mould containing the potential flgure allowed to dry. The mould can then be carefully removed and the object, after the addition of any separate pieces such as handles which are stuck on with slip, allowed another drying before firing.
Belleek c 1870. Early crest and Belleek
An early and rare candlestick with the boy in matt and the rest with a shiny glaze, all well modelled.
Belleek с. 1895. Printed symbol and names.
A well decorated mirror frame, basket moulded and applied with sprays of Iily-of-the-valley, their leaves in green. The flowers and leaves are ?ry prone to damage.
An extremely elaborate card tray with a well modelled and colour border of shells and a scene of the (then) proposed Houses Parliament which were in fact started in 1840 and finished in 1852.
Chamberlain and Со. с.1846.
A not uncommon model of King John’s tomb in Worcester Cathedral. The exterior brightly enamelled and gilt and the top removable to reveal three inkwells and a pen tray. Without the wells which are frequently missing.
Grainger and Co. 1892. Printed shield and date code.
A good box and cover, double walled and pierced with scrolling picked out in gilding, the rim with turquoise beads. The slightly domed covers on these boxes are very prone to damage, making them uncommon in good state.
Grainger and Co. c.1900.
A box and cover with a blurry painting of a pheasant by James Stinton the poor scroll-work gilt on an ivory-pink ground.
Minton c.1830
An amazing piece of the porcelain flower makers’ work and surviving in good condition, considering the fragility of the petals. The whole also brightly coloured. Although unmarked, the shape is known from the factory design books and like so much flower-encrusted ware would at one time have been attributed to Rockingham, a factory incapable of such elaborate work. Bad damage on a piece like this would result in a huge fall in price.
Rockingham 1826-1830. Griffin in red.
A shallow pin tray with moulded rim. A gros-bleu border with gilt meander and a central spray of coloured flowers.
Rockingham 1826-30.
Griffin in red.
A shell-shaped inkwell moulded in the form of a scallop with two shell feet and two shell penholders. Decorated with gilt scrolls and foliage. The complete item, which is much rarer, has both an ink pot and cover.
Wedgwood 1920s.
An uncommon fairyland brooch with a polychrome and gilt pixie against a mottled beige ground. A similar sized brooch with a butterfly ?30-?40. The mounts are of little consequence unless in gold and an unmounted example would fetch the same.
Worcester, Barr, Flight & Barr 1807-13.
An attractive inkstand of ingot form, well painted with a panel of garden flowers. The ends with gilt lyres and scrous on a gros-bleu ground, the handle in the form of twisted dolphins. This example has only one of the two inkwells present.
Worcester, Flight, Barr and Barr. Printed name
A card tray with overhead gilt handle springing from gilt leaves on the pale green ground. The central panel with a scene from the popular novel of the period Paul and Virginia.
Subjects from the story are frequently found on English pottery and porcelain, pot lids Staffordshire figures and even on continental wares and plaques.
Royal Worcester с. 1875. Impressed crowned circle
An interesting tray with a Japanese-influenced design in bright enamels and gilding on a simulated wood grain. Originally made for a tea service, which would fetch complete.
Royal Worcester 1880.
A bizarre candlestick in the form of a Japanese juggler, the colours warm tones of bronze, dark brown and gilding on an ivory body.
Candlesticks suffer most by being singles.
Royal Worcester 1887.
Candlesticks are uncommon in Royal Worcester porcelain but not very desirable. This example in white relieved by gilt details. Pair price 40-160.
Royal Worcester 1897. Printed crowned circle, date code.
An interesting piece of absurdity in the form of a menu card simulating a battered fence on a tree stump. The *Wild West* image spoilt by the usual apricot, peach and gilt coloration. Many different forms of menu card holders were made, and most would fetch these prices.
Royal Worcester 1901.
Cheese dishes in little demand for use, but this one, being Worcester, is neither attractive nor well decorated.
Worcester 1906.
A badly moulded posy-holder in white with a sage-green lily-leaf base. The overall effect is very dull, if not sinister, making this an undesirable and, quite properly, cheap object.
Royal Worcester 1921.
A late piece with printed outlines coloured and gilt on a peach ground, spikes of the shell are obviously prone to damage and the small feet can become detached — so watch for restoration.
Royal Worcester 1930s.
A Toby jug loosely based on an eighteenth century original and a number of sizes.
Royal Worcester 1974.
A candle snuffer in the form, companion to a monk. Both were made in the 1860s and continue in production today, the earlier examples up to 80.
Unattributed c.1825.
A watch-holder in the form of a church tower, unusually sharply modelled and well-painted and applied with flowers. The green base gilt. These towers are also known in Staffordshire pottery were used to hold the owner’s gold fob watch when he retired for the night.
Unattributed c 1840.
Although very well painted and gilt, door plates are not very saleable. Few people now have the right doors to screw them to, or are prepared to do so if they have and they are not large enough to display on their own. Even marked examples by Coalport or Copeland and Garrett are no more expensive.
Unattributed 1889 (hall mark).
A silver-mounted scent bottle, datable from the mount. Not an identifiable factory, although at first glance it looks like Derby, but a persistent owner could trace the registerer of its design from the registration number, a long job, taking over two weeks.
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Tags: 24 carat gold, ANTQUE, BELLEEK, carat, Copeland, Derby, ENAMELS, flake, GOLD, gold gold, minton, parian, porcelain body, proprietary brands, Royal, silver, staffordshire, staffordshire pottery, table, Wedgwood, Worcester