WEDGWOOD BICENTENARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20481, 5 February 1930, Page 18

WEDGWOOD BICENTENARY.

COMING CELEBRATION.:

AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT,

[from our owx correspondent.]

LONDON, Deo. 19.

Tho bicentenary of Josiah Wedgwood, id tho coming spring, will be marked by celebrations on an international scale. A big programme has been planned to show the world that English craftsmanship still leads, and that the enterprise and originality that distinguished tho father of English pottery still characterise his disciples and descendants today. There, will ,be a Wedgwood Week in Stoke-on-Trent in May, followed by a Wedgwood Week in London, while special exhibitions of Wedgwood ware mli bo held, in Paris, New York and probably also in other Continental and American cities.

Queen Mary lias consented to -be patroness of the Historical Exhibition, which will bo opened in the Five' Towns, and it is hoped that tho Prince of Wales will attend the pageant which will form the principal feature of Stoke.Week.. Her Majesty has also promised to lend ♦he exhibition Wedgwood objects from the collection at Windsor Castlo. The Archbishop of Canterbury will attend tho religious service for the opening of tho celebrations, and the Archbishop of York will probably be present at the concluding service. As part of the celebrations the present proprietors of the Wedgwood Potteries — of whom Major Frank Wedgwood, a great-great-grandson of Josiah,' is the chairman, and Mr. Josiah Wedgwood, a direct descendant in the fifth generation, is tho secretary—have organised a world competition in designs for a Wedgwood ya se.

Tho judges mo Mr. Philip Connard, R.A., Mr. W. Reid Dick, R.A., and Mr. H. S. GoodharUßendel, F.R.1.8.A., and Mr. Frank Wedgwood—a painter, a sculptor, an architect, and a potter—and it is hoped to secure designs from artists and potters in all parts of the world, especially from Fiance, the Scandinavian countries, Germany and Italy, tho United States and the British Empire. Tho prizes will be £IOO, £6O and £25 and tho object of tho competition is to obtain a design that uses tho special capacities of the material and continues the Wedgwood tradition without any reproduction of, or undue subservience to, tho stylo of tho past." All designs received, will be publicly exhibited and form a feature of tho Wedgwood Week celebrations at Stoke. Tho Stoko events will include:—A pageant of tho potteries, to tho libretto of which Colonel Josiali WecWr.,,,l MJ.) will contribute; historical eshibi' , tions of pottery at Hanley and Etruma military tattoo; and concerts by tho North Staffordshire choral societies ■ f Visitors from all parts of Iho world will probably make tho potteries their Mecca during (ho celebrations, and 'Americans, especially, for vhotn Wedc .wood whre has a particular attraction, are ■«xjMjcted m large numbers. The celc SSL™ Uai °° » in ****