OLD CHINA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19258, 23 August 1924, Page 4

OLD CHINA.

ANOTHER BLACKER BOOK. “I have,” wrote Charles Lamb, “an almost feminine partiality for old When I go to see any great house I inquire for (he china closet, and next for the picture gallery. I cannot defend the order of preference, but by saying that we all have some taste or other, of too ancient a date U> admit of our remembering yx«tinctly that it was an acquired one. I can call to mind the first play and the first exhibition that I was taken to, but I am not conscious of a time when china cups and saucers were introduced into my imagination.” In “The A.B.C. of Nineteenth Century English Ceramic Art,” Mr J. F. Blacker has added another to the series of substantial volumes issued as the “A.B.C. Series for Collectors.” Within the 500 odd exquisitely illustrated pages of this book the curious in such things will find exhaustive accounts of the old and new china reviewed under such names as Wedgwood, Adams, Minton, Worcester, Doulton. and the rest so dear to all who dabble in such things, and who are continually adding to their collections. Mr Blacker emphasises the point that collectors should not despise the potter’s art of the nineteenth century, interest in which is mainly focussed upon two exhibitions held in London in 1851 and 1802. In dealing with 19th century work a start is made with the Staffordshire potteries of Adams, Copeland, Minton, and Wedgwood, followed by the potters of Burslem, Colbridge, Felton, Hanley, Longport, Langton, ft t oke - upon -Trent, and Tunsta.ll.

Mr Blacker admits that for all collectors the finest examples of earlier work have the greatest attraction but—and It Is an important “but”—they have increased in value so enormously that unlimited means are necessary for their acquisition. Even ordinary old pieces are by no means cheap, “And then comes the work of the imitator, forger, reproducer—call him what you will.” Here Mr Blacker utters a word of warning in respect of the imitator of genuine work:— He is so clever that his last efforts may almost mislead the expert. He is often so expensive that his prices are almost equal to those paid for the genuine specimens which he copies. The price is fixed at a high figure to make the attraction more complete. Hence suspicion and distrust have been aroused so that it requires the reputation of a dealer beyond

reproach to remove them and to establish the confidence of the buyer, who feels safe when he knows that he can recover his money if need be. Bad imitations should deceive nobody. Unfortunately they do, because people are careless. "The Potteries” of Staffordshire date back to very early times, but until towards the close of the 17th century the pottery produced consisted of local clay. The salt-glaze process followed in 1(180. Then came the red-und-black ware of the brothers Elera in 1088, a process continued until the discovery of tin-glaze. With the 18th century came the work of Wedgwood, after which the potteries grew by leaps and bounds. Writing a hundred years ago Hr Shaw described the district known as “the Potteries” as being ten miles long and from three to five miles broad, the industry employing 50,000 persons in the parishes of Stoke, Burslem, and Wolstanton. Eight years later there were 30,000. persons employed in the potteries in Stoke alone, and 1852 it was estimated that the 133 factories in the district employed no fewer than 60,000 persons. Mr Blacker writes:— The Staffordshire Potteries still continue to afford the great mass of earthenware manufactured in this country, at the same time contributing a large portion of the porcelain produced. In 1852 Mr Armour estimated the yearly value of English pottery manufactured at £2,000,000, and at that time 84,000,000 pieces of the value of £1,220,000 were exported. In 1907 the value of the gross output of the china and earthenware factories in the United Kingdom was £7,534,000, of which the materials used cost £2,854,000. The net output after deducting the cost of materials and £84,000 for work given out to other firms was £4,596,000. The number of persons employed was 67,870, and 63,287 were at work in brick and fireclay works.

Mr Blacker gives a detailed history of the rise, progress, and development of all the more famous pottery firms, these including the master potters of Tunstall, Stoke-upon-Trent, Etruria, Burslem, Hanley, Longport, Worcester, and CoalporU He then describes the South England and West of England potteries, not, pmitting the potteries at Newcastle, Leeds, and Liverpool. A chapter is added in the Welsh, Scottish, and Irish potteries, and the whole of the letterpress Is embellished with over 1200 beautiful illustrations of the potter’s art. This detail is of intense interest to all collectors of old china, and in conclusion Mr Blacker says:— After a survey of the great ceramic art of the 19th century, wo conclude with an appreciation of the potters of that ago. They were men of liberal attainments, worthy successors who have fully maintained the high standard which was set for them, combined with equal sound judgment, and an honourable pride in their descent and in their work. We have seen them in the prosecution of their researches, devoting years of labour and Touch money, to the recovery of the secrets of the past, with such success that nearly all of the fine old colours are again at their service—powder blue, famille rose, and the like. We have seen them undismayed attack new schemes of decoration and attain eminence in wares which were given by them to the world for the first time—original creations, w'hich have been accepted with warm approval throughout the civilised world. Perhaps no other single manufacture gives so much positive enjoyment, such a vast sum of gratification and pleasure. From the tea service with its harmonious decoration to the magnificent vase, brilliant with the best efforts of' man’s modelling, painting, and gilding, we derive some satisfaction, even if we are not interested in the actual collection of the treasures of the days that are gone, but, if we are collectors, how much more is our delight in tracing , the history of that service or vase, in knowing how they were evolved from the crude products of earlier times.