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Ware Decorated With Views

In 1820 ware decorated with American views was extensively made in the Staffordshire potteries for the American market. This was at first decorated in a rich, deep shade of blue. The views included many American buildings and scenes, the landing of La Fayette, Arms of the United States, portraits of Washington, the Battle of Sebastopol, Biblical, and many other subjects, and were manufactured by Enoch Wood, Adams, Clews, Ridgway, Stubbs, Mayer, Rogers, Stevenson, and others.

Later on a series of English views, in deep blue, were used to decorate services for this country, and other colors were subsequently employed, those most frequently met with being pink and green, although medium blue, brown, and even mauve were used.

The borders found with this style of decoration vary; sometimes flower or fern borders were employed; other pieces have a foliage design; whilst shells, seaweed, and conventional patterns were also used.

On some pieces the name of the view will be found underneath, and the maker’s name or the name of the pattern used as a border.

This kind of ware is very interesting and decorative, and I recommend it to any reader who may not be able to start a collection in any of the better-known branches of the Art. Dishes, plates, soup and gravy tureens are the pieces most often met with, and a collection could be made of dark blue English views, medium blue views, figure pieces, and seascapes, or the collector might select only green or pink specimens.

Staffordshire jugs would also make a very interesting and somewhat instructive collection; historical, social, and domestic events were generally portrayed and often described on jugs and mugs. Plate VI I. shows a Mason’s ironstone jug, an old earthenware buff-colored jug, and in the centre a William IV. Coronation Jug, with a portrait of the king on one side and of Queen Adelaide on the other, whilst between them is the royal crown and an inscription, “Long live the King,” and the word “Reform.”