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Fresh stock October 7th

It’s been a good while since our last ‘Fresh Stock’ – so here’s a bumper issue to make up for it!

You’ll find a fine and varied selection, from Georgian Furniture to fine 18th century Porcelain, Australian Pottery, a host of Candlesticks, and interesting Artworks.

Enjoy!

FRESH to Stock

Fresh Premium Collection

There’s a fine selection ‘Premium’ rarities Fresh to stock. Here’s a sample: see them all on their own page here >

See Premium FRESH

Virtu

Some small precious items, perfect presents…..

Australian Remued Pottery

Next at MOORABOOL AUCTIONS – Australiana Special

NOVEMBER 2nd – live on Invaluable

Our Auctions continue to grow in content and audience – a terrific way to sell if you are thinking of it, and the perfect place to buy at great prices.

Our next sale is currently being prepared, and features some Australiana rarities, including:

Robert Prenzel, Aboriginal portraits, signed & dated 1921
Bronze Kangaroo Mystery Clock, 1935 Australian Racing Prize + the 1928 Shell Cup, 1st Phillip Island Grand Prix

Australian Grand Prix prizes – from the FIRST Australian ‘TT’ Grand Prix, held on Phillip Island in 1928, we have the ‘Shell Cup’, a giant silver-plate affair, won by Alex Finlay on a B.S.A. bike ‘just taken out of the box’!
Rare original German bronze kangaroo ‘Mystery Clock’, 1st prize Time Trials won by Les Murphy in an MG-P in 1935.

Artworks include a ‘View of Launceston’ watercolour by the extremely rare convict artist Frederick Strange, c. 1858, from the personal collection of Clifford Craig, the original researcher of this interesting colonial identity in the 1960’s.

Also Fresh to Market is our recently identified George Peacock oil, ‘View of Sydney Harbour from Carrara House’, circa 1855. We have pinpointed the exact place Peacock painted this view from, with Carrara now being known as ‘Strickland House’, the gardens now public parkland along the waterfront of Vaucluse.

George Peacock, Sydney Harbour from Carrara House, Vaucluse, c. 1855

Several desirable oils by W.D. Knox come from the descendants of this fine Australian artist, fresh to the market for the first time.

W.D. Knox oil, one of several from the Knox family
William Edwards Australian Sterling Silver Cricket Award, Lockwood Farmers Cricket Club 1860
William Edwards Australian Sterling Silver Cricket Award, Lockwood Farmers Cricket Club 1860
William Edwards attributed: awarded by Arthur Felton himself.

Plus more….. an email will notify all subscribers when the catalogue is uploaded & ready for exploring.

Visit Auction Site

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Premium Fresh Stock

Welcome to our selection of ‘the Best’ for the end of 2024.

Some stunning rarities have come to us recently, with many local high-quality collections being dispersed.

Enjoy your browse through the following Premium items – with more items being prepared for the near future.

See all the Latest PREMIUM Uploads

Quaker Pegg – “Balm-leaved Archangel” c. 1796

From the English Derby factory comes a piece by their finest botanical artist, William ‘Quaker’ Pegg.

Derby Quaker Pegg Botanical
Derby ‘Quaker’ Pegg Botanical Plate, c. 1796

William Pegg, known as Pegg the Quaker for his personal beliefs, was born in 1775, the son of a gardener, and came to be regarded as one of the finest painters of flowers on porcelain of all time.

He came to Staffordshire – ‘The Potteries’ – aged 10, in 1788. He was apprenticed as a ‘china painter’ – and would have been tasked with the monotonous jobs like ground colours and gilding rims. He collected prints and learnt how to draw, concentrating on plants – hardly surprising considering his father’s profession.

He had heard John Wesley preach in 1786, and had joined the Quaker ‘Society of Friends’ who followed the thoughts of men like George Fox – “…Thou shalt not make any graven Image, or simulate any figure… male or female… winged fowl… creeping thing… fish… by the express command of God”. He took this to heart, and flowers became his focus.

This magnificent yellow-ground plate has a large, accurate specimen to the center. The back has the title in blue – in the distinct script attributed to Pegg’s hand- “Lamium Orvala / Balm-leaved Archangel, or Dead Nettle. “
 This was taken from the most current horticultural publication of the period, ‘Curtis’s Botanical Magazine’, plate 172, published in 1791. Other examples are dated to circa 1796, early in Pegg’s botanical works.

Lamium Orvala / Balm-leaved Archangel, or Dead Nettle.
‘Curtis’s Botanical Magazine’, plate 172, published in 1791.
See this magnificent plate

The Seasons

There’s a number of ‘Delightful Derby’ season figures, illustrating the evolution of their plinth styles.

Read More

Verrerie de Sèvres Claret

A stunning silver & etched glass claret jug is Fresh to Moorabool. The body is decorated with blackberry canes, flowers and fruit – which continues to the solid silver mounts, with a twisted cane and root as the handle. The result is a spectacular, useful piece of Art Nouveau beauty.

The marks on the piece indicate the components are actually made in different countries. The glass is French, marked for Verrerie de Sèvres – a glass works located on the outskirts of Paris. The silver is Austrian, made in Vienna by the master-silversmith firm, Brüder Franks, the Franks Brothers. It bears the mark of the company – ‘BF’ – and also a ‘winged hammer’, the mark of one of the brothers, Rudolf Frank. The firm was active in the latter 19th , early 20th century in Vienna, making high-quality pieces like this – although the combination of French Glass and Viennese silver is rarely seen.

While the Verrerie de Sèvres was founded during the reign of Louis XV, and located at the place named Sèvres, it was not part of the Royal manufactory, but an independent concern small size, making useful wares for the local market. This changed in 1870 with a new owner, Landier, who began the manufacture of lead crystal glass, and changed the name to ‘Christallerie de Sèvres’. In 1875 he took over an established glassworks in Clichy, enabling him to introduce new techniques of manufacture and engraving. The name was then added to : ‘Christalleries de Sèvres etClichy Réunis’. As the 1890’s began, they were engaged in the multitude of artistic glass styles, and some naturalistic forms were made. This was the beginning of the Art Nouveau movement, and they developed a splendid range of Nouveau taste designs using acid to etch the background of the vessels to give them a natural texture, reserving designs – such as the leaves on this piece – which were then further embellished. Some were mounted there in silver-plate; this example is rare, having solid-silver mounts.

The mark of ‘V / R’ ranking a sailing ship was used on these quality products from the 1890’s. The V and S are the initials of the firm; the ship is similar to the one found on the arms of the city of Paris, indicating its proximity to the ‘centre of culture’.

See all the Latest PREMIUM Uploads
See all the Latest Uploads

Next at MOORABOOL AUCTIONS – Australiana Special

NOVEMBER 2nd – live on Invaluable

This is currently being catalogued, but will include over 300 items, with some absolute bargains –

and a number of major pieces of Australian Art & Historical Items.

Robert Prenzel 1866-1941 (German/Australian) – Pair of almost life-size Aboriginal portraits, signed & dated 1921


Includes two Convict artist works ‘Fresh to the Market’:

George Peacock 1806-1890? (English/Australia) – previously undocumented oil painting “Sydney Harbour from Carrara House, Vaucluse” circa 1855 .

Frederick Strange 1807-73 (English/Australian) ‘View of Launceston from Cornhill’ c. 1858 .

William Dunn Knox 1880-1945 (Australian)- previously unseen oil paintings from the Knox family collection including “The Hill”, “Haystack, Olinda”, “Farmhouse”, 1920’s-30’s.

Jan Hendrik Scheltema 1861-1941 (Dutch/Australian) – view in Holland, oil on canvas

Other Australiana includes an Invite to the opening of the 1st parliament, Exhibition Buildings Carlton in 1901; ‘The SHELL Trophy’ important large trophy for the 1st motorcycle Grand Prix to be held on Phillip Island, 1928; a 1935 bronze Kangaroo, used as a Car Racing Trophy 1st prize in Victoria, 1935; an Australian Sterling Silver Belt Plaque awarded to Nathan Ratcliffe of the Lockwood Farmers Cricket Club, by Melbourne silversmith William Edwards, 1860; attributed to William Edwards, a large silver trophy cup circa 1870 awarded by Alfred Felton at his Melbourne Glass Bottle Works in 1900; plus much more – Uranium Glass, Rare Books, Coins, etc. etc. ……..

Catalogue is being prepared, a future email will alert you when it’s all ready to browse.

  • George Peacock, Sydney Harbour from Carrara House, Vaucluse, c. 1855
  • William Edwards Australian Sterling Silver Cricket Award, Lockwood Farmers Cricket Club 1860
    William Edwards Australian Sterling Silver Cricket Award, Lockwood Farmers Cricket Club 1860
  • William Rickets pottery head
  • German Porcelain, Gent reading ‘Sidney Morning Heralt’ (sic) c.1880
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Derby ‘Adolescent Seasons’

Moorabool has a fascinating group of Derby ‘Seasons’, modelled as children with their respective attributes.

left to right: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Summer, Spring. We have no Winter….

They make for an interesting study, and show the development of the classic rococo-based Derby figures of the latter 18th century.

'Summer', Pale Family type, ref. Bradshaw 'Derby Figures' p72.

The earliest version appears during the mid-1750’s, belonging to a group of distinctly modelled figures that are often decorated in a muted pallet of colours, known as the ‘pale-family’. These appear with a flat slab base, and the modelling is a little stiff. Note this example has lost his hand & the wheat he holds in it.

Circa 1756

‘Summer’, Pale Family type, 1756-59. ref. Bradshaw ‘Derby Figures’ p72.

This example, in stock at Moorabool, is late in the ‘Pale Family’ period, or the very beginning of the next period, the ‘Patch Mark’ period, c. 1759-69. The base has an early, rarely-seen rococo scroll moulding, of quite flat form without piercing. The colours are the type used in the 1760’s.

Circa 1760

See this item >

This example, also in stock at Moorabool, shows the latter 18th century style of Rococo scroll base, with scrolls forming feet on which it rests, and a pierced panel to the center.

This boy is representing ‘Spring’, with a garland of flowers.

Circa 1770

See this item (paired with a contemporary ‘Summer’) >

This example, also in stock at Moorabool, shows the latter Rococo scroll base, with scrolls forming feet on which it rests, and a pierced panel to the center.

Once again ‘Spring’, with a garland of flowers. Interestingly, he is not recorded in Bradshaw (Derby Figures), who has only a set of 4 ‘Adolescent Seasons’ listed that are all girls; these boys appear in the earlier sets and were obviously continued into the latter 18th century – it’s a puzzle why he has failed to record them.

Circa 1780

See this item (paired with a contemporary ‘Summer’) >

Of course, other factories were actively making ‘Seasons’, with a particularly lovely ‘Spring’ by Bow being a recent addition to Moorabool.com’s stock:

Bow figure of ‘Spring’, with distinct blue enamels, c. 1765. See her here>

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Arts & Crafts Collection

A fine selection of ‘Arts & Crafts’ has just been posted on Moorabool.com . It’s an interesting survey of the late 19th- early 20th century designs that were a reaction against the overly ornate – and predictable – designs of Victorian England. Often borrowing & intermingled, the French Art Nouveau aesthetic blended with the German/Austrian Jugendstil (youthful-style) and even had a major impact on Australian products – although it did take some time to reach us ‘down-under’ !

The rarest, and most dramatic is a pewter teaset & a tray, made to the patterns of Archibald Knox (1864-1933) while he worked at the London workshops of Liberty & Co in the first years of the 20th century. Branded ‘Tudric’, the designs are extraordinary, a mix of Art Nouveau and Celtic, with the simplicity of Christopher Dresser and the design principles of the Arts & Crafts (ie rivets attaching handles evident to show how it is made – although in this case, they are only decorative!). The set was in the possession of a Geelong family since around the time of WWI, and so probably since new; however, the tray is design no. 42, while the teaset is design no. 231, each of which had its own tray/teaset designed alongside. The matching of these two pieces is probably a case of a retailer putting the two together to sell them – they do look rather splendid! We have split them again for sale.

Dr Christopher Dresser 19th century Designs

Dr Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) is represented with an interesting ‘modern’ design jug with dramatic angular handle that was years ahead of its time, made by Birmingham silversmith . There’s also some pottery that clearly was inspired by his designs, which were admired & copied across many manufacturers.

Dr Christopher Dresser was a visionary, and as a designer, was far ahead of his time. The pieces illustrated here look 1920’s, but were sketched by him and made in small quantities by numerous firms in the 1880’s; it just took the design world another 40 years to catch up!

A selection of German / Austrian pieces conform to the Jugendstil (‘youthful-style’) movement. Closely related to the English Arts & Crafts, and the Art Nouveau movement, it was centred in Germany/Austria/Belgium, and lasted roughly 1895-1910. The name comes from an art magazine promoting youth culture, and it was an important part of the emergence of the Secessionist movement – the rejection of ‘legacy art’, ie the classical world, and the invention of a fresh style. This definition applies to the ‘fine arts’ of sculpture and painting, but with the items we are displaying here, clearly defines useful household items as well.

Jugendstil - German Arts & Crafts

The Australian Silky Oak sideboard is being used for its correct purpose – to display the wonders of the Arts & Crafts period!

A flamboyant pair of large French vases are pure ‘Art Nouveau’ – and have 5 spouts to the top. Marked with a battle axe, they are from the firm of Gustav Asch in Tours. Most of their products were looking back to the traditional Sevres products, or in the ‘belle époque’ style that was so popular with the Victorians – making these Art Nouveau examples quite rare. Circa 1895-1900.

Stylish Swedish ‘Arts & Crafts’ pewter spoon, by Frans Santersson, Stockholm circa 1905.

The heart-shape bowl is engraved ‘Stockholm’, and the handle junction with the bowl is extraordinary – with a looping intertwined designed that looks like a plant shoot.

This curious small vase is decorated in slip colours with a frieze of flowers and their stalks. Looking a little like the English Moorecroft, it is marked ”HUBER-ROETHE / VILLIGEN BAD” – for a small German Art Pottery firm Huber-Roethe, Bad Villingen, circa 1905

An English rarity, this large (34cm) simple vessel shows the aesthetic of the Arts & Crafts potters: simple functional design. It also show’s the potter’s inspiration in the Asian designs of Song Dynasty China. Inside is as beautiful as the outside, with the fingermarks of the potter making a graceful fluted pattern right down to the base.

The potter was George James Cox, of the Mortlake Pottery in South London, signed & dated 1912.

ARTS & CRAFTS

AUCTION – later October

We’re currently preparing our next MOORABOOL AUCTIONS sale – date to be announced, latter October.

It features some fine Australian pieces, including a group of Australian Motorsport Grand Prix prizes.

From the FIRST Australian ‘TT’ Grand Prix, held on Phillip Island in 1928, we have the ‘Shell Cup’, a giant silver-plate affair, won by Alex Finlay on a B.S.A. bike ‘just taken out of the box’!
Shown here is the 1935 Time Trials prize, a rare original German bronze kangaroo ‘Mystery Clock’, won by Les Murphy for fastest time in his MG P-type. We also have the ‘Shell Cup’ he won the same year.

Rare Australian Artworks include a ‘View of Launceston’ watercolour by the extremely rare convict artist Frederick Strange, c. 1858, and our recently identified George Peacock oil (below), another of our convict artists, which we have titled ‘View of Sydney Harbour from Carrara House’, circa 1855. 

More to come!

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A Staffordshire Fresh Stock

Early Staffordshire Figures

Welcome to our latest Fresh Stock. This one is a ‘Staffordshire Special’, with some early figures dating to the late 18th – early 19th century – as well as a good selection of classic Victorian pieces.

There’s a couple of Highwaymen, one titled ‘Dick Turpin’, the other facing horseman traditionally being his companion Gentleman-Robber, ‘Tom King’ (actually Mathew, not Tom….) .

There’s a lovely ‘primitive’ miniature group of Victoria & the love of her life, Albert. There’s cats, dogs, the Royal Children riding goats, and the exotic image of Lady Hester Stanhope riding her camel….

And there’s Mademoiselle d’Jeck, a 4-ton prima-donna…. (see more on her at the end of this post).


These subjects wouldn’t be hard to find on present day social media – and so, this Staffordshire Collection is a great illustration of the ‘Social Media’ aspect fulfilled by these charming, quirky figures from the late Georgian & Victorian eras.

Fresh Staffordshire Figures

Staffordshire Highwaymen
Staffordshire Highwaymen

The Amazing Story of Madame D’Jeck…..

D'Jeck-The-Elephant-Staffordshire-figure-c.1840
Mademoiselle d’Jeck-The Elephant- Staffordshire figure c.1840

This remarkable Staffordshire group tells the story of one particular elephant: ‘Mademoiselle d’Jeck’, the star of the stage in the decade after the Napoleonic Wars. Starting in England in 1806, she travelled back & forth between the Continent , England, and a tour of America before her untimely death in 1837. This figure dates to around that time, but commemorates an earlier stage appearance. In 1829, she had appeared with great success in the Paris Olympic circus, starring in the play ‘l’éléphant du Roi de Siam‘ (“The Elephant of the King of Siam”). After a short season, and a quick translation into English, the show was launched across the Channel, in the Adelphi Theatre, London, and ran from mid-1829 into early 1830.
Mademoiselle d’Jeck was a 4-ton prima-donna…. with her behaviour earning her a reputation as an absolute monster, having broken many people’s bones, and even killing a number of her keepers.


And….she’s still around! Read all about her interesting but sad story as a travelling attraction on our special blog report here >

See our Mm. D’Jeck Blog
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Bookends

Always handy, and don’t they dress up a bookshelf?

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18th Century English Earthenwares

Four Fresh pieces of English Earthenware, 18th century, just added to stock.

Creamware

Creamware is the term for an English earthenware body with a definite ‘cream’ tone, popular in the latter half of the 18th century and replicated across Europe. It emerged from the experimentation of Staffordshire potters seeking a local alternative to expensive Chinese porcelain around 1750. Their innovation yielded a refined cream to white earthenware with a lustrous clear lead glaze, prized for its lightweight construction and pristine finish, making it ideal for household use.
It was not expensive to produce when compared with porcelain, but also not as robust; replacements were probably a necessity if you were using Creamware tea wares or tablewares. After its heyday in the 1780’s, Creamware remained popular well into the 20th century despite competition from other ceramic types. Today, it is valued for the pleasant off-white body and refined shapes often decorated with bright spontaneous on glaze enamel flowers.

See all our Creamware here

Salt glaze

Salt glaze refers to a distinctive ceramic made by the English potters in the mid-18th century, with an ivory-white stoneware body lightly glazed with a clear covering having a texture resembling orange peel.
This forms on the white high-fired stoneware body when common salt is introduced into the kiln at its highest temperature. During firing, sodium from the salt reacts with silica present in the clay, resulting in the formation of a glassy sodium-silicate coating. This glaze can exhibit a range of slight hues, usually colourless but also found in shades of brown (due to iron oxide), blue (from cobalt oxide), or purple (from manganese oxide).

The result is a glistening white product, usually slip-cast and very lightweight & thin, yet also very tough. Forgive me for making the comparison, but it could be mistaken for a plastic! The glaze is transparent, and fits tight and thin against the body, meaning any moulded decoration is as sharp and crisp as the clay beneath. It has become a highly desireable field to collect in the English Earthenwares field.

See all our Saltglaze here

Redware

The Chinese were fond of a red clay sourced near the city of Yi Xing, on the Yangtze River Delta. When Europeans started trading with them in the 17th century, the ‘Yixing Stonewares’ were a popular item. Naturally, the local European potters were keen to provide versions of this suddenly popular ware, and the potters of Delft, in Holland produced a ‘clone’ of the Chinese – often with the same decoration – in the latter 17th century, followed by the Eeler Brothers, Dutch silversmiths who came to London in the 1680’s and produced the first English redwares. Meissen was a latecomer, with J.J.Böttger discovering a fine high-fired red ware body now named after him in 1706. By the mid 18th century, the potters of Staffordshire and elsewhere were making Redwares.

Wedgwood c. 1820

Characterized by its rich reddish-brown hues derived from iron in the clay oxidising in the firing process, English Redware exemplified both utilitarian functionality and aesthetic charm. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, these pieces often featured simple yet elegant designs, at first copying the imported Chinese wares, but soon reflecting the prevailing tastes of the era. Commonly used for everyday household items such as teapots, jugs, and mugs, English redware found its place in both rural cottages and aristocratic homes alike. Despite its widespread popularity, redware production faced challenges from the emerging dominance of porcelain and other fine ceramics. Wedgwood brought it back to the tasteful table in the late 18th- early 19th century with a refined version they called ‘Rosso Antico’, and other firms through the Victorian era continued to make ‘redwares’ in small numbers. The original 18th-century English redware remains a testament to the skilled craftsmanship and enduring legacy of the era’s pottery traditions.

See all our Redware here

Jackfield

Jackfield Teapot close-up
Jackfield Teapot close-up

Jackfield is largely a generic name for a class of black/brown bodied earthenwares with a glossy ‘black’ glaze. I emphasise ‘black’ as close examination reveals it is actually made up of mostly dark brown tones, which combined with a dark-toned clay body appears black to the naked eye.

Jackfield Teapot
Jackfield Teapot c.1780

Traditionally this type of ware was said to be made at a pottery works located at Jackfield, near Coalport in Shropshire – which became the name for the type. But excavations and other evidence suggest that at the same time, such pieces were also made in Staffordshire and at other ceramic centres. The shapes and mouldings are often closely related to the other bodies detailed in this article, showing the black products were made alongside red wares , cream wares and salt glaze. Perhaps ‘black wares ‘ would be a more accurate name, but the ‘Jackfield’ name persists.

Decoration was hard, as the black surface didn’t allow for the usual decorative technique. Rare ‘cold-painted’ examples show that some were decorated in colourful oil paints, often with dedications and dates, painted onto a piece to order by a retailer, independent of the potteries.
Today, it is collected for the dramatic impact it makes in contrast to the usual white or off-white alternative wares.

See all our Jackfield here
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English Enamels & Derby figures

Welcome to our latest Fresh Stock release at Moorabool.

This week we have a fine selection of English Porcelain figures, and a collection of English Enamel patch & snuff boxes.

Enamel patch boxes and snuff boxes were everyday items for fashionable 18th century people of social status.

Patch-box with mirror in lid


Patchboxes, as their name suggests, were used to store ‘patches’ – literally small wax-based cosmetic ‘boils’ that were seen as essential beauty products in the 17th & 18th centuries. This ‘beauty spot’ fashion had a practical origin; the diseases of the era would often leave facial scars, and a patch could be used to fill the mark; however, it obviously became something more, with perfectly healthy un-diseased beauties feeling they had to add artificial patches to their faces!
The patchbox, with its compact size and elegant appearance, provided a convenient and stylish way to carry these essential fashion accessories on one’s person, ready to apply if needed. You can tell them by the mirror seen inside the lid – something seen into the modern era with the ‘powder-compact’.

Snuff boxes were used to store ‘snuff’ – essentially powdered tobacco, a popular stimulant in the 17th and 18th centuries. Snuff-taking was not only a social ritual but also a symbol of refinement and status. These boxes, often passed down as heirlooms, were prized possessions that reflected the taste and sophistication of their owners, making them cherished artifacts right to the present day.

Fresh to Stock – 18th century Enamel Boxes

See all our enamel boxes here

SPOT THE FAKE

One of these lovely enamel boxes isn’t what it seems: can you tell which?

SLIDE the line across to reveal the Sampson 19th century copy!

Derby Figures

Derby figures, originating from the renowned Derby Porcelain Factory founded by William Duesbury in 1756, represent a pinnacle of 18th-century ceramic artistry. These exquisite porcelain sculptures, often depicting scenes of pastoral life, classical mythology, or notable historical figures, are celebrated for their impeccable craftsmanship and artistic detail. From elegant ladies and gentlemen in period attire to elaborate animal and mythological motifs, Derby figures encompass a diverse range of subjects and styles, each meticulously sculpted and hand-painted with vibrant enamels. Reflecting the tastes of the aristocracy and burgeoning middle-class of Georgian England, these figures adorned the mantelpieces and tables of affluent households, serving as both decorative ornaments and symbols of status and refinement. Today, Derby figures remain highly sought-after by Collectors and Connoisseurs of Fine Things, cherished for their timeless beauty.

Fresh to Stock – Derby Figures – and more!

See all our Derby figures here

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Fresh Stock- Jewellery, Pottery & Porcelain, including Masons, Worcester, – a fine mix of quality items

Dr Wall Worcester at Moorabool Antiques, Geelong

Welcome to Moorabool’s latest Fresh Stock release – a fine selection of items, fresh to the market.
We’re also beginning to stock more jewellery, with an interesting selection of reasonably priced estate jewellery.

Jewellery @ Moorabool Antiques, Geelong
Jewellery @ Moorabool Antiques, Geelong
See all Fresh Stock

Mother’s Day is coming!

Why not spoil your mother with a lovely antique piece?
we’ve put together a gallery of ideas, have a browse here >

More Mother’s Day ideas

Fine 19th Century English Porcelain and more

The Worcester Factories

Worcester BLue & White Porcelain

In 1751, Dr Wall was one of the Worcester businessmen who funded the establishment of what was to become perhaps the most famous of all English porcelain manufacturers – the Worcester factory.

He held the reins of the firm for the next 25 years, and his business sense saw the firm becoming ‘the one’ that aristocracy & the wealthy of England turned to for their porcelain needs.

He died in 1776; in 1783 Thomas Flight, the London agent who had been marketing Worcester porcelain for a while, took over the factory; his two sons, Joseph and John managed it, known as the ‘Flight’ period.

John died in 1791, and a new partner came on board – Martin Barr. This is the ‘Flight & Barr’ period. In 1804, one of his sons is part of the firm, the name being ‘Barr Flight Barr’, the order of seniority. Then in 1813, Martin Barr died, and another of his sons joined, with Joseph Flight being the senior – hence the name is ‘Flight Barr Barr’.

Throughout these decades of the late 18th-early 19th century, across all the different partnerships, the same shapes and patterns were in use: it’s hard to separate the different periods visually. Luckily they were very good at marking pieces, and it’s an interesting exercise to find examples from each period.

These simple but elegant pieces were collected by someone keen to learn the chronology of the factory – basically, an example of the various partnerships of what was to become the major porcelain factory of the 19th century. They’re ready to serve the same purpose with a new owner – terrific ‘examples’ that are budget-friendly!

A Dr Wall Worcester rarity

This ‘Dalhousie pattern’ Worcester cup & saucer is a spectacular rarity, coming from a single identifiable service.

Worcester Stormont Service cup & saucer
Worcester ‘Dalhousie’ type, ‘Stormont’ Service cup & saucer, c. 1780

The ‘Dalhousie’ pattern name comes from a service owned by the Earl of Dalhousie, with central landscape surrounded by blue border, and swags of fruit to the rim; however, there are multiple variations on this theme in the Worcester products, so the name ”Dalhousiue’ has come to refer to a style rather than a service.

This cup and saucer, however, does have an important association with another service: in the Zorensky Collection there is an identical coffee cup& saucer which Spiro & Sandon associate with the Lord Stormont service. 7th Viscount Stormont had been the Ambassador to France in the 1770’s, and this Worcester tea service from the 1780’s reflects this:

“….. the shape of the handle is unusual and the saucer has a well recessed slightly in the centre in which the foot of the cup sits, a feature derived from Sèvres. These features are unusual but occur on the Stormont service which was a special order involving many unusual tea ware forms.” 

A 'Sevres' handle on a Dr Wall Worcester cup
A ‘Sevres’ handle on a Dr Wall Worcester cup, Stormont Service c. 1780

The 7th Viscount Stormont also had a desert service made to Sèvres shapes, also represented in the Zorensky Collection. These Sèvres services are still at Scone house, ancient Royal seat of the Scottish Kings and home of the present Viscount. The Worcester ‘copies’ seem to have been dispersed at some time, and this rarity found its way to a collection in Melbourne, Australia.

See all Fresh Stock

Also ‘Fresh’…..

See all Fresh Stock

Coming Soon…..

Pottery coming soon
Some early English Pottery @ Moorabool Antiques
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Fresh Stock – Torquay Art Pottery + more…

Toruquay Pottery Devon UK

Welcome to another Moorabool ‘Fresh Stock’.
This one features a collection of English ‘Art Pottery’ from the distinct Devon potters of Torquay. They’re always nicely made pieces, with a rich terracotta-toned body slipped in colours, often scratched-through or finely painted with stylish scenes, but most notable for their inscriptions. This gives rise to a popular nick-name, ‘Mottoware’.

See all Fresh Stock

We have some pretty fun ones, and they read like a scroll through some Instagram memes –

There would be no shadows
If the sun were not shining
~
Empty vessels make the most noise
~
Don’t worry, it may never happen
~
To Have a Friend is to Be One …

Some were souvenirs – for example, the mini teapot is inscribed ‘The Oldest Chemist Shoppe in England, Knaresborough Est. 1720 ‘.

Among them are two particularly interesting pieces. One commemorates the friendship between Britain and the USA; the other is commemorating the Boer War.

May They Ever Be United-USA UK Torquay Devon pottery mug
“May They Ever Be United” -unusual commemorative USA & UK Torquay (Devon) art pottery mug c. 1917

This commemorative is a bit of a mystery; the inscription ‘May They Ever Be United’ suggests an event, such as the ‘Great White Fleet’ of 1907-09, where the US sent a group of their battleships around the world on a publicity cruise – including to Australia, where many souvenirs of the event were made. However, they never visited Britain!

Instead, the mug could have been made circa 1917, when America entered WWI on the 6th April. A thankful Britain hosted American ships & troops on their way to the battlefields, and a souvenir like this would have been readily sold to the visitors. They seem to be very scarce.

Aller Vale Torquay Pottery Boer War commemorative Tommy Atkins mug
Rare Torquay pottery Boer War Commemorative ‘Tommy Atkins’ mug, by Aller Vale, c. 1900

This unusual piece was made to commemorate the Boer War. Marked ‘Aller Vale’, it was made at the Aller Vale pottery, Torquay.

The Torquay Potters

A quick history.

Torquay Pottery
Torquay Pottery vase, c. 1910. This is reminiscent of Dresser designs of the 1870’s.

The Devon potters of the Torquay region were active back into pre-history, with a bountiful supply of rich terracotta-toned clay to use. In the late 19th century, the ‘Arts & Crafts’ movement arose, and the region came to support a flourishing industry into the 20th century of Art Potters.

The present industry was started by a Mr Allen, who established the Watcombe Clay Company Ltd on the outskirts of Torquay in 1869, with Mr Charles Brock of Staffordshire as the manager. In 1901 it merged with the Torquay pottery firm of Aller Vale, but continued to make ‘Watcombe’ marked pieces.

The styles of the group of companies in the area are often very similar – they were tapping into the same market, and the Arts & Crafts tradition provided a wonderful stimulus for shapes & decoration. Dr Christopher Dresser was the origin of some incredibly ‘modern’ designs produced at the Watcombe Pottery in the 1870’s, and this simplicity and elegance can be seen in the products of the Torquay potteries for the next few decades.

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Another line sometimes seen were terracotta plaques, complete with moulded frames, ready to hang on the wall. Some quite talented artists used these as their ‘canvas’, painting in oils.

An example we have sighted comes with an interesting provenance: it has theme of Beatrice Charlotte Henty (1867-1950) on the back, with her address at ‘Tarring’, Kew. She was the granddaughter of James Henty, who is regarded as the first of the settlers to arrive in what is now Victoria in the 1830’s. The painting, of a shipwreck with survivors struggling ashore, is very well painted, and as there doesn’t seem to be any evidence of Beatrice being such a competent artist, the inscription is probably one of ownership – in fact, pieces like this were brought out to the 1880 Exhibition in Melbourne, and continued to be available in the luxury stores of Melbourne in the late 19th century.

The Torquay Pottery Firms include:

The Torquay Pottery at Heel Cross, Devon, (known as Watcombe after the nearby Country House) commenced production in 1875, making terracotta vessels and plaques as seen above. It was after their merge with nearby Aller Vale that they began to make the ‘Motto Ware’, and used their ‘Royal Torquay Pottery’ mark from 1924.
The introduction of restrictions during WWII stressed the firm to the point of closure before the war finished, in the early 1940’s.

Aller Vale was one of the larger potteries in the Torquay group. Founded near Newton Abbot in 1881 by John Phillips, it was heavily influenced by the Arts & Crafts movement, and absorbed the Watcombe and Longpark potteries in the early 20th century, before being absorbed in turn by the Watcombe Pottery.
It gained a ‘Royal’ addition to its name after visits and purchases of the wares by Queen Victoria’s daughter, Princess Louise, and Alexandra, wife of Edward VII.
Liberty’s of London stocked Aller Vale slipware decorated pieces.
It closed in 1932.

Barton Pottery was founded by four workmen from other Torquay potteries in 1922, and made a variety of ‘typical’ Torquay-style Motto Wares. By 1926 this partnership had broken up, and a Limited Company established – reflected in the mark. It closed in 1935.

Longpark Pottery was founded in 1883, but it was in 1903 when Aller Vale Pottery took them over that they began making the slip-decorated ‘Motto Ware’. As well as ‘LONNGPARK’, they used the name ‘TORMOHUN’. The firm was still running after WWII, but gradually declined, closing in 1957.

There are more firms not mentioned here, but this short list covers the examples you’ll find below. They’re a rather cheerful, even inspirational thing to collect – I mean the advice alone is worth it!

‘All that Glitters is not Gold’…..

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