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Merry Wives of Alcester
ON April 1, Bob Davis gave a very informative and entertaining talk about Worcester Porcelain and used pieces from his own collection to illustrate the various styles of porcelain produced, since the company was started in 1751.
The first period, know as the Dr Wall period was started at this time by this very man, when he saw an opportunity in the market at a time when mainly Chinese porcelain was being imported.
Worcester was an ideal location as raw materials and finished goods could be shipped up and down the River Severn.
The factory stood where the Technology College now stands. The Dr Wall period emulated the blue and "white" Chinese style porcelain and ended with the death of Dr Wall in 1766 (he is buried in Bath Abbey).
After this, the factory was run by a succession of families Mr Flight and Mr Davis, Flight & Barr, Flight, Barr, & Barr as sons joined their fathers in the business. The Flight Davis period was very colourful and decorative.
Bob Davis, the speaker, showed Merry Wives and example of cups and saucers dating back to 1790-95. Saucers were smooth inside and often deeper to enable the tea to be poured into and drunk from it. Coffee cups used the same saucer as there was no ridged base inside as we have today.
Throughout the 19th century, various competitive factories were set up around Worcester including one by Robert Chamberlain who tended to buy in porcelain from Shropshire and decorate in Worcester, until 1852. Several factories amalgamated and Kerr and Binns bought the group in 1840 when it became Royal Worcester Porcelain and had by then received the Royal warrant.
Bob Davis showed many other beautiful different styles of porcelain including an unusual square Hadley dish with layers of white porcelain built up to create a leaf pattern in relief on a dark ground. After 1891, Bob pointed out that the country of origin had to be stated on goods which assists when identifying the date of items.
Bob showed a Granger loving cup showing detailed views of Worcester and the cathedral hand painted in minute detail, a Chamberlain coffee "can" and saucer unmarked but with a pattern number and the colourful "Jabberwocky" pattern on the sides. Also a flat-backed cream jug with gilded handle, rim and base dated 1889, a scent bottle shaped as a beautiful green pear from 1908 and a small bowl painted by Kitty Blake, a well known porcelain artist for painting blackberries.
Into the 20th century, artists became well-known as porcelain artists and their work became collectable and Bob had porcelain painted from the early part of the 20th century to the 1930's by Harry Davis, Ernest Townsend, Richard Seabright and the Stinton family who specialized in animal paintings. An early 20th century large vase by Harry Davis would probably now cost around £12,000!
Vote of thanks: Sue Newitt
Raffle won by: Barbara Parker
The next meeting of Merry Wives will be a talk entitled "My Life" by Eric Payne at the Methodist Church Hall, Alcester, at 8pm on Tuesday, April 29.
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