Fielding Majolica
Encyclopedia
Fielding majolica is pottery made at the Railway Pottery in Stoke on Trent under the proprietorship of Simon Fielding (1827-1906) and Abraham Fielding. Majolica
is a generic name given to the lead
-glazed, brightly coloured earthenware
that was originally developed by Mintons for the Great Exhibition of 1851.
. In 1878 Simon Fielding bought the company, which was subsequently known as S.Fielding and Co., and managed it with Abraham Fielding. Simon Fielding owned the Blyth Colour Works in Cresswell, Staffordshire
, which gave the Railway Company direct control over important ceramic
raw materials.
In 1879 the press praised the company for making "wonderful strides" and said, "majolica is equal to anything we have seen", but the company ran into debt. Abraham Fielding paid off the debts and took charge of the company. Hackney moved to Baltimore
, United States
to work for D.F.Haynes & Co. at the Chesapeake Pottery. In 1880, the Blyth Colour Works was sold to Piggot & Scarrott. The next ten years were the peak period for the manufacture of Fielding's pottery.
In 1893, a trade journal wrote of the Railway Pottery,
Abraham Fielding invented a patent down-draft kiln
, in which the heat of the fire, instead of simply rising from the bottom of the oven up through the chimney at the top, rose and was then driven down through the centre of the kiln before rising through the chimney. This design distributed the heat more evenly in the kiln and reduced wear-and-tear.
The Railway Pottery was renamed the Devon Pottery in 1912 and developed the Crown Devon line.
Ten majolica designs were registered between 1881 and 1884 and were used on a huge range of goods: tea and coffee sets, dessert, fruit, ice cream and fish services, vases, jardinieres, cuspidors, jugs, tea pots and umbrella stands.
Umbrella stands were made in standard designs and designs incorporating goats, hares, ducks, cranes and a tree trunk with a girl skater. A Kate Greenaway
stand was made, which contained figures on panels representing spring and autumn. Perhaps the most bizarre stand produced in 1879 showed: "The Ameer of Afghanistan running up a tree, in the shape of a monkey, to escape from John Bull, who is supposed to be shooting at him" (Pottery Gazette)
A fox fruit dish was described as follows: "The surface of this dish has a fine grouping of ferns and foliage and the handle or knob is formed by a well moulded fox that is intently watching a rabbit peeping from beneath a burrow."
The most popular designs were: fan, fan and insect, fan and scroll, fan and daisy, and other fan designs; ribbon and leaf, ribbon and daisy, shell and net, hummingbird and bamboo, pansy and fuchsia; shell shapes, panels with birds, squirrels and other animals. The background colours are argenta white, turquoise, yellow, and cobalt
blue. The oyster plates are highly prized, particularly in the USA.
Other designs:
in a shield. Other marks are a diamond and the word Fielding. On 19th century majolica, all marks are impressed, not printed, but there are some black or, occasionally, purple painters' marks. Shell feet are often found.
Victorian majolica
Victorian Majolica is earthenware pottery made in 19th century Britain, Europe and the USA with molded surfaces and colorful clear lead glazes.-History:...
is a generic name given to the lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
-glazed, brightly coloured earthenware
Earthenware
Earthenware is a common ceramic material, which is used extensively for pottery tableware and decorative objects.-Types of earthenware:Although body formulations vary between countries and even between individual makers, a generic composition is 25% ball clay, 28% kaolin, 32% quartz, and 15%...
that was originally developed by Mintons for the Great Exhibition of 1851.
Railway Pottery
The Railway Pottery was set up for the manufacture of high quality "General Ware and Art Ware" by Frederick Hackney and J. Kirkham, who had previously worked for WedgwoodWedgwood
Wedgwood, strictly speaking Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, is a pottery firm owned by KPS Capital Partners, a private equity company based in New York City, USA. Wedgwood was founded on May 1, 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood and in 1987 merged with Waterford Crystal to create Waterford Wedgwood, an...
. In 1878 Simon Fielding bought the company, which was subsequently known as S.Fielding and Co., and managed it with Abraham Fielding. Simon Fielding owned the Blyth Colour Works in Cresswell, Staffordshire
Cresswell, Staffordshire
Cresswell is a village in Staffordshire, England. It is approximately one mile SE of Blythe Bridge and has a population of approximately 300....
, which gave the Railway Company direct control over important ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
raw materials.
In 1879 the press praised the company for making "wonderful strides" and said, "majolica is equal to anything we have seen", but the company ran into debt. Abraham Fielding paid off the debts and took charge of the company. Hackney moved to Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to work for D.F.Haynes & Co. at the Chesapeake Pottery. In 1880, the Blyth Colour Works was sold to Piggot & Scarrott. The next ten years were the peak period for the manufacture of Fielding's pottery.
In 1893, a trade journal wrote of the Railway Pottery,
At the present time upwards of four hundred hands are employed by the firm, and there is every prospect of these being largely increased in the future. The reason of this success is not far to seek. The firm have aimed at the production of goods of artistic designs and excellent quality at the lowest possible prices, while by continually introducing novelties they have kept pace with the popular demand for something new. The consequence is that during the past five years the volume of the firm's business has been doubled. The firm's works, known as the Railway Pottery, is fitted up with all the latest machinery, driven by three powerful engines.
Abraham Fielding invented a patent down-draft kiln
Kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, or oven, in which a controlled temperature regime is produced. Uses include the hardening, burning or drying of materials...
, in which the heat of the fire, instead of simply rising from the bottom of the oven up through the chimney at the top, rose and was then driven down through the centre of the kiln before rising through the chimney. This design distributed the heat more evenly in the kiln and reduced wear-and-tear.
The Railway Pottery was renamed the Devon Pottery in 1912 and developed the Crown Devon line.
Designs
By 1878 the Railway Pottery was making a range of majolica jugs, bread trays, oyster plates, etc.Ten majolica designs were registered between 1881 and 1884 and were used on a huge range of goods: tea and coffee sets, dessert, fruit, ice cream and fish services, vases, jardinieres, cuspidors, jugs, tea pots and umbrella stands.
Umbrella stands were made in standard designs and designs incorporating goats, hares, ducks, cranes and a tree trunk with a girl skater. A Kate Greenaway
Kate Greenaway
Catherine Greenaway , known as Kate Greenaway, was an English children's book illustrator and writer, who spent much of her childhood at Rolleston, Nottinghamshire. She studied at what is now the Royal College of Art in London, which at that time had a separate section for women, and was headed by...
stand was made, which contained figures on panels representing spring and autumn. Perhaps the most bizarre stand produced in 1879 showed: "The Ameer of Afghanistan running up a tree, in the shape of a monkey, to escape from John Bull, who is supposed to be shooting at him" (Pottery Gazette)
A fox fruit dish was described as follows: "The surface of this dish has a fine grouping of ferns and foliage and the handle or knob is formed by a well moulded fox that is intently watching a rabbit peeping from beneath a burrow."
The most popular designs were: fan, fan and insect, fan and scroll, fan and daisy, and other fan designs; ribbon and leaf, ribbon and daisy, shell and net, hummingbird and bamboo, pansy and fuchsia; shell shapes, panels with birds, squirrels and other animals. The background colours are argenta white, turquoise, yellow, and cobalt
Cobalt
Cobalt is a chemical element with symbol Co and atomic number 27. It is found naturally only in chemically combined form. The free element, produced by reductive smelting, is a hard, lustrous, silver-gray metal....
blue. The oyster plates are highly prized, particularly in the USA.
Other designs:
- Butterfly and bamboo
- Cobalt blue moustache cup
- Figural and panelled jugs
- Garden seats
- Ribbon and leaf
- Shaving mugs
- Shell and net
- Wheat and daisy
- Wheat ribbon and daisy
Back stamps
Early majolica was stamped with a fleur de lysFleur de Lys
Fleur de Lys is a superheroine from Quebec and an ally of Northguard, created in 1984 by Mark Shainblum and Gabriel Morrissette. The name of the character is inspired by the heraldic symbol of the fleur de lys. It is the official emblem of Quebec and a prominent part of the Flag of Quebec...
in a shield. Other marks are a diamond and the word Fielding. On 19th century majolica, all marks are impressed, not printed, but there are some black or, occasionally, purple painters' marks. Shell feet are often found.