Living in a time of rapid social and industrial change, Wedgwood took full advantage of the burgeoning market to build up a successful business. He was the only potter ever to be made a fellow of the Royal Society, and his life was taken up with the constant need to perfect, hence his many varied ceramic experiments.
He perfected a new range of ceramic bodies, including creamware, jasper ware and basalt, designed over a hundred different vase forms (often based on classical prototypes), as well as producing plaques, cameos and intaglios.
Wedgwood’s first Royal order was for Queen Charlotte – ‘a complete set of tea things’ – with a gold ground and raised flowers, done in green. In 1764, Wedgwood acquired her backing, and by 1767 he was calling himself ‘potter to her majesty’. Queen Charlotte later allowed him to rename the ware ‘Queen’s Ware’. During this time, Josiah also had help from John Sadler (1720 – 89) and Guy Green (retired 1799). Apart from selling his work they developed a transfer printing process for use on pots.
Creamware
Josiah Wedgwood and Thomas Bentley first met in 1762 through Matthew Turner, Wedgwood’s doctor. Bentley became Wedgwood’s agent but was initially reluctant to become his partner. A plan drawn up in 1767 details Wedgwood’s proposal for a partnership, which Bentley eventually agreed to, and which was signed on the 10th August 1769. Josiah Wedgwood had a partner in the ornamental branch.
This ornamental partnership used creamware to make its vases, a material Wedgwood used before the partnership existed. The cream-coloured earthenware body was manufactured on a large scale by Wedgwood, and eventually replaced tin-glazed earthenware all through Europe, causing the manufacture of country earthenware to be significantly reduced. The extreme success of the wares was such that in many parts of the world it was cheaper to import Queen’s ware than buy pots from local producers.
The most common of the ornamental creamwares are those that have been glazed in such a way that they imitate precious stones, such as agate, porphyry, various types of marble, and fine grained stone such as granite. The vases were sold in pairs, or sets of three, five or seven.
A classic design
Wedgwood used simple gilt handles and relief ornaments, and many of the pieces were based on the design of classical antiquities. During the early 1770’s, a vase mania broke out. After imitating precious stones, the vases now became more elegant, and were the start of unglazed, coloured stoneware made by the partnership, known as basalt ware.
An excellent example of a creamware vase is one which is 14¼ inches high, decorated with coloured slips in dark brown, red brown, cream and green, imitating marble, with gilded acanthus, sibyl finial and handles with acanthus leaf terminals, a white biscuit (unglazed) earthenware base impressed with the Wedgwood and Bentley mark. This shows quite clearly Wedgwood’s attitude that where teapots were concerned, the line could be drawn between ‘useful’ and ‘ornamental’.
One of the factories greatest achievements was the massive dinner and dessert service of creamware which had been ordered by the Russian Empress, Catherine II, in 1773. The service consisted of 952 pieces, and was hand painted with topographical views of Great Britain.
Creamware is composed of the same material as fine white stoneware, has a lead glaze as opposed to a salt glaze, and is fired at a lower temperature. To avoid crazing, Wedgwood fritted the glaze ingredients. It was with creamware that he laid the foundation of his large fortune, and the body has been in production ever since.
Sources:
- Dawson, A Masterpieces of Wedgwood British Museum Publications Ltd (1984)
- Cooper, E A History of World Pottery B.T. Batsford Ltd (1972)
- Foley, T At Home with Wedgwood clarkson potter (2009)
- Various New Book of Knowledge Vol A & P Grolier Enterprises (1982)
Mellissa Bushby - Mellissa Bushby is an author, illustrator and ceramicist. She studied Fine Art for four years, and her newest book release is January ...
