Stoke-on-Trent - Advert of the week


contents: 2009 adverts


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Shaw & Copestake, Sylvan Works, Longton
Shaw & Copestake, Sylvan Works, Longton
 Reproduced from 1904 Pottery Gazette Reference Book

 

"In 1894, Mr Shaw called his company the Sheaf Art Pottery, but the wares produced were not produced by hand as in many art pottery studios - rather they were mass produced in moulds and then hand decorated.  Early products included decorated vases, jugs, flower pots, cheese stands, toilet wares and fancy earthenwares.  They were very ornate and heavily decorated with gold and a lot of hand painting.

Over the years many different decorative techniques were used and so a wide range of fancy goods can be found today.  In the early 1800s aerography was used with handpainting, followed by lithographic transfers with hand embellishments.  Lustre wares were produced and, from the late 1920s (until the 1950s), a cellulose finish, in imitation of Wedgwood jasper ware.  In the 1930s a matt glaze was created and applied to a huge range of animal figures, vases and other decorative items. Production of some of these continued until 1982 and these matt wares are perhaps the best known of the SylvaC range.

In the 1950s and 1960s new lines continued to be produced including plaques and floral brooches. Advertising pieces and commemorative wares were also made.

The products in the Thomas Lawrence Falcon Ware range were very similar to the Shaw and Copestake wares - fancies, novelties and toilet ware. During the war The Shaw and Copestake factory was requisitioned by the government and used for storage. It re-opened in 1945. Part of the Falcon Pottery was made available to Shaw and Copestake during this period and so the two arms of the company worked closer together during this period. During the war they maintained a strong export market and the Falcon Pottery also manufactured utility wares for the home market.

By 1957 Thomas Lawrence had moved out of the Falcon Works and joined Shaw and Copestake at the Sylvan Works - both were by then producing the same items."

Stoke-on-Trent City Council - museum services

 

 


contents: 2009 adverts