Elsmore & Forster

Earthenware and Parian manufacturers at the Clayhills Pottery, Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, England

The original partnership was between Thomas Elsmore, Thomas Forster and Richard Blackhurst trading as Elsmore, Forster & Co.
Blackhurst left the partnership in 1855 and Elsmore & Forster continued in business together.
Around 1871 Forster left the business and Thomas Elsmore continued as Elsmore & Son.

Selected by the Committee for the Staffordshire Potteries
to exhibit at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1855

notice of the dissolution of the earlier partnership of
Elsmore, Forster & Blackhurst

Creamer in the Laurel Wreath/Victory shape
registered by Elsmore and Forster in 1867

It has the victor's laurel wreath with a single star at top on two sides

Pattern was conceived with the American public in mind during the post Civil War period.
In 1867 Andrew Johnson was battling with Congress over Reconstruction that eventually lead to his impeachment...and in 1868, the election of the Civil War Victor, Ulysses Grant.

white ironstone teapot in the Ceres shape

Ceres (one of the most collected wheat patterns), was named after the Roman goddess of agriculture.
Elsmore & Forster registered the shape in 1859 - other ironstone manufacturers used similar shapes

Warrented Ironstone China
Elsmore & Forster

Printed mark using the the Royal Arms

Applied mark showing the registration diamond for 2 November 1859

the round mark has the town name TUNSTALL (where the factory was located)
and incorporates the Stafford Knot

The SIMLA pattern appears to have originally been produced by Thomas Walker who operated in Tunstall between 1845 and 1851.

An auction of Thomas Walker’s equipment and engraved copper plates was held in September 1853 and it is probable that plates for the SIMLA pattern were acquired by Elsmore & Forster.

Elsmore &
Foster

impressed mark
note the misspelling of FORSTER

Elsmore
& Foster
Tunstall

impressed mark

Elsmore & Foster
Tunstall
Ceres Shape

applied mark with registration diamond

applied marks were made using a coin-like pad of clay which was impressed with the design and attached to the bottom of a piece with very liquid clay called slip

fragment of pottery with the Elsmore & Forster mark found
at the beach at The Rockways - New York City

Elsmore & Forster specialised in this type of jug and produced a number of variations of them, all decorated with engraved images relating to popular entertainment - they seem to have acquired a stock of old prints which they printed in different combinations on various-sized jugs.

Generally very highly decorated with hand-coloured lustre-glazed transfer prints, on a cream ground.

The circus theme jugs had theatrical engravings including the clown Joe Cashmore and Grimaldi, other clown images, Pantomime characters, Harlequins and chap-book prints of native & zoo animals, and other whimsies.

These puzzle jugs and related barware accessories were wildly popular in pubs and gambling establishments. This puzzle jug has a hole in the handle connected through an inner tube to a hole in the bottom. The unsuspecting drinker who picks up the jug without blocking the hold in the handle will be surprised when the ale pours out of the bottom!

Many of the presentation jugs included various cock fighting scenes and these jugs were often used as presentation jugs, presumably to the owner of the winning cock.

NOTE: Manufacture of presentation jugs was continued by the successor company - Elsmore & Son - it would appear that ware manufactured by them didn't have a makers mark.

NOTE: The same jugs were made by Joseph Goodwin. The operating period for Joseph Goodwin and Elsmore & Forster overlapped.
Joseph Goodwin's works was located between Watergate Street and George Street in the Clayhills area of Tunstall and Elsmore & Forster's works were called the Clayhills Pottery - the two companies could have shared the same potworks.

Joe Cashmore... According to John Turner’s biographical dictionary of British circus performers, Joe’s father was a clown named Ike Cashmore and his mother, billed as Madame Cashmore, was a noted tight-rope performer and equestrian. His full name was Joseph Henry Cashmore, and advertisements printed in The Era (a contemporary trade journal for entertainers) listed his skills as: "Comic Knockabout Clown, High Stilts, Juggler, Running Globe, Vaulter, &c."

Elsmore & Forster presentation jug
'Abel Pointon Macclesfield 1871'

this jug has no makers mark

puzzle jug - 'Boys Drink'
this jug has the Elsmore & Foster mark shown on the right

Warranted Ironstone China
Elsmore & Foster

mark on the 'Boy's Drink' puzzle jug - incorporating the Royal Arms

example with Italian comedy style figures, cock fighting scenes, various chap-book characters and wimsical shadow figures