Empire Porcelain Co






 

Location and period of operation:

Empire Porcelain Co

Hanley

1896 

1967

 

Manufacturer of earthenware and porcelain at the Empire Works, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.

  • The Empire Porcelain Company was in business by 1895 - probably the works were under construction. 

  • The original partners were made up of members of the Austrian families of Rosenfeld and Lazarus who ran other ceramic factories in Europe. 

  • The Empire Porcelain Company operated from two factories, either side of Elgin Road - one of which may originally have belonged to Grimwades

  • There were a number of fires at the Empire Works from 1907 to 1912. Two were particularly catastrophic.    

  • In 1951 the business was acquired by the Kaufman Group, which in turn was acquired by the Qualcast Group in 1958. 

  • The Empire Porcelain Company was incorporated as a Limited Company in 1963.

  • Because the works were difficult to modernise the business closed in 1967. 

  • Empire Ware marked 'Made in Portugal' is a modern reproduction - see more

 

 

 

Empire Works
"The Empire Porcelain Company was established in about 1896 at the Empire Works in Stoke Road. A wide range of pottery and porcelain was subsequently produced. The various marks include the initials EPC, EP or the word Empire."

From: Jewitt's Ceramic Art of Great Britain 1800-1900

 

 


Lazarus & Rosenfeld

 

The London Gazette, January 4 1895 

Notice that Sander Lazarus retired from the partnership between
Sander Lazarus, Abraham Rosenfeld, Benedict Rosenfeld,
Isaac Rosenfeld, Sidney Rosenfeld and Isaac Lazarus

They were manufacturers and merchants  in London and Steinschönan and Kittlitz, Austria as 'Lazarus and Rosenfeld' in New York as Lazarus Rosenfeld and Lehmann in Altrohlau, Austria as Victoria Porzellanfabrik (Victoria Porcelain Factory) in Staffordshire as the Empire Porcelain Company

 

"Lazarus & Rosenfeld, Ltd. 

- This private company has been registered, with a capital of £150,000, in £1 shares, to carry on the business of manufacturers of and dealers in china, glass, and earthenware, house furniture and utensils, ornaments, and fancy goods, &c., to acquire the businesses carried on at 3 and 4, Bevis Marks, E.C., as “ Lazarus & Rosenfeld,” and at the Empire Porcelain Works, Stoke-on-Trent, as the “Empire Porcelain Co.,” and to adopt an agreement between B. Rosenfeld, I. Rosenfeld, S. Rosenfeld, I. Lazarus, and A. Rosenfeld. 

The subscribers are I. Rosenfeld and A. Rosenfeld, both of 3 and 4, Bevis Marks, E.C., merchants."

Pottery gazette and glass trade review - 1st September 1910

 


 


 


Empire Porcelain Company,
semi-porcelain manufacturers 
and fancy goods manufacturers

 

from..... 1907 Staffordshire Sentinel 
'Business Reference Guide to The Potteries, Newcastle & District'



Fires at the Empire Porcelain Works

1907 - 1913

 

"Fire at Empire Porcelain Co - The smaller works of the Empire Porcelain Co., Stoke-road, Hanley, was the scene, on the night of Friday, January 18 [1907], of a disastrous fire, which broke out in some warehouses in the centre of the commodious building stretching from Newlands-street to Elgin-street. 

The flames had got a firm hold before the outbreak was discovered, and although the Hanley, Stoke and North Stafford Railway brigades worked most energetically, there was a great conflagration, which ended in the central portion of the premises being burned to the ground. The two wings of the building were saved, but the damage will probably be well over £5,000, which is covered by insurance.

A number of hands have been thrown idle as the result of the fire, but employment has been found for as many of them as possible at the larger works of the company adjacent, pending the rebuilding of the premises destroyed.

Such arrangements have been made by the company as will reduce the interruption of business to a minimum. The cause of the out-break is a complete mystery." 

Pottery gazette and glass trade review - 1st February 1907

 



 

"An outbreak of fire occurred at the Empire Porcelain Company’s pottery in Stoke-rd., Hanley, on Sept. 19  [1909]. It was discovered that the ceiling of a biscuit oven — the floor of the polishing shop — was on fire. The Hanley and Stoke fire brigades were quickly on the scene, and in about half an hour the fire had been got under. 

The damage was very slight, £20 being the estimate. Besides the injury to the floor, a quantity of ware was broken. The outbreak is supposed to have originated from the heat of the oven"

Pottery gazette and glass trade review - 1st December 1909

 


 

"On Oct. 17 [1910] a fire occurred at the china and earthenware manufactory of the Empire Porcelain Co., Hanley. The outbreak was not discovered until the flames had obtained a firm hold, and the entire factory was eventually destroyed. The damage is estimated at from £20,000 to £30,000, and some 400 hands will be thrown out of employment. 

An immense quantity of ware was destroyed. The firm had been working at high pressure, Christmas and Coronation order having been heavy. The stock and property were insured."
p.1266

 

"The conflagration which destroyed the Empire Porcelain Company’s two works in Stoke-road, Shelton, during the night of Sunday, Oct. 16, as mentioned under “ Trade Notes,” was the greatest fire which has occurred in the Potteries since that which occurred at Grindley’s, at Tunstall, five or six years ago. 

All the evidence seems to demonstrate the fact that the lift shaft was responsible for the rapid spread of the flames. The shaft appears to have acted as a sort of chimney, and the draught drew the flames upwards with such terrific force that the roof must have been attacked almost immediately. 

This is the second misfortune that the Empire Company has sustained within a short period, and on both occasions the factories were working at high pressure."
p.1273

Pottery gazette and glass trade review - 1st November 1910

 

 


 

"A destructive fire occurred in the early morning of Oct. 23 [1912]  at the manufactory of the Empire Porcelain Company, Stoke-road, Shelton, as the result of which extensive damage, estimated at nearly £10,000, was done. 

At 1.30 a.m. two constables saw flames breaking through the roof, and heard the noise of falling crocks. Almost simultaneously an engineer on duty at the works had discovered the fire. The alarm was given, and the Hanley, Burslem, Stoke and the North Staffordshire Locomotive Fire Brigades promptly attended under the direction of Chief Officer F. Bettany. 

The fire was raging furiously in the uppermost storey of the top works, where large stocks of ware were stored, and it was found impossible to save that part of the building. The fact, however, that the factory had just been rebuilt on the best fire-proof principles, combined with the excellent work of the brigades, resulted in the conflagration being confined to the top floor. The fire was got under control at 3.30, but by then that storey and its contents had been destroyed. 

On Sunday, Oct. 16, 1910, the top works of the Empire Porcelain Company were burned to the ground, and damage estimated at close upon £30,000 was done. The work of rebuilding was only completed about Christmas last, and it was in the same block that this fire occurred. About six years ago a fire also took place in another part of the same manufactory, the damage then amounting to about £2,000. 

The origin of the outbreak is not known. The damage is covered by insurance, but a number of workpeople are temporarily thrown out of employment.

Pottery gazette and glass trade review - 1st November 1912

 

 


 

 


1947 advert 

1960 advert 

The Pottery Gazette Reference Book 

 


 

EMPIRE ENGLAND PORCELAIN 3 SCENE DISH 
The dish is covered in gold flowers and leaves and in the center 
of each of the 3 sections is a different mythological scene.


 

   
Typical early cobalt blue and gilt vases/urns

c.1896 - 1920's 

 


 


hand painted novelty teapot with the British Empire highlighted in red
the handle appears to be an airman wearing a side-cap

Empire Ware
England

the registration number 838526 shows that the design was registered towards the end of 1940. 

The '41' in the mark shows that the teapot was made in 1941

photos courtesy: Kamm Teapot Foundation

 


 


transferware floral design coffee set with gilt painted handles and accents


marks on the various items in the set - production date is February to September 1953
the hand painted '5155' is the pattern number  
the other hand painted marks are decorator marks

photos courtesy: Martine Van Caenegem 

 




the date mark on this side plate is November 1954 

 


 


hand painted sauce boat in the Grosvenor pattern

photo courtesy:  Cherrie Hughes  

 


 

 


A "Checkmate" coffee set by 
Empire Porcelain Company, Staffordshire, England.

Designed by John Russell  


 

Initials and marks used on ware for identification:


EPC
EMPIRE WORKS
STOKE-ON-TRENT

"Ltd" may be included in the name after mid 1963.

Month and Year of manufacture were sometimes included
for example "3  43" is March 1943


EMPIRE

EMPIRE PORCELAIN Co

EPC


EMPIRE WORKS

SHELTON IVORY

EMPIRE WARE

IVORY WARE


 

 
EMPIRE WORKS
EPCo
Stoke-on-Trent
England

1896-1912


 


EMPIRE 
Stoke-on-Trent
England

c.1912+


E P Co 
Stoke-on-Trent
England

c.1912+


E P Co
EMPIRE WORKS
Stoke-on-Trent
England

1912-28

 


 


Empire Ware
EPCo
Stoke-on-Trent
England


E. P. Co
Empire Works
Stoke-on-Trent
England
5 24

Empire Ware
E. P. Co
Empire Works
Stoke-on-Trent
England
12 25

Empire Works
Stoke-on-Trent
England
6 28

Empire Ware
Stoke-on-Trent
England
5 30

marks with the stylized crown, from the early/mid 1920s to 1939 period 

Month and Year of manufacture were often included
for example "12  25" is December 1925



 

 
Empire 
Staffordshire
Made in England

mark found on a cake stand

 the 1 42 gives a manufacture date of January 1942

photos courtesy: Kathleen Absalom 


 

 


Shelton Ivory 

Empire 
Shelton Ivory 
England

Month and Year of actual manufacture  included in this mark
 "7  36" is July 1936


Empire 
England

Empire Ware
Stoke-on-Trent
England


Empire 
Shelton Ivory 
England


Empire 
Ivory Ware 
England

 "1  64" is date of manufacture - Jan 1964

typical marks introduced in the 1930s 
many were continued into the 60s

 


 


Empire Ware
Stoke-on-Trent
England

Empire 
England

Empire 
England
Shelton Ivory 

Empire Ware
England

typical marks from the 1940/50s 

 


 


Empire 
England

two marks on the one piece of ware 
4 56 for the date of manufacture - April 1956

 


 

       
Empire 
England

3 48 for the date of manufacture March 1948

the 'B' indicates that this was produced
under the Wartime Concentration Scheme

 


 


Empire Porcelain Co.
Staffordshire
England 



ep
Staffs: England 

2:64 for the date of 
manufacture - Feb 1964



ep Empire Porcelain Company
Staffordshire
England 





marks 'Made in Portugal' are modern reproductions

- click for more -


 

- click for information on the Empire Works -

 


Questions, comments, contributions? email: Steve Birks