"With the exception of the standard Willow pattern this was probably the most popular of all blue-printed designs in the second half of the 19th century, and even into Edwardian times. 

It was usually marked with a floral scroll, often with the maker's initials. The pattern was printed in a pale blue and shows a pheasant or pheasants, amongst flowers and foliage within an undistinguished floral border."

from: Coysh and Henrywood - Dictionary of Blue & White Printed Pottery 1780-1880.     

Ralph Hall of the Swan Bank works, Tunstall was the original manufacturer of the Asiatic Pheasants pattern, which he produced in blue, black and brown. 

Hall originally operated with his brother John but from 1822 they separated and Ralph continued on his own account at the Swan Bank works. His business was heavily involved in the North American market and Ralph Hall was responsible for the production of two major series of blue transfer ware patterns:- the Select Views Series and the Picturesque Scenery Series.

For many years it was thought that Podmore & Walker were the original manufacturers of Asiatic Pheasants - this was largely based on a backstamp introduced by Wedgwood & Co (sucessors of Podmore & Walker) which claimed 'The original manufacturers'   

There are a number of items of ware with the mark of Ralph Hall that show that he was also producing the Asiatic Pheasants pattern. 

Ralph Hall operated from 1822 to 1849, Podmore & Walker operated from 1834 to 1856 so there was an overlap of 15 years. Either Ralph Hall was the first to produce Asiatic Pheasants and Podmore & Walker continued it from him, or Podmore & Walker first produced it and allowed Ralph Hall to manufacture it as well. 

Podmore, Walker & Co operated in Tunstall from 1834 to 1859 from five potteries at various times. Around 1835 Enoch Wedgwood (a distant cousin of Josiah Wedgwood) became a partner -  he was the '& Co' 

When Ralph Hall ceased trading around 1849 his Swan Bank works was taken over by Podmore & Walker around 1853.  Podmore Walker and Co had established strong export links, particularly in North America, with a series innovative contemporary romantic patterns and is thought that there was some relationship between Hall and Podmore & Walker, particularly in the North American Trade. 

Podmore & Walker never claimed to be the original manufacturers of Asiatic Pheasants, however a backstamp introduced by Wedgwood & Co (sucessors of Podmore & Walker) stated 'The Original Manufacturers' - some sources say that Ralph Hall produced the pattern earlier - it is thought from around 1830. This would make him the original manufacturer, however as there was an overlap of the manufacturing dates of the two companies it could be that Podmore & Walker were the original manufacturers and allowed Ralph Hall to manufacture it as well. 

Enoch Wedgwood (a distant cousin of Josiah Wedgwood) became a partner in Podmore, Walker & Co. in 1835 and in 1856 the business was renamed Podmore, Walker, Wedgwood & Co. 

Following the death of Thomas Podmore in 1860, Enoch Wedgwood inherited shares in the interests of the business left to him by Podmore, the partnership was dissolved and became Wedgwood & Co. 

The company continued to make the popular Asiatic Pheasants pattern.

At sometime prior to 1900 (when the business became a Limited Company) the words 'The Original Manufacturers' were added to the Asiatic Pheasants scroll mark. In actual fact the pattern was produced prior to the establishment of Wedgwood & Co in 1860, by Podmore & Walker and Ralph Hall. 

Around 1925 the wording 'Estabd 1835' was added to some of the Wedgwood & Co marks - this was a marketing gimmick as Wedgwood & Co started in 1860. The date 1835 was when Enoch Wedgood joined Podmore and Walker - Wedgwood was the '& Co'. 

c.1860-1900 

At sometime prior to 1900 (when the business became a Limited Company) the words 'The Original Manufacturers' were added to the Asiatic Pheasants scroll mark. In actual fact the pattern was produced prior to the establishment of Wedgwood & Co in 1860, by Podmore & Walker and also by Ralph Hall. 

c.1925+

Wedgwood & Co was established in 1860 - it was around 1835 that Enoch Wedgwood joined with the former company of Podmore & Walker. 

In 1965 the company Wedgwood & Co. was sold to Semart Importing Co. based in New Jersey, USA and refloated as Enoch Wedgwood (Tunstall) Ltd. 

They continued to use 'Original Manufacturers' and 'founded in 1835'

1965-1980

In 1980 Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Ltd (who, up to this point had nothing to do with Wedgwood & Co.) purchased Enoch Wedgwood and it operated within the Wedgwood Group as the 'Unicorn Pottery'. 

1980+

Parliament by Premiere

 this company made Asiatic Pheasants and used 'Original Manufacturers' and 'founded in 1835' in some of their marks

[reported to be 1980-2002]

- no details are known about this company -

There is some uncertainty in identifying the originator of the pattern, it was either Ralph Hall of the Swan Bank Pottery in the town of Tunstall (1822 to 1849), or Podmore, Walker & Co also based in Tunstall (who started manufacturing in 1834) who claimed to be the original manufacturers. 

Whether Podmore, Walker & Co ever wholly owned the Asiatic Pheasants pattern is doubtful, the style of the mark associated with the pattern is not typical of the Podmore Walker partnership and even before the renaming of the company in 1860 other manufacturers were using the pattern widely. 

Co-operation between pottery firms was not uncommon, patterns were known to be loaned and when large orders came in they were frequently sub-contracted to firms with spare capacity, even competitors to meet the demand. 

Piracy was also not unusual and the engravers of the copper plates used for printing, who were usually in business on their own account, would often sell their popular designs to more than one pottery manufacturer, and were not averse to copying a pattern or two if there was profit in it. 

The Copyright Act of 1842 was intended to control this, but it would certainly be true to say that when Podmore, Walker & Co. became Wedgwood & Co in 1860 the Asiatic Pheasants pattern was long since their sole preserve and subsequently the list of companies using the pattern has grown considerably.