David Chapman & Sons

David Chapman (& Sons)
David Chapman & Sons (Stoke-on-Trent) Ltd

Longton
Stoke

1882
1904

1904
1905

China manufacturer at Longton and later at Stoke, Stoke-on-Trent, England

David Chapman had previously been in partnership with William Robinson as Robinson, Chapman & Co.
The Royal Porcelain Works was on the corner of Forrister Street and Anchor Road, Longton. The works had been built as a "model factory" using steam power to drive much of the equipment.
By 1885 the works had been renamed to the Atlas Works.
In 1888 the business was renamed David Chapman & Sons. Trade directories of 1896 and 1900 record Chapman & Sons at Sutherland Road, Longton - this is confirmed by a pattern registration in December 1896 to D Chapman & Sons, Sutherland Road, Longton
In 1904 the business was renamed to David Chapman & Sons (Stoke-on-Trent) Ltd and moved manufacturing to Wolfe Street, Stoke - these works were also named 'Atlas Works'.
In July 1905 the company was voluntarily wound up as it could not meet its liabilities.
Subsequently the business became the Atlas China Co. Ltd. It retained the same management.

NOTE: There was another china manufacturing company in Longton with the name Chapman (probably unrelated):

Chapman's (Longton) Ltd. at the Albert Works, Longton - operating 1916 to 1966. This company used the trade name "Standard China" and never seemed to used the name 'Chapman' in their marks.

Cup & Saucer - Little Red Riding Hood
depicting the Brothers Grimm fairy tale 'The Shepherd Boy'

this pattern was originally registered by the preceding company Robinson & Chapman.

D. C.
L.

the letter 'L' stands for the town of Longton

The registration diamond shows that the pattern was originally registered on the 8th August 1876 to the preceding company Robinson & Chapman.

Note that the 'B' in the upper corner of the diamond should read '8'

David Chapman & Sons evidently continued this pattern

printed outline and then hand painted
2369 is the pattern number

England
Chapman
printed mark of Atlas holding the world on his shoulders

mark on the saucer

Chapman
England

mark on the cup - 2369 is the pattern number.

The registration number 206779 shows that the pattern was registered on the 2nd December 1896 to D Chapman & Sons, Sutherland Road, Longton.

The hand painted marks are those of the people carrying out the decorating and gilding.

hand painted trio

CHAPMAN ENGLAND

mark appearing on the cup

CHAPMAN
MADE IN ENGLAND

mark appearing on the saucer & plate

Stoke-on-Trent
Chapman's
England

3353 is the pattern number

the impressed mark is a registration number but is filled with glaze and unreadable

Stoke-on-Trent
Chapman's
England

Pattern number 3353 is a delicate floral pattern of blue-green or brown poppy like flowers with flowing tendrils, printed over a white ground.
The sinuous, stylised foliage and asymmetrical arrangement give the design a distinctly late-Victorian/early Art Nouveau character. The cup and saucer have scalloped, gilt-edged rims, with a small floral spray repeated inside the cup.

Stoke-on-Trent
CHAPMAN
England

This mark is from the 1889-1905 period when the business was
David Chapman & Sons

ATLAS CHINA
ENGLAND

from mid 1905 the business became Atlas China Co. Ltd

"Royal Porcelain Works, Forrester Street, Anchor Road (Messrs. Robinson & Chapman). These works have been built as a "model factory." All the throwing-wheels and jiggers are turned by steam power, and many other operations, which under the old system were done by manual labour, are here carried on by the aid of steam. China of a superior quality and style of decoration is produced at these works."

Ceramic Art of Great Britain - Llewellynn Jewitt - 1878

Page created: 23 July 2021

Updated: 15 July 2024 - Examples of ware and marks added

Last updated: 11 August 2026 - Layout and commentary improved, examples of pattern 3353 added.