Ralph & James Clews

Earthenware manufacturer at the Cobridge Works, Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent, England.

"Most existing references state that the partnership did not start until 1818 or 1819 but documentary evidence proves that they were operating in November 1815 under the style R & J Clews which was also used at the end of their partnership" -The Dictionary of Blue & White Printed Pottery 1780-1880, Coysh & Henrywood.
The brothers rented the Cobridge Works from William Adams in September 1817 but they were stated to not be in good repair. - The Encyclopaedia of British Pottery & Porcelain Marks, Godden.
The business was declared bankrupt in 1834.
In 1837 James Clews went to America and joined the Indiana Pottery Company as one of its three principles. He stayed for five years.

Examples of ware:

Ralph & James Clews "specialised in blue-printed wares and produced several series of patterns including some for the American and Russian export trade.

They produced three series of British views, one titled 'Select Scenery', one with the Bluebell Border also used by William Adams, and the third within a foliage and scroll border, once again used by Adams but this time also using the same untitled views.

Three unusual series were made, the Doctor Syntax Series, the 'Wilkie's Designs' Series, and the Don Quixote Series. Another later production was the 'Zoological Gardens' Series. These were all exported to America."

"Clews pirated Spode's Castle pattern and also some of the Indian Sporting patterns, The latter were almost certainly made only for export to America, several examples having been recorded with a printed mark of the New York importer John Greenfield."

Coysh & Henrywood

black printed plate in the Solar Rays pattern

usually this pattern by James and Ralph Clews carries the printed 'Solar Rays' mark but without any indication of the manufacturer.

Solar Rays

CLEWS WARRANTED STAFFORDSHIRE
(impressed mark with crown in the centre)

blue printed plate from the Doctor Syntax Series

From 1809 to 1811 William Combe, a British writer, wrote for Ackermann's The Poetical Magazine the serialised comic poem The Tour of Dr Syntax in Search of the Picturesque, descriptive and moralizing verse illustrated by artist Thomas Rowlandson's colour plates. It satirised William Gilpin, who toured Britain to describe his theory of the Picturesque.

Doctor Syntax
Reading his Tour

blue printed platter in a romantic castle scene

J Greenfield's
China Store
No 77 Pearl Street,
NEW YORK

John Greenfield was an importer, based in New York

Marks used on ware for identification:

"The main mark consists of the words 'CLEWS WARRANTED STAFFORDSHIRE' impressed usually between concentric circles surrounding a crown.

Other known marks includes simply 'CLEWS' impresses and a printed pseudo-Chinese seal mark with the name 'CLEWS' and the words 'Stone China' beneath."

Coysh & Henrywood