Description:
Ceramic pattern book titled "Designs of sundry Articles of Queen's or Cream-coloured Earthenware, manufactured by Hartley, Greens & Co., at Leeds Pottery - with a great variety of other articles. The same Enamell'd, Printed or Ornamented with gold to any pattern; also with Coats of Arms, Cyphers, Landscapes, etc." published in Leeds around 1814. First issued in 1783 with only 45 plates, "this was one of the earliest pattern books published in England by pottery manufacturers for the use of their travellers, with illustrations of all the articles produced by the firm" (Louis Marc Solon). These catalogue-pattern books were produced for the use of the wholesale factors and commercial travellers who roamed throughout England and abroad, taking orders for the factory. The present catalogue went through several printings unchanged until 1794, when it appeared in its present enlarged format, with 71 plates, and continued in that format until 1814. This copy is the second edition, second issue, on paper watermarked "1814." This and later editions were issued without title pages and the explanation given by Solon; "as the price lists and the general title had been printed independently from the plates, and not in sufficient quantity to accompany the sets of engravings, these late copies are generally found without the title and the printed description of the objects." This copy illustrates 269 designs numbered from 1 to 221 and 1 to 48 for tea ware; it contains an unrecorded additional plate. Plate 53 showing article "193" appears twice showing different articles, one a washbasin and tap, the other a water closet pot. According to Donald Towner in "The Leeds Pottery:" "Many of the Leeds designs were derived from the work of the silversmith...consequently during the period 1775-1802 full use was made of pierced openwork decoration. This was a class of work at which the Leeds Pottery particularly excelled. ... The Leeds pattern book includes a great many examples of pierced ware varying from small pieces such as salts, strainers, and egg-cups, to the magnificent cruets and chestnut-baskets...the old-fashioned shell-like forms now gave way to swags, urns, husks, goat's heads, and acanthus leaves....The prodigious skill of its potters can be seen in the large center-pieces, more than two feet high, of elaborate design and intricate molded decoration, made in several parts and complete with removable baskets and bottles, urns refined and complicated modelling, made to be used as candleabra; elaborate designs for tureens, cockle-pots and pot-pourris, often enriched with figures; were among the most ambitious productions of the Pottery. Condition: Quarto, original marbled sides, sheep spine and corners (worn, hinges cracked). 72 engraved plates, numbered 1-52, 52*, 53-71. Plates clean throughout and the engravings crisp and dark. The book is preserved in a folding back box with morocco lettering piece.
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