Manufacture of stoneware in Bristol probably commenced in the early 18th century but output, at that time, would have been much smaller than that of delftware. A number of large tankards signed by John Harwell and dated 1738 and 1739 have been preserved in public collections - click here for an example in the Victoria & Albert Museum. These can then be linked to other unsigned tankards. A characteristic feature seems to be small, finely moulded sprigs, many times repeated. At first all tankards with hunt running to the right were attributed to Bristol but more recent work has suggested that some are from Vauxhall. (1)

 

Although there were a lot of Bristol potteries recorded as making brown stoneware in the 19th century relatively few marked items have been recorded. Fortunately they include some large commemorative jugs with room for many sprigs.

 

Makers confirmed

 

Hawley & Co.

1875 - 1901?

Only one marked sprigged jug has been recorded (view image). The "thinker" sprig appears to be copied from that employed by a Chesterfield maker, possibly Oldfield. Jugs marked Priest, Canton, Cardiff may have been made by Hawley as no record can be found of an actual pottery in Cardiff and the handle terminals appear very similar. More examples are needed of Hawley and Priest marked items for comparison.

 

Hope & Bright, Temple Street.

1812 - 1823, succeeded by John Bright trading under various names until 1853, when the pottery was acquired by Charles Price.

Bristol Museum has a large jug marked J. Milsom 1820, Hope & Bright (view image) and an 1818 goblet bearing the names J. Bright, J Hazzard, J Milsom & E Melsom (view image) . Both have distinctive sprigs that may serve as important identifiers. John Milsom must have left soon after as he is listed, in directories, as a stone potter in his own right between 1822 and 1840.

 

Powell William & Sons

Brown stone potters from about 1816. Taken over by Price & Co in 1906.

Bristol Museum has two large jugs dated 1834 (view image).and 1844 (view image). The great majority of sprigs are of classical figures although the 1844 jug has a few toper sprigs from the standard "Davenport set" sprigs (view image). Another very large, 1840 dated, jug was sold by Christies, Kensington in 2010 (view image).

Apart from these one off specials I have only recorded two Powell marked sprigged items from their 90 years of production. A jug with the generic "the kill" design (view image).and a loving cup with the again generic "monkeys playing at cards" design (in The Minet Library Collection). Thus far I know of no way of distinguishing unmarked Powell from Price.

 

Price Sons & Co

Charles Price started as Price & Read c1799 and traded alone from about 1820. Price "merged" with Powell in 1906.

Jars have been recorded marked C & JH PRICE, but the only mark seen on sprigged items is PRICE BRISTOL.

All marked items seen have been "Bristol glazed" but their sprigs can be used to identify earlier salt glazed items. 

Late examples are frequently marked but are rarely crisply sprigged. Possibly unique to Price is the use of sprigs of faces, pot boy and farmers wife. The use of Bristol glazed recruiting officer and group of musicians sprigs is also probably indicative of Price (view image).

 

Price Powell & Co

1907 - 1960 The pottery was destroyed by bombing in November 1940 (2) but they continued to be listed in directories until 1960 (3). Post 1940 production may have been contracted out to Denby and/or Pearsons.

Examples seen retain the use of traditional Bristol sprigs but use a Denby style windmill. (view image 1, view image 2)

 

Notes

(1) Dated London brown saltglazed Hunting Mugs 1713-75, W. Hamilton-Foyn, English Ceramic Circle, V12/2 (2000)

 

(2) Rod Dowling's excellent web site "Three Centuries of Ceramic Art in Bristol - The Story of Bristol Pottery and Porcelain" http://www.kalendar.demon.co.uk/

 

(3) Bristol Potters, 1775-1906, R.K. Henrywood, 1992