WEDGWOOD ANTIQUE JASPERWARE TEA SERVICE, C.1900-20

This Wonderful Dark Blue Wedgwood Jasperware 4 Piece Tea Service was manufactured in Etruria, England approximately 1900-1920.

It exhibits a great variety of Grecian scenes in bas relief against a dark blue porcelain ground.

The set consists of a Teapot, a Tea Trivet, and a Sugar & Creamer. All pieces are in super condition and are well marked.

MEASUREMENTS:

• Teapot: 9 7/8” Diameter (from handle to spout) by 5 7/8” High
• Sugar:  5 1/4" Diameter (from handle to handle) by 4 1/4" High
• Creamer: 5 1/4" Diameter (from lip/spout to handle) by 2 1/2" High
• Tea Trivet: 5 3/8” Diameter by 1” Depth.

COMMENT: Wedgwood was always produced for the affluent. In England it was first produced for the aristocratic or bourgeoisie classes. Such a reputation has been carried out through history for centuries and its reputation still prevails today.

HISTORY OF WEDGWOOD FACTORIES

Josiah Wedgwood began in business on his own in 1759 and was the son of Thomas Wedgwood who was the first father of the Wedgwood Factory which began back in early 1600. Josiah died in 1795 and descendants continued with the business with the same high standards that were competitive with the best factories of Europe. He competed with such great factories as those located at Sèvres, France, and at Meissen, Germany. His quality was so high that he threatened some of these great factories in terms of his quality and production.

Wedgwood built a new factory in Etruria, which began operating in 1769, the same year he formed a partnership with Thomas Bently. Wedgwood's most famous set of Queen's Ware, the 1,000 piece "Frog" service, created for Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, was produced at the Etruria factory in 1774. In 1766 Wedgwood was appointed "Potter to Her Majesty" by Queen Charlotte after which time he named his creamware “Queen’s Ware” in appreciation and honor of her favoritism. By the late 1770’s, the Wedgwood product line included black basalt, creamware, jasperware, pearlware, and redware. Moonlight luster was made from 1805-1815. Bone china was produced from 1812-1822 and was revived in 1878. Fairyland luster was introduced in 1915, but all luster production ended in 1932.

In 1906, a Wedgwood china museum was established at the Etruria pottery. A new factory was built at nearby Barlaston in 1940, and the museum was moved to and expanded at this location. The Etruria works was closed in 1950. During 1960-1970 Wedgwood acquired many English potteries, including William Adams & Sons, Coalport, Susie Cooper, Crown Staffordshire, Johnson Brothers, Mason's Ironstone, J. & G. Meakin, Midwinter Companies, Precision Studios, and Royal Tuscan. Now Wedgwood was known as The Wedgwood Group.

Wedgwood's basalt, a hard, black, stone-like material known also as Egyptian ware or basalt ware, was used for vases, candlesticks, and realistic busts of historical figures. Jasperware was his most successful innovation; it was a durable unglazed ware most characteristically blue with fine white cameo figures inspired by the ancient Roman Portland Vase. Many of the finest designs were the work of the British artist John Flaxman. The most famous artist he employed at Etruria was the sculptor John Flaxman, whose wax portraits and other relief figures he translated into jasperware.

Jasperwares were imitated in biscuit porcelain at Sèvres, and Meissen produced a glazed version which they even called Wedgwoodarbeit.

The factory’s reputation for Jasperware superseded any other factory in England all the way into the Twentieth century. Such factories as Adams and Dudson & Wilcox produced a line of Jasperware that was very attractive and very good quality but could not surmount Wedgwood’s Jasperware.

CONDITION: Super! Excellent!