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British Pottery Message Board Discuss, Buy and Trade Masons Ironstone China and British Pottery with other
collectors
The 19th Century saw a massive growth in the British pottery industry with the production of functional, durable and decorative ceramic tableware. The durable nature of the pottery being produced and the ability to use transfer-printing, meant that customers still wanting Oriental patterns could now have the patterns on a much more dense, and stronger "china".
Pictured right: A Mason's Ironstone Part Dinner Service
Late 19th Century, Impressed And Black Printed Ironstone China Marks
Each piece with a figural chinoiserie vignette within a paper scroll and oyster ground punctuated with floral sprays and cartouches of precious objects.
The set comprised over 100 plates, platters, dishes etc. Sold for $50,400 at Christies, New York, 2006. Image Copyright Christies.
The manufacturing process could also be scaled up and the production moved to large factories, the cost of items was reduced and a new market of aspiring middle classes could now afford household china for everday use. This move supplanted the more delicate Chinese style porcelain that was common at the time.
One such material was ironstone - a hard, dense and durable, slightly transparent white earthenware. The first form of ironstone was thought to have been
manufactured by William Turner around 1800 at the Lane End potteries at Longton, Stoke-on-Trent. A number of potters were experimenting and it was also known as semi-porcelain, opaque porcelain, English porcelain, stone china and new stone.
Pictured left: A William Mason blue and white dessert-plate and three Mason's Ironstone dishes
Circa 1820, the dishes with printed and impressed MASON'S PATENT IRONSTONE CHINA marks
The dessert-plate printed with the 'Furness Abbey' pattern, within moulded arcading and broad borders of scrolling cartouches of landscapes divided by passion-flowers and convolvulus, the dishes of leaf-shaped form with double-scroll handle, printed with the 'Blue Pheasant' pattern (all with riveted repairs and slight chipping, and staining to first)
The first 7½ in. (19 cm.) diam., the second 9 5/8 in. (24.4 cm.) wide (4). Sold for £688 at Christies, London, 2009. Image Copyright Christies.
Ironstone was first patented in 1813 by Charles James Mason, the son of Miles Mason. The Mason's were a family of potters and had been developing a number of potting techniques at their works at Lane Delph, Fenton. The patent was No. 3724 was for a process for the "Improvement of the Manufacture of English Porcelain', IRONSTONE PATENT CHINA". The initial patent was for 14 years and was not renewed. Other companies such as Davenport and Hicks, Meigh & Johnson started producing similar wares.
Pictured right: Eight Mason's Ironstone Jugs
Circa 1825-35, Black Printed Marks
Of octagonal form and graduated in size, painted with Oriental figures within shaped cartouches on an iron-red tiled ground
The tallest 7½ in. (19 cm.) high (8). Sold for £688 at Christies, London, 2009. Image Copyright Christies.
At the time the patent was taken out the ownership of the company was transferred to Miles Mason's two sons and became known as G. & C. Mason or G. & C. Mason & Co. Family members include Miles Mason, his sons William Mason and Charles James Mason, and George Miles Mason.The company enjoyed enormous early success and continued to introduce new wares and designs. However, a change in fortunes saw Charles James Mason declared bankrupt and the firm close in 1848.
Charles James Mason started a new factory at the Dasiy Bank Pottery but he died in 1856. At that time all the Mason patterns and moulds passed to Francis Morley. Morley and the Ashworth family formed a partnership during the period 1858-60, at the Broad Street works in Hanley. In 1862 Morley retired and passed everything to Ashworth including the Mason patterns, copper plates, moulds and trade marks. The company was acquired in 1884 by John Shaw Goddard and remained in the Goddard family until 1973 when the firm joined the Wedgwood Group.
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The 19th Century saw a massive growth in the British pottery industry with the production of functional, durable and decorative ceramic tableware. The durable nature of the pottery being produced and the ability to use transfer-printing, meant that customers still wanting Oriental patterns could now have the patterns on a much more dense, and stronger "china".
One such material was ironstone - a hard, dense and durable, slightly transparent white earthenware. The first form of ironstone was thought to have been
manufactured by William Turner around 1800 at the Lane End potteries at Longton, Stoke-on-Trent. A number of potters were experimenting and it was also known as semi-porcelain, opaque porcelain, English porcelain, stone china and new stone. 