Beswick Pottery
Encyclopedia
J. W. Beswick was a pottery manufacturer, founded in 1892 by James Wright Beswick and his sons John and Gilbert in Longton
, Stoke-on-Trent
. They are chiefly known for producing high-quality porcelain
figurines such as farm animals and Beatrix Potter
characters and have become highly sought after in the collectables market.
s and ornaments such as Staffordshire
cats and dogs. James Wright Beswick died in 1921, but the company continued to expand under his grandson, John Ewart Beswick
. In 1934 the introduction of high fired bone china
meant they could produce high-quality figurines, such as famous race horses and champion dogs. The company was made a limited company
, John Beswick Ltd, in 1936.
In 1939 Arthur Gredington was appointed chief modeller and they began producing farm animal figurines. Arthur Gredington’s range of 190 Rearing Horsemen is one of the largest (and most popular amongst collectors) ever produced by the company. Under decorating manager Jim Hayward, there was a shift towards lifelike animal pieces, including cats, dogs, farm animals, fish and wild animals. Continued expansion enabled the acquisition of the adjoining factory in 1945 to accommodate offices, warehousing and new potting and firing facilities.
In 1947, Lucy Beswick suggested bringing to life the illustrations in the Beatrix Potter books. In 1948, John Beswick secured the right to reproduce a range of 10 Beatrix Potter earthenware characters, the first of which was Jemima Puddle-Duck, modelled by Arthur Gredington. In 1952, Beswick began manufacturing a range of Disney characters, including Snow White
, Mickey Mouse
and Bambi
. Along with the designs of James Hayward, the high-quality pieces they produced have became highly sought-after.
In 1969 Beswick was sold to Royal Doulton
, and although animal figures continued to be produced, by 1989, the Beswick backstamp
was dropped in favour of the Royal Doulton Royal Albert DA backstamp.
The popularity of the Beatrix Potter characters was a factor in re-introducing the range in 1998, specifically for the collectors market. By the end of 2002, Royal Doulton ceased production of all Beswick products and in 2003 the Gold Street works were sold off to property developers.
company, John Sinclair (Sheffield) Ltd., bought the Beswick brand name from Royal Doulton, including production moulds and archive material. The company now produce a number animal pieces, mainly cats and dogs, under the name of John Beswick.
Longton, Staffordshire
Longton is a southern district of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, and is known locally as the "Neck End" of the city. Longton is one of the six towns of "the Potteries" which formed the City of Stoke-on-Trent in 1925.-History:...
, Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
. They are chiefly known for producing high-quality porcelain
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
figurines such as farm animals and Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter
Helen Beatrix Potter was an English author, illustrator, natural scientist and conservationist best known for her imaginative children’s books featuring animals such as those in The Tale of Peter Rabbit which celebrated the British landscape and country life.Born into a privileged Unitarian...
characters and have become highly sought after in the collectables market.
History
Based at the Gold Street works in Longton, they originally produced tablewareTableware
Tableware is the dishes or dishware , dinnerware , or china used for setting a table, serving food, and for dining. Tableware can be meant to include flatware and glassware...
s and ornaments such as Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
cats and dogs. James Wright Beswick died in 1921, but the company continued to expand under his grandson, John Ewart Beswick
Ewart Beswick
John Ewart Beswick was a footballer who played in the Football League for Stoke. He made fifty eight appearances for Stoke.-Career:...
. In 1934 the introduction of high fired bone china
Bone china
Bone china is a type of soft-paste porcelain that is composed of bone ash, feldspathic material and kaolin. It has been defined as ware with a translucent body containing a minimum of 30% of phosphate derived from animal bone and calculated calcium phosphate...
meant they could produce high-quality figurines, such as famous race horses and champion dogs. The company was made a limited company
Limited company
A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...
, John Beswick Ltd, in 1936.
In 1939 Arthur Gredington was appointed chief modeller and they began producing farm animal figurines. Arthur Gredington’s range of 190 Rearing Horsemen is one of the largest (and most popular amongst collectors) ever produced by the company. Under decorating manager Jim Hayward, there was a shift towards lifelike animal pieces, including cats, dogs, farm animals, fish and wild animals. Continued expansion enabled the acquisition of the adjoining factory in 1945 to accommodate offices, warehousing and new potting and firing facilities.
In 1947, Lucy Beswick suggested bringing to life the illustrations in the Beatrix Potter books. In 1948, John Beswick secured the right to reproduce a range of 10 Beatrix Potter earthenware characters, the first of which was Jemima Puddle-Duck, modelled by Arthur Gredington. In 1952, Beswick began manufacturing a range of Disney characters, including Snow White
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American animated film based on Snow White, a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It was the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, as well as the first animated feature film produced in America, the first produced in full...
, Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
and Bambi
Bambi
Bambi is a 1942 American animated film directed by David Hand , produced by Walt Disney and based on the book Bambi, A Life in the Woods by Austrian author Felix Salten...
. Along with the designs of James Hayward, the high-quality pieces they produced have became highly sought-after.
In 1969 Beswick was sold to Royal Doulton
Royal Doulton
The Royal Doulton Company is an English company producing tableware and collectables, dating to 1815. Operating originally in London, its reputation grew in The Potteries, where it was a latecomer compared to Spode, Wedgwood and Minton...
, and although animal figures continued to be produced, by 1989, the Beswick backstamp
Backstamp
In philately a backstamp is a postmark on the back of a letter showing a post office or station through which the item passed in transit. The office of delivery may also backstamp a cover and this type of mark is known as a receiving mark....
was dropped in favour of the Royal Doulton Royal Albert DA backstamp.
The popularity of the Beatrix Potter characters was a factor in re-introducing the range in 1998, specifically for the collectors market. By the end of 2002, Royal Doulton ceased production of all Beswick products and in 2003 the Gold Street works were sold off to property developers.
Recent developments
In 2005, a YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
company, John Sinclair (Sheffield) Ltd., bought the Beswick brand name from Royal Doulton, including production moulds and archive material. The company now produce a number animal pieces, mainly cats and dogs, under the name of John Beswick.
Further reading
- Diana Callows ‘Beswick Animals’, Charlton Press, 2007 ISBN 978-0-88968-322-8