Herculaneum Pottery
Encyclopedia
The Herculaneum Pottery was based in Toxteth
, Liverpool
, England
. between 1793/4 and 1841. They made creamware
and pearlware pottery
as well as bone china
porcelain
.
About 1793-4 Richard Abbey, who had been apprenticed to John Sadler
, an engraver, started a pottery at Toxteth Park, on the north side of the River Mersey
, along with a Scotsman named John Graham. In 1796 they sold the business to Worthington, Humble & Holland, who engaged as manager Ralph Mansfield, of Burslem
. He left them after some years' service, and commenced a small pottery on his own account. In addition to Mansfield, the new company engaged about forty men from the Staffordshire
potteries, and they were transported there by boat. The buildings acquired from Abbey were considerably enlarged and improved, and as Wedgwood
had called his new colony "Etruria
", the company christened theirs "Herculaneum
". The first productions were printed earthenware, which was carefully potted and of a somewhat deeper shade than that of Wedgwood. The company must have done a good trade with America, because there are many pieces bearing American designs and emblems. Some services had the embossed basket rims, and one of these was printed with views of well-known English scenery. Terra-cotta vases and statuettes in black basaltes were also made, as were also jugs with relief figures. In 1800 the manufactory was considerably enlarged, and again in 1806. Early in the 19th century china was produced, and its manufacture was continued to the close of the works. In 1833 the company was dissolved, and sold for £25,000 ($125,000) to Mr. Ambrose Lace, who leased the premises to Thomas Case and James Mort. They introduced as a trademark the Liver, which is the crest of the borough of Liverpool. In 1836 they were succeeded by Mort & Simpson, who continued until the close of the works in 1841. Early wares were marked "HERCULANEUM".
The company gave its name to the Herculaneum Dock
which occupied the site later.
Toxteth
Toxteth is an inner city area of Liverpool, England. Located to the south of the city, Toxteth is bordered by Liverpool City Centre, Dingle, Edge Hill, Wavertree and Aigburth.-Description:...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. between 1793/4 and 1841. They made creamware
Creamware
Creamware is a cream-coloured, refined earthenware created about 1750 by the potters of Staffordshire, England, which proved ideal for domestic ware. It was popular until the 1840s. It was also known as tortoiseshellware or Prattware depending on the colour of glaze used...
and pearlware pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
as well as 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...
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...
.
About 1793-4 Richard Abbey, who had been apprenticed to John Sadler
John Sadler
John Leonard Sadler is an English first-class cricketer, representing Derbyshire. He has previously played for several major teams in the English league including Leicestershire, Yorkshire Cricket Board and Yorkshire.Sadler missed most of the 2005 season through injury, after a Brett Lee bouncer...
, an engraver, started a pottery at Toxteth Park, on the north side of the River Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
, along with a Scotsman named John Graham. In 1796 they sold the business to Worthington, Humble & Holland, who engaged as manager Ralph Mansfield, of Burslem
Burslem
The town of Burslem, known as the Mother Town, is one of the six towns that amalgamated to form the current city of Stoke-on-Trent, in the ceremonial county of Staffordshire, in the Midlands of England.-Topography:...
. He left them after some years' service, and commenced a small pottery on his own account. In addition to Mansfield, the new company engaged about forty men from the 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...
potteries, and they were transported there by boat. The buildings acquired from Abbey were considerably enlarged and improved, and as Wedgwood
Wedgwood
Wedgwood, strictly speaking Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, is a pottery firm owned by KPS Capital Partners, a private equity company based in New York City, USA. Wedgwood was founded on May 1, 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood and in 1987 merged with Waterford Crystal to create Waterford Wedgwood, an...
had called his new colony "Etruria
Etruria
Etruria—usually referred to in Greek and Latin source texts as Tyrrhenia—was a region of Central Italy, an area that covered part of what now are Tuscany, Latium, Emilia-Romagna, and Umbria. A particularly noteworthy work dealing with Etruscan locations is D. H...
", the company christened theirs "Herculaneum
Herculaneum
Herculaneum was an ancient Roman town destroyed by volcanic pyroclastic flows in AD 79, located in the territory of the current commune of Ercolano, in the Italian region of Campania in the shadow of Mt...
". The first productions were printed earthenware, which was carefully potted and of a somewhat deeper shade than that of Wedgwood. The company must have done a good trade with America, because there are many pieces bearing American designs and emblems. Some services had the embossed basket rims, and one of these was printed with views of well-known English scenery. Terra-cotta vases and statuettes in black basaltes were also made, as were also jugs with relief figures. In 1800 the manufactory was considerably enlarged, and again in 1806. Early in the 19th century china was produced, and its manufacture was continued to the close of the works. In 1833 the company was dissolved, and sold for £25,000 ($125,000) to Mr. Ambrose Lace, who leased the premises to Thomas Case and James Mort. They introduced as a trademark the Liver, which is the crest of the borough of Liverpool. In 1836 they were succeeded by Mort & Simpson, who continued until the close of the works in 1841. Early wares were marked "HERCULANEUM".
The company gave its name to the Herculaneum Dock
Herculaneum Dock
Herculaneum Dock was part of the Port of Liverpool in Liverpool, England. It was situated at the southern end of the Liverpool dock system, on the River Mersey. To the north it was connected to Harrington Dock. The dock was named after the Herculaneum Pottery Company that had occupied the site...
which occupied the site later.