3797 - Hydrangea

Tube-lining: Danube blue
Enamels: Baines mauve, Baines pink, Cairo green, 175 green & Colcloughs brown
Glaze: Brown mottle
Frequency Ranking: 17/50
Design Date: End 1934
Production Period:1935 - 1936
Pattern Name: The name Hydrangea is mentioned in the trade journals of the period.
Charlotte Rhead Crown Ducal pattern 3797 Hydrangea
Pattern 3797 Hydrangea
Only a couple of Hydrangea items seen have a period 1 backstamp style and therefore the pattern is useful in helping to determine the date of when Crown Ducal changed backstamp style. It is not possible to be precise with dates, but all the evidence suggests this changeover must have occurred around  the end of 1934.

The Hydrangea pattern was probably very popular from the number of items seen today, but perhaps not for an extended length of time since it very rarely seen on the new release of shapes that were introduced in 1936. The application of the design appears uniform, but clearly the decorators, both tube-liners and paintresses used a free hand. It is quite easy to spot differences in the texture of the stems, the number and positioning of flowers and their sequence of pink and mauve colours.

The photograph of the table lamp and chargers illustrates the difficulty in recording and classifying Charlottes designs. Although the pattern book states the use of under-glaze brown mottle these three items have noticeably different glaze finishes. The table lamp has virtually no mottling and compares closely with the “off white” glaze used for the Golden Leaves pattern and others, the smaller charger has what would be a typical brown mottle glaze whereas the large charger has a bluish glaze over the brown mottle, very similar to the grey heliotrope glaze used for the Posy pattern 4521. These variations add extra interest for the collector as it is certain that it will be impossible to collect “the full set”.

References of the period:
Pottery Gazette and Glass Trades Review, February 1935 page 199

As regards ornamental wares, there were some fine new styles. Of these the“Hydrangea” stands out conspicuously.