Period Advertising from New Zealand

The huge amount of scanned newspapers online is a boon for anyone researching the past. Recently I have been searching through the old newspapers of New Zealand and have found lots of fascinating advertisements for Crown Ducal and even a mention of Charlotte Rhead. This post presents some that are useful in helping with the Crown Ducal production history, they have illustrations, names or enough text description to identify patterns and of course the newspapers are dated.

Pattern 1479 Regent shaped tableware

The earliest advertisement I have selected is for pattern 1479 a coloured lithograph design dating to 1927. It was one of the earliest designs to use the Regent shape for tableware. As yet I have not discovered a pattern name for it but it seems to have been quite popular.

The Otago Daily Times 21st November 1928
Copyright owner is Allied Press Ltd

Pattern 1479 on Regent shaped plate

Pattern 2800 Aztec vase by Charlotte Rhead

It is lovely to see the Rhead attribution in this advertisement from the D.I.C. store in Dunedin showcasing items from the British Industries Fair of 1933. It hardly needs pointing out but there is a sketch of a pattern 2800, Aztec shape 152 vase. It is actually quite a rare pattern/shape combination. I have recorded only three such vases for sale during 20 years of observing these things. Perhaps they are all treasured in New Zealand homes.

The Otago Daily Times 16th September 1933
Copyright owner is Allied Press Ltd 

Aztec pattern 2800 on shape 152 vase

 

Tableware pattern like 2833 on Victory shape in different colours

I am reasonably confident I am on the right track with identifying this pattern. The sketch fits the pattern. The description of yellow border with black inner lines is close, but there is a good chance that the advertisement is describing pattern 2833 in different colours. Perhaps the inverse of the black and yellow example below, but instead with yellow semicircles and black inner band. The pattern number would precede the designs of the surviving pattern books so there is no reference source. It is just a matter of waiting until an example turns up.

The New Zealand Herald 11th July 1935
Copyright owner is NZ News & Media

Pattern 2833

Pattern like 2833 in different colours

 

 

Snow glaze coffee set - probably pattern 4626 Yukon

I do not have a picture of a coffee set but my best guess is that this advertisement would be for a coffee set in the Yukon pattern. The centre lithograph is the only contender for an "English posy design"

The Evening Post 7th February 1938
Copyright owner is Fairfax Media

 

Pattern 4626 Yukon

 

Nine different tableware patterns

One advertisement is a research project in itself. It is for James Smith's, the Wellington department store and has descriptions of 9 Crown Ducal tableware designs, most of which can be identified or at least reduced to a small choice of options.

The Evening Post 23rd August 1938
Copyright owner is Fairfax Media

Taken in order:

"Sheffield" is the undecorated, ivory glazed Sheffield shaped embossed tableware. For those unfamiliar with the Sheffield shape have a look at the Winston Churchill plate - the last item in this post - which an example of a decorated Sheffield plate.

"Ferncroft" is probably pattern number 5196. Cotswold shape, green glaze with the Ferncroft lithograph border. The example illustrated is not part of a dinner set but the glaze, lithograph and pattern number are the same.

Pattern 5196

"Rosalie" is a well known long running pattern for which I have never found a pattern number. The Rosalie transfer is usually found on the Florentine embossed ivory tableware shape and with a gold edge. I have written about this pattern in a previous post. https://rhead-crownducal.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/crown-ducal-period-advertising.html

"India Tree" lithograph pattern on Avon, Windsor and Ionic shapes with snow glaze is the one in the photograph. It is pattern number 4802.

Pattern 4802 large plate

"Classic" is a little trickier. I have not found this pattern name in Crown Ducal documents, but the description of  'cobalt blue with richly embossed gold border' reduces the options to probably either pattern 5055 "Admiral" or 5056 "Colfax". They are very similar, Avon shape with white glaze. Admiral has a gold inner line whereas Colfax has a gold paste printed inner border.

Patterns 5055 Admiral (top) and 5056 Colfax (bottom)

"Majestic" is another unfamiliar name, but the description, 'powder blue with richly embossed gold border and colourful centre piece of casket of roses", means it is either pattern 5080/81 or 5304. Again, they are very similar, Avon shape with white glaze, the floral centre is the Roma circular lithograph designed by William Johnson. The ambiguity over 5080/81is because 5080 meets the description in the pattern book with powder blue band whereas 5081 has powder pink band but all examples seen seem to have had 5081 on the base whatever the colour.  5080/81 has the powder blue colour extending to a large central lithograph, whereas 5304, has a narrower band and smaller central lithograph so that a large area of the plate is white glaze.

Pattern 5081

"Dawn" is also an unfamiliar name. I believe it may be pattern 5195, Cotswold shape, with yellow glaze and the Ludlow border lithograph. There were several patterns created using either the yellow or green glaze and having previously popular lithographic borders most of which include scarlet flowers and green leaves. The Ferncroft mentioned above is from this group of patterns. The picture below is the Ludlow border on ivory glaze to show the lithograph design. The way it might be used for "Dawn" is likely to be different with the border applied to the outside rim of the cups.

"Dawn" is probably the Ludlow border illustrated here but with yellow glaze

"Madeira" Is an as yet unidentified pattern. But I would propose that it might be pattern 5101 with a green band. The picture below is pattern 5101 with a blue band and is known as "Concord". Pattern 5102 is very similar but with a second gold paste band beneath the coloured stripe. Both patterns are recorded in the pattern book as having been made with green bands but I have yet to see an example.

Madeira may be like pattern 5101 but with a green band.

"Oxford" The Crown Ducal name Oxford is reserved for a maroon version of 5056 Colfax mentioned above under the "Classic" pattern notes. Since the advertisement suggests it matches the "Majestic" dinner service but without mention of the floral lithograph then the best match would be either the powder blue version of 5055 "Admiral" which would be named "Galway" or the the powder blue version of 5056 "Colfax" which would be "Ashley".

Pattern 5187 cake plate with pictorial print and enamel centre

This is one of  the many print and enamel centred cake plate designs that were produced for Gainsborough and Florentine embossed plates. They rarely appear in the UK but seem more common in New Zealand. This description forms part of another advertisement for the James Smith's store.

The Evening Post 25th August 1938
Copyright owner is Fairfax Media

Pattern 5187 on Gainsborough shape cake plate

Pattern 4794 Kashmere

It is an awful picture, but there is no doubt that there is a Charlotte Rhead tube-lined vase, shape 213, in the Kashmere pattern 4794 in this advertisement. The jug and other vase, (shape 212), are described as in autumn tonings but the image does not give a clue as what the patterns might be.

The Press 11th November 1938
Copyright owner is Fairfax Media

Kashmere pattern 4794 on shape 213 vase

Pattern 5540 Pansy chintz

From its earliest days Crown Ducal always had one or two chintz patterns on sale and the 1930s and 40s were no exception. The Pansy Chintz, pattern 5540 was introduced in 1938 and some variations of it with combined with gold floral prints either on the rim or in the centre became quite popular in New Zealand in the 1940s. This advertisement would be referring to the the original pattern.

Lake Wakatip Mail 11 July 1939

Pattern 5540 Pansy Chintz

Patterns 5800 and 5801 with Delamere print

Here we have another nicely illustrated print design with coloured washband. The Crown Ducal name for the print is Delamere, the name given to its first use pattern 5647. These later versions are named "Juliet" in green, (5800), and "Miranda" in fawn, (5801), on the Avon shape tableware. They were designed in early 1939 and so like some of the other lines it takes about a year for, the showcasing, ordering, manufacturing, distribution and local advertising to run its course.

The New Zealand Herald 7th March 1940
Copyright owner is NZ News & Media

Delamere print on Avon shaped tableware Juliet in green (5800) and Miranda in fawn (5801)

 

Pattern 6356 Winston Churchill cake plate with photographic print centre

The Winston Churchill plate is one of the last designs to be recorded in the pattern book before war time restrictions brought pottery decorating to a virtual standstill. The pattern number is 6356 and the last pattern entry is 6367. The printed image of Winston Churchill is believed to be created from a photograph taken by Cecil Beaton at 10 Downing Street on 20th November 1940. The embossed plate style comes from the Sheffield tableware range but examples can also be found on square plates from the Florentine tableware range.

The Otago Daily Times 3rd August 1942
Copyright owner is Allied Press Ltd 

Pattern 6356 Printed Churchill photograph on Sheffield shape plate

End note

There are plenty more Crown Ducal advertisements to document from this period, particularly yellow or green glazed tableware which seems to have been very popular. The difficulty is that a lot of it was not decorated with enamels or lithographs and the Crown Ducal pattern books are useless when it comes to recording these plainer designs. And, since they did not pass through the hands of enamelers there are no pattern numbers on the base. For example, there are advertisements for the salad or crinkle ware, Queen Anne shape and Cotswold shape in either yellow or green and stitched edge Cotswold tableware in these colours too. The only advertisements I am confident of linking with known numbered patterns are the yellow or green glaze Queen Anne and Cotswold shaped tableware with wide gold edge bands. These are patterns 5082, (green) and 5083, (yellow). The company appears to have used the same pattern number for both shapes.

Charlotte Rhead - Pattern 4516 On TV

Just in case you missed it.  An opportunity to see a rare Crown Ducal charger on the BBC Bargain Hunt program. You can view with BBC iPlayer until about the 28th December 2017.

The program is Bargain Hunt Series 48: 19. Hungerford 11
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b09g695x/bargain-hunt-series-48-19-hungerford-11

For about 2 seconds at 39.15 minutes and seconds into the program you can see Charlotte Rhead's dragon design on a snow glaze 12" charger - pattern number 4516. There are some other glimpses of it throughout the auction scenes in the program. It is displayed on a stand sitting on a marble topped chest of drawers, (it is not one of the items being bought or sold for Bargain Hunt).

The design is recorded in the the Bumpus book "Collecting Rhead Pottery"  and in the Crown Ducal pattern books. But finding examples are very much in the hen's teeth category.

To save the effort of searching the film for a glimpse of the charger I have included a picture of it below. The decoration is tube-lining in black slip, enamels in dull black and dull scarlet and finished with bronze lustre and gold. On the reverse it has backstamp AGR2 and signature by Fanny Morrey. I would estimate the design and date of manufacture to be around the end of 1935 or very early 1936.

12" charger in pattern 4516

There are other images available on the net. Go to bigwoodauctioneers.com and visit their archive of completed auctions and look for lot 171 in the sale on 28 July 2017.

Snow Glaze (Book Update 2)

In this update regarding Charlotte's snow glaze I have images of 2 tableware designs that were previously recorded as "unseen yet". Another where I have to amend what I wrote in the first update blog posting. And, sad to say, discovered an error in the backstamp section of the book.

1. Examples of patterns 5567 and 5600 discovered.

Example of pattern 5567

Example of pattern 5600

Nothing really to add except that this enourages the idea that those patterns labelled "unseen as yet" may yet turn up with a little patience and a watchful eye.

3. Patterns 5032 and 5035.

Example of pattern 5032 in green slip

If you are interested please read what I wrote about pattern 5032 in my previous post about this pattern https://rhead-crownducal.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/snow-glaze-book-update-1.html 

That was about finding examples of pattern 5032 in yellow, blue and green slip in Australia and New Zealand. All three colourways had a design element missing, namely the gold line and dots. I presumed, wrongly, that perhaps the design was simplified before going into production and leaving out the gold decoration. Well here we have an example, in green, with the gold trim just as the pattern book describes. So I deem this a true example of pattern 5032.

What about those items photographed for the previous snow glaze update. Are they pattern 5032 finished without gold or are they pattern 5035?

Pattern 5035 is exactly as those items, (without the gold), but I never thought to include the design in the snow glaze book or list because the pattern book specifically states White Glaze rather than Snow Glaze. It remains inconclusive, those items could be 5032 without gold applied or they could be 5035 and the pattern book entry wrongly records the glaze type. We will probably never know, because this design never went through the hands of paintresses, so I doubt an example will ever be found with a pattern number on the reverse.

3. Error in the book on page 12 with an incorrect backstamp image.

The book was written and produced before the discovery that the AGR5 backstamp style includes two similar styles that define two distinct production periods. I used the wrong one in the book  - I just picked the crispest image that I had at the time, which was not from a snow glazed item. How these things come back to haunt us!

Very occasionally snow glaze items may have an AGR5 style mark, it should be the one on the left not the right

On page 12 of the snow glaze book there is the image of the backstamp on the right - it should be the one on the left. To my knowledge no examples of ware with snow glaze, fancies or tableware, was ever produced post June 1942 so none should exist with the backstamp on the right. Famous last words!

Snow Glaze (Book Update 1)

This post is especially for those who bought my book on the Crown Ducal snow glaze patterns. I always intended to provide an update should any new material come to light and this blog provides the easiest place to share it. Thank you to those who purchased the book and to contributors who came forward with new discoveries and information.

1. An unrecorded pattern with the Wincoma lithograph.



Unknown pattern number - Wincoma lithograph from the UTC on snow glaze

This was a lucky find on ebay, a couple of items in snow glaze with the Wincoma floral transfer border from the Universal Transfer Company. The two shapes are typical of the shape range used for the Princess commemorative patterns 5268 and 5269, so at the time it was uncertain if this design would be found on a full range of tableware. Then a few months later someone kindly contacted me with pictures of Victory oval shape serving platters, Regent shaped covered serving dishes and some plates. So it is now certain that the Wincoma lithograph was used in conjunction with the snow glaze for tableware.

There are references in the pattern books for the Wincoma transfer on various tableware shapes, Cotswold, Victory, Queen Anne, Avon and Regent but no mention of its use with snow glaze. So the pattern number remains unknown but the standard snow glaze backstamp confirms that it would have been designed and made in the 1930s prior to World War II.

2. Examples of pattern 5032 discovered.



Examples of pattern 5032 in green and blue slip



Pattern 5032 in yellow slip

These were rather special discoveries for me because pattern 5032 is believed to be the only known tube-lined, snow glaze tableware pattern designed by Charlotte Rhead. And, not only does it tick all those Crown Ducal boxes, the design also employs the decorating technique of sponged slip clay. The coloured centres are not enamel colour but the same material as the tube-lining slip,  sponged onto the plate centres and cup interiors.

Several examples of tea service items in pattern 5032 have now been reported, in blue, green and yellow slip colours. All examples so far have been located in Australia and New Zealand. The fern leaves are very intricate so I presume these would have been quite expensive to produce. The fern is sometimes used as a national emblem in New Zealand so it may not be a coincidence that most examples have been found there. Perhaps the design was especially commissioned for retailers in New Zealand. The pattern book has it illustrated in pink slip but does mention that it was also executed in green, yellow and blue.

Edit 28th January 2017
There is new information regarding pattern 5032, please see:
https://rhead-crownducal.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/snow-glaze-book-update-2.html

3. Notes on who photographed the Princesses.

In the book I wrote that the lithographs for patterns 5268 and 5269 are derived from photographs by Vandyk. My source of information is the Pottery Gazette, June 1937, page 797, which refers to the photographs used by Crown Ducal and reports, “It is only necessary to add that the portraits are by Vandyke to assure the trade that no effort has been spared to realise the height of perfection as regards the faithfulness of the likenesses”.

I see that in the 2012 Miller’s Collectibles Handbook the photographs are attributed to Marcus Adams. Certainly Marcus Adams took many photographs of Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose, but so did other photographers. The hairstyles of the princesses are distinctive but if one looks through The Royal Collection archives on the Internet their style stayed constant for a couple of years which means that almost any head only portrait from that time will look quite similar to another. I have informed the publishers of Miller’s Collectibles of the error.

4. Under-glaze and on-glaze versions of the same pattern.

 

Nome pattern 4616. Left, on-glaze enamels and right, under-glaze enamels



Close inspection of two tea cups in the Nome pattern, (4616), has revealed that some under-glaze patterns were also produced with on-glaze decoration. The cup on the left has on-glaze enamels and the right is under-glaze. Patterns 4614, 4615, 4616, 4617, 4618 & 4623 were all explicitly recorded in the pattern books with enamels under-glaze and so closer attention will need to be paid when inspecting these designs.

I have on-glaze and under-glaze examples in the Nome pattern so this is clearly not a one-off mistake but probably a change in the design. My understanding is that from a ceramic design and quality perspective, under-glaze decoration is regarded as superior. However, for practical reasons when manufacturing for the mass market on-glaze decoration was more efficient. The advantage of under-glaze decoration is its permanence and the beauty of the reaction between the colours and the glaze. The downside is that colour decoration onto the biscuit pottery is indelible, so mistakes cannot be corrected and might result in wastage or too many seconds. In a busy factory where speed and volume of production was important, together with Charlottes high quality standards perhaps her design ethic had to be compromised a little to ensure a viable production line.

5. Did Charlotte take snow glaze with her to H J Wood Ltd for her Bursley Ware?



Bursley Ware pattern TL12

Surely anyone who handles a Bursley Ware object in pattern TL12 would agree that it has snow glaze. This table lamp has a very smooth glaze finish yet has that silky look and feel similar to the Crown Ducal snow glaze tableware productions that were much smoother than the bumpy texture found on fancies. Perhaps we should not call it snow glaze, but this is typical Charlotte Rhead recycling her favourite motifs and successful styles. In a way this confirms that Charlotte made snow glaze her own, because I have yet to find evidence that Richardsons made any items with snow glaze after World War II. This is snow glaze reborn.

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If anyone would like to purchase a copy of the book - there are still some available. Please email me for details.



Crown Ducal Snow Glaze Tableware and Decorative Pottery



Self published, small print run and not distributed to bookshops or Amazon, so no point in waiting for them to turn up there!

• Crown Ducal Snow Glaze Tableware and Decorative Pottery
• by Ian Newton
• Format: A5 paperback , 52 pages
• ISBN 9780957146501
   
  
  Edited 19th March 2019 to remove invalid links.