Antique Wedgwood 'Willow Pattern' Plate Circa 1860-1885 Ref.CA3

Antique Wedgwood 'Willow Pattern' Plate Circa 1860-1885 Ref.CA3

Josiah Wedgwood was born into a family of potters on 12 July 1730, at Burslem, Staffordshire. His father's death in 1739 led him to an early start working as a 'thrower' in the pottery of his eldest brother, Thomas, to whom he was later apprenticed. Thomas refused Josiah a partnership in the business, so Josiah eventually joined up with a small pottery run by John Harrison. He left Harrison and worked for the firm of Thomas Wheildon of Fenton before opening his own works.  In June 1769, he opened a new factory at Etruria, near Stoke-on-Trent, in partnership with Thomas Bentley. Wedgwood  introduced durable, simple and regular wares for the average middle-class. His cream coloured earthenware was christened 'Queen's Ware' after Queen Charlotte, who appointed him queen's potter in 1762. Other eminent patrons included Empress Catherine II of Russia, who ordered 952 such pieces in 1774.  In 1773, after much experimentation,Wedgwood  produced a new product which he termed Jasperware. It was eminently suitable for ornaments and molded reliefs (usually in white) which were added to vases, jugs, dishes etc.
In 1780, on the death of Thomas Bentley, Wedgwood approached Erasmus Darwin for advice. Wedgwood's daughter would eventually marry the son of Darwin, and, yes, the famous Charles Darwin was born.
The Wedgwood family continued to run the company right through to 1986 when it was sold to the Waterford Glass Group.


Dating Wedgwood pieces can be a little tricky, not so much in the earlier pieces, but from the 1860's Wedgwood introduced a 3-digit code for their wares, together with the impressed 'Wedgwood' mark. The code had the first 'number' as the month, the second 'letter' identified the potter whilst the third 'letter' indicated the actual year. So, according to the code on the above plate, which reads 3F0, '3' would mean March, 'F' the potter and '0' the date which was 1860. However, due to some extraordinary miscalculation, these numbers were repeated again in 1885!!  Thus the plate could have been made either in 1860 or 1885 - the choice is yours!! Thankfully, in 1891 the word 'England' was incorporated, so we can gather it is not later than that.

The plate above is the typical 'Willow' pattern, so well known that there is no deed for further description, apart to say that it measures 21 cm in diameter and remains in very good condition, with no chips, cracks or blemishes.  I suspect it dates from 1860, only because the plate shows some of those dreaded 'spots' on the back which were due to coal dust.  Coal furnaces would have been replaced by electric ones by 1885.  Coupled with this small but important clue, we can observe small bubbles in the glaze, usually associated with early glazing techniques.However, I stand to be corrected.

Cost R200.00

Shipping R45.00

This a genuine antique. Please remember the classification of an 'antique' is that it should be 100 years old, OR MORE. There are many articles being offered as 'antiques' when, clearly, they are not.

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