Blue printed ware of the willow pattern order was made at Leeds, and this factory is said to have produced finer specimens than any other English makers. The pattern may be found on dinner services, puzzle jugs, and dessert services, where it decorates the centre of plates and dishes with basket edges.

Early blue printed Leeds ware may be recognised by the "cockspurs." These marks were caused by "cock-spurs," which were used to separate plate from plate during the process of baking, and which left on the back of each rim nine small, un-glazed points. This kind of ware is generally marked, having been manufactured chiefly for the Continental market. Black transfer printing overglaze was also used, but the print was apt to wear oft, and was considered to be less successful than the blue transfer underglaze. Cream ware was also ornamented by coloured painting overglaze which took the form of borders and sprays of flowers, landscapes, and figures. Very dainty are those tea services, painted with tiny flowers,. wreaths, and diaper pattern in Lowestoft style, or with bouquets, sprays, and sprigs of larger flowers. These services had twisted handles, of basket design, and the painting was finely executed. Teapot and other knobs were shaped as swans, acorns, or flowers, and a favourite, design for a knob was the seated figure of the widow with her barrel of meal and cruse of oil.

Cruets of large and small size were made. In some of these two bottles and two pepper-pots are found, with or without handles. They are sometimes mounted upon a stand of classic design with raised centre upon which rests the salt-cellar, shaped like an artichoke.

A mug of earthenware of Leeds manufacture, painted in blue in the Chinese style. Such mugs were most popular articles as presents

From the South Kensington Museum

Centrepieces will be found with from three to six tiers, and were frequently surmounted by a draped figure. Upon some of these the dishes took the form of hanging baskets, and a favourite design consisted of a group of dolphins supporting the dishes, with their tails in the air.

Old Leeds tea-poys, or caddies, are very desirable, and may often be picked up at a reasonable figure. The prevalence of such pieces may be explained by the fact that they were manufactured at a time when tea-gardens were a fashionable rendezvous. Here each small table was furnished with a little tea caddy from which the ' dainty lady in her gaily flowered gown made the infusion for herself and her attendant beau.

When - about the year 1800 - black ware was revived, it was manufactured in very large quantities, tea services, mugs, jugs, coffeepots, vases, and figures being the principal output. It is said that no fewer than ninety-five different patterns of tea-pots were made between the years 1800 and 1813. The knobs upon these were similar to those used upon cream ware, including seated figures and a lion. The decoration generally consisted of engine-turned and moulded designs. While this ware was frankly copied from Wedgwood's "Basaltes," it will not bear comparison therewith, being faulty in detail.

Handles will be found to be joined imperfectly, and covers to be out of shape and badly fitting.

Agate and tortoiseshell ware, similar to that of the Staffordshire potteries, was manufactured very successfully at Leeds, as was also lustre ware.

This was produced in copper, silver, and pink, the last generally used as bands and leaf patterns upon "white ware. Silver lustre, thin and light of weight, is frequently found with " resist " decoration - a term which signifies that the pattern takes the form of white reserves upon the silver background.

Figures, both classical and otherwise, were very finely modelled, as were also vases, which were beautifully painted with landscapes or with flowers and foliage.

Mugs of large and small size were made, and the two-handled loving cup is very characteristic of this factory. This article was a favourite wedding gift, and it is recorded that well-to-do couples were frequently the recipients of two or more of these vessels. Lovers made presents of these cups, suitably inscribed in verse, to their sweethearts ; and a well-known example, bearing protestations of undying affection, survives, but the name of the giver has been erased by the maiden to whom he proved faithless. .

Mugs with a frog, of life size, moulded as crawling up the inside, were also manufactured at Leeds, but these must not be looked upon as characteristic productions. They were made also at Castleford, Ferrybridge, and the Don Pottery Works.

Cream ware services, decorated with coats of arms or crests, were amongst the staple productions of Leeds. The edges of plates and dishes were moulded with a feather pattern or some similar simple design, upon which a few red lines were introduced, the crest or coat of arms forming a centre motif.

Marks found upon Leeds pottery. The "cockspur" marks are found on early blue printed specimens

Leeds ware does not always bear a mark.

The earliest mark consisted of the names "Hartley, Greens & Co."and" Leeds Pottery" impressed horizontally, crosswise in the paste, or in semicircular shape, " Leeds Pottery " was also impressed, either with or without a star between the two words; and sometimes the letters " L. P." incised in the paste were used. Modern reproductions are invariably marked, sometimes with the words "Leeds" Pottery," at others "L. P." or "Leeds P." incised. The mark, however, can always be distinguished by the incised line which surrounds it, and which does not occur upon genuine pieces, a fact which it is useful to know.