Author of "How to Identify Old China" and "How to Identify Old Chinese Porcelain"

The Origin of View Ware - Some Famous Makers - Service Made by Wedgwood for the Empress Catherine of Russia - Views of Cathedrals, Castles, and Manor Houses

There must be amongst the readers of Every Woman's Encyclopaedia some who, whilst desirous of making a collection of "old china," are deterred by high prices.

An Idea for the Impecunious Collector

It is for the help of such that I propose to write about "view ware," for it is possible to make a collection of this at a moderate outlay. Nor is the subject one to be despised, when we consider that the decoration takes the form of pictures of places, and people of historic fame.

Ware decorated with views was first made in the Staffordshire potteries early in the nineteenth century for the American market, where it had an immense sale.

A fine willow pattern dish which would make a charming note of colour on a white wall or upon an oak dresser in a dining room

A fine willow pattern dish which would make a charming note of colour on a white wall or upon an oak dresser in a dining-room

From Mrs. Percy Buckley's collection

The views were generally used upon fine earthenware or semi-porcelain, which was supposed to possess the qualities of both pottery and porcelain, and to be more durable and less expensive than the latter. This form of decoration being applied to dinner, dessert, tea, and coffee services, supper dishes, jugs, punch-bowls, and mugs, the collector is given a wide choice.

At first only American views and scenes were used, but after a time English pictures were applied, and these were followed by those of Continental subjects.

The earliest colour was blue transfer of a beautiful full, deep shade, but after a time other colours were used as well as combinations of colours and a paler shade of blue. Large quantities of fine white pottery were also sent to Liverpool to be printed with pictures in black and colours, from whence it was despatched to America.

It was not long before view ware became popular in our own country, and we find dinner and tea services made in shapes in exact imitation of those manufactured in China for the European market, with grotesque mask handles and knobs, and printed with views of English country houses, landscapes, and other scenes. It would seem that several English factories from the early days of their history adopted pastoral scenes, and classic architecture, as well as Chinese landscapes, to decorate their pottery and porcelain; but it was doubtless that wonderful service made by Wedgwood for the Empress Catherine of Russia, and ornamented with views of many of England's stateliest houses, which stimulated the potter artist to copy the landscapes and buildings around him, rather than those depicted upon ancient prints and Chinese porcelain.

The Russian service, however, and the architectural designs found upon Chelsea, Bow, and Worcester porcelain were first printed in outline in transfer, and then filled in with colour by hand; but the view ware par excellence of which I write was that transfer printed in blue, and later in other colours, in the willow pattern style, not in that of the line engraving. It is said that blue was generally employed on account of its cheapness, but I think the beauty of this colour upon the white body had something to do with its popularity, and also the example of the beautiful Chinese blue-and-white porcelain, which the English potter loved to copy.

Many of the American views printed in England recorded events of historic interest and portraits of celebrated men. Amongst these are portrait busts of George Washington, the Washington memorials, the battle of Bunker's Hill, the ship Cadmus - which carried General Lafayette as a guest to America, and which had been fitted out by a patriotic American merchant for his use - the residence of Lafayette, the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers, and others. Such pieces are valuable historical documents, and command in America fabulous prices, as much as £20 having been given for a single dish. Amongst the many Staffordshire potters who used "view" decoration, Enoch Wood ranks first. There were four potters of this name, and Enoch, who was born in 1759 and died in 1840, not only did good work, but was an enthusiastic collector, his collection comprising rough butter-pots of the days of Charles II. and interesting and dainty products of the early nineteenth century.

In 1835 he sent to the King of Saxony 182 pieces, which are still preserved in the museum at Dresden. He took into partnership his son Ralph, and later on was joined by James Caldwell. Wood's English views comprised a series of "London view These were printed on a central panel, surrounded by a border of grape vines and fruit, the words "London Views" being printed on a scroll at the top in the border, and the name of the subject on a similar scroll below. The same border, with flowers introduced, surrounds a series of castles and important country seats which fill the centre, the name of the place being printed upon the back. The Woods made a series of over 100 views of old castles, manor houses, and cathedrals, and a set of seascapes, including the beach at Brighton. These last have a border of shells and flowers, surrounding an irregular-shaped central panel, the name of the place being marked upon the front. A set of French views was also brought out by this firm, with hollyhock and grape border, and a series of "Eng-lish cities" so marked, with scrolls and medallions. The colour used by the Woods was a fine deep blue.

Tureen in dark blue English view ware. Such a specimen could be adapted for use as a fern bowl with admirable effect. Country seats were a favourite subject with the makers of this ware