Paragon China

Paragon China began as the Star China Co. (1899-1919), owned by Herbert James Aynsley, his brother John Gerard Aynsley and William Illingworth. The name Paragon was adopted as a trade mark in around 1900. They began production in Longton at the St. Gregory’s Works. Later the company formally became known as Paragon China Ltd. in 1919. The name was selected deliberately in reference to excellence and quality of product. Herbert Aynsley retired in 1927 and ownership of the business passed to Hugh Irving and his sons Leslie and Guy.
The company manufactured bone china wares between WWI and WWII and established a reputation for producing high quality tea and table wares. Nursery and toy wares were also a specialty having been part of the Star China product line since 1904. In the early 1920s new forms of decoration were used including gold printed patterns.
In the early 1930s the company introduced a new conical shape with stepped ribs (Duchess shape) in the art deco style. The company continued to produce during the second World War. By 1946 they had increased their range of products to include ashtrays, animal figures, nursery ware, egg cups and breakfast sets.
The Paragon company was fortunate enough to receive continued royal patronage, initially from the Duchess of York in 1926, then Queen Mary in 1933, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in 1938, and Queen Elizabeth in 1953.

Around 1960 the company was taken over by Thomas C. Wild and Sons Ltd. From Royal Albert, but continued to use the name Paragon Pottery. In 1972, Royal Albert and Paragon became part of the Royal Doulton Group. Under its own name, Paragon continued to produce with elaborate floral designs. By the end of the 1980’s, the company was incorporated within Royal Doulton and the name Paragon was discontinued.

There were many backstamps from 1899 to 1963. For more detailed backstamps please visit the Pargon International Collectors Club.

http://www.paragoncollector.org.uk/

To see more mictures from my store click:

http://www.bluehawthorne.com/catalog/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/33/products_id/80 Paragon

J.H. Weatherby & Sons(Ltd)

The J.H. Weatherby & Sons(Ltd), a family-run company was founded in Tunstall in 1891 and moved to Hanley the following year. Named 'Falcon Pottery', it was the base for their manufacturing and trading of earthenware, and was one of a number of similar potteries in Stoke on-Trent.

1906 saw the addition of a circular bottle kiln, typical of the time but becoming rather rare now.

It first made domestic ware such as printed toilet sets, trinket sets, vases, teapots, tableware and tableware fancies, jugs, fern pots and lidded chamber pots. Soon after World War I, Weatherby began to supply advertising ware to
hotels and caterers and later to hospitals and institutions. In the 1920s and 1930s it experimented with modernist matt glazes and introduced Art Deco-style vases, tableware and fancies.

In 1934 it launched Woodpecker Ware tableware, which is highly sought after today, as it its Harvest Time tableware. After World War II the pottery introduced many new lines in giftware and fancies which are now collectable.
These include figures and statuettes, toyware, animal models such as Zookies, dwarfs, Toby jugs and offbeat series such as Gonks and Dalek patterns.

During the 1950s, a number of companies began manufacturing ranges of animals, hoping that people would go on to collect several in a set. Wade introduced their exceedingly popular Whimsies - delicate, realistically-modeled porcelain miniature animals and birds - and a company called J. H. Weatherby & Sons Ltd. in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, decided to do the complete opposite, producing a series of sturdy comical animals which they called Zookies. An advertising leaflet from 1957 read, ` People who buy one, buy another and another and buy them for their friends too!'

Unfortunately the high costs of producing pottery in England compared to mass production elsewhere in the world forced the company into receivership.

For more information of the Weatherby Pottery in England,
please visit:
The Potteries.org

Here are the backstamps from JH Weatheryby & Sons(Ltd)

Marks from: http://www.thepotteries.org/mark/w/weatherby.html

Please see some of my J.H. Weatherby for sale at BlueHawthorne Antiques and Collectables.

Transferware And the Numerous Patterns

What is transferware?

Transfer printing as a decorative technique was developed in England in the mid-1750s, particularly in the Staffordshire region.

The transferware process began when a flat copper plate was engraved with a desired pattern in much the same way that plates that were used to make paper engravings were produced. The grooves of the design were filled with paint , then the item was heated in a kiln (a super hot oven). The pattern ingredients fused with the surface and the pattern became a permanent part of the plate or thus transferred. While produced primarily on earthenware, transfer prints are
also found on ironstone, porcelain and bone china.

The decorative themes of the patterns found are numerous and varied and reflect the popular artistic tastes of the times when the pieces were made. Early patterns sought to emulate Chinese designs. Later patterns depicted figural and scenic designs of a historical or romantic nature, and of course floral patterns were very popular. Animal, bird, and portrait themes are found to a lesser extent.

The combination of underglaze decoration and transfer printing revolutionized the English ceramic industry. When these processes were perfected, ceramics could be decorated quickly, efficiently and inexpensively. Attractive patterns with elaborate details could be applied to all manner of tablewares and accessories, making matched sets possible and also affordable for the mass population.

Most transferware patterns sought by collectors today are two-tone in color. Blue and white, red and white and brown and white are the most common colors.

Valuable English pieces made in the 1700s through the late 1800s are rarely offered for sale in antique shops now. Available more readily are pieces made during the 20th century. While they’re not as valuable, they are just as attractive visually.

The first (and still most popular) color was blue; later came brown, black, purple, green, red - even pink and yellow. Yellow is the rarest transferware color and in antiques the most expensive.

I have found a number of pieces of very beautiful transferware at some recent
auctions and flea markets.

J.H. Weatherby

This beautiful covered vegetable dish is a great find for collectors of old Staffordshire, of transferware and collectors of unique semi porcelain pieces. This dish is in the “Ideal” pattern by J. H. Weatherby & Sons of Hanley, Staffordshire, England. The backstamp of a flag with a cross is listed between 1892 and 1924. In 1925 the Weatherby stamp had “Falconware” on it. The vegetable dish is decorated around the rim featuring a green transfer design of scrolls, links and other geometric designs. The rim is scalloped and edged in gold gilt. The dish is 11 1/2" long including the handles, 9 1/" inside, 6 3/4" across, 3" deep and 5 1/2" deep with the lid. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks or discoloration and makes a statement on a table of elegance.

To see more pictures, please visit

BlueHawthorne.com Collectables and Antiques