Australian Commentary on new Wedgwood Style Campaign

Here from an Australian website is the statement of Wedgwood's current style philosophy, targeting the creative styles of younger women in today's market. Click the Post title to go straight there.

INVENTORY REDUCTION SALE

WE HAVE RECENTLY MOVED ALL OF OUR MERCHANDISE AND WE FIND THE NEW SPACE NOT QUITE AS BIG AS WE PREVIOUSLY ENJOYED. TO MAKE OUR SPACE MORE CONDUCIVE TO GOOD BUSINESS, WE ARE REDUCING INVENTORY - ALL ITEMS IN OUR BONE CHINA CATEGORY (ITEMS WITH PRODUCT #S IN THE 600 SERIES) ARE 25% OFF. PLEASE SEND US ANY INQUIRIES THROUGH WEB COMMENTS, OR SIMPLY PUT ITEMS IN YOUR CART AND ASK A QUESTION, OR PLACE AN ORDER, THE PRICES YOU NOW SEE IN THIS CATEGORY ARE ALREADY REDUCED 25%. IF YOU MIX AND MATCH CATEGORIES THE REDUCED PRICES WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY REFLECTED.
THANKS FOR VISITING! CLICK THE TITLE OF THIS POST TO GO DIRECTLY TO OUR BONE CHINA CATEGORY.

Fairyland Lustre

Click on the Title to go to a nice, short article on Fairyland Lustre. The photos are beautiful. I normally don't refer to other websites/blogs of this sort because they contain so much misinformation, but this one is a lovely overview and a delight to the eyes! Yesterday I found one that said that Josiah loved black so much he called his black EARTHENWARE black basalt.... if you are just learning about Wedgwood, please get some good books and curl up and read them, perhaps with a nice glass of vino. Don't do all your research on-line because there is just so much that is untrue, even ridiculous, on unvetted blogs and websites!

MORE ON THE DARWINS & WEDGWOODS

The stories of the connection between the Wedgwood and Darwin families are in the forefront of the news more and more these days. Last year's Darwin anniversary brought out quite a bit of information on the family, but it hasn't disappeared from the interests of scientists and Darwin fans, or Wedgwood fans, as this article illustrates. There are many books about the Darwin/Wedgwood families, check them out! Note that this article indicates that it might have been his own family genetics and genealogy which prompted Charles Darwin to begin his thought processes. Check it out here. There are some controversial comments to this blog post, and we at Alexis Antiques do not support or deny those comments. Our interest is bringing Wedgwood-related information to the greater Wedgwood community. The Wedgwoods & Darwins intermarried for many generations, that is a fact, not a value judgment. The consequences of consanguinous lineages is a large topic, better left to the scientists, not blog posters! The facts represented in this article were of interest to us and we think they might also be of interest to our readers. Monday morning brings another article on this same topic in another UK publication. A bit more of the same, but perhaps interesting nonetheless. Click HERE.

WEDGWOOD EXHIBIT AT ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM

Here is another exhibit of Wedgwood that should be excellent ~ the ROM holdings are well known and worth a visit! - Wedgwood: Artistry and Innovation Until August 29, 2010

"Classic design and changing styles are featured in this beautiful exhibition of nearly 100 of the finest Wedgwood wares in Canada.
Discover the genius of founder Josiah Wedgwood I (1730-1795), whose diverse, high-quality products and business practices revolutionized the English ceramics industry in the 18th century.

The ROM's outstanding collection of Wedgwood includes pieces of "Queen’s Ware" from the table of Catherine the Great, copies of the famed “Portland Vase,” a black basalt relief that weighs over 800 pounds, as well as exquisite cameo medallions and jewellery." Send us a review and your pictures if you go there so we can share with our visitors!

CHILDREN'S ART PROJECT FUNDRAISER

What a nice way to add to your collection of contemporary Wedgwood items, in yet another new color. Wedgwood has produced a lovely heart ornament in conjunction with MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas at Houston. The ornament was designed by a patient at MDA named Ines who is from Argentina. It's well packed in a Wedgwood box and ours arrived in 8 days after we ordered online and paid by Paypal. It is not jasper of course, it's the smooth porcelain now being made in China by Wedgwood. Same look and feel as the blue heart ornaments sold for fundraisers by the Wedgwood 250th Anniversary Committee. The color is not so easy to describe. We are using the photo from a Wedgwood & Sons website, on our monitor it looks like terra cotta; in the "flesh" it looks like maybe salmon pink; definitely not bubblegum/baby pink and not the Japanese burgundy by Wedgwood. I held mine up to a 1957 piece of terra cotta real jasper and it looks pinker...next to a baby pink stuffed flamingo it looks terra cotta-ishly indescribable!! You'll just have to buy one, donate to a great cause and as an extra perk, learn about a new color! Those of you in Houston, be sure to patronize the Children's Art Project Boutique at Uptown Park; 1121-14 Uptown Park Blvd., Loop 610 West & Post Oak Blvd/713 599 0349. From the package insert it looks like a super place to come up with interesting and different gifts~ Open 10 AM to 6pm Monday thru Saturday. Not only do I love having something new and different in my Wedgwood collection, but a nice remembrance of something bad turned good at the hands of the docs at MDA. Once upon a time when my 33 1/2 year old son was about 2 or 3 we were on a biz trip with his dad in Houston and he became so sick he couldn't even keep down a tablespoon of water. As a young mother I was in a huge PANIC, scared, away from home with this terribly sick child. I took him to the pediatric ER at MDA and even though his illness wasn't diagnosed, they got him well so we could travel home safely. I've never forgotten their efficiency and kindness to me and him when we were so vulnerable. Be sure to click the title of this post to go to the Children's Art Project great website and visit them on Facebook at MDAndersonChildrensArtProject ~ wonderful people providing life-saving services for deserving sick children! And thanks to Will Fitzgerald for his kind words!

PIANO MAKES BEAUTIFUL MUSIC

"The Patriot Ledger, Quincy MA, on March 18, had a feature article on Audible Art, MFA’s musical instruments are also elegant objects of art. One of the featured items is the Godoy Piano which was the subject of a former Wedgwood Society of Boston lecture and a concert. The photo, four columns wide, is of that piano. The reference to it in the article reads: A 1796 grand piano made by Broadwood and Son in England has a case built by a prominent furniture maker and decorated with Wedgwood medallions. “This was the fanciest piano at that time that had ever been made,” said Kuronen after he played passages from Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. Kuronen is the curator of the musical instruments department at the MFA. I believe the Godoy piano has 82 or 87 Wedgwood medallions. Click the post title to see this magnificent piano! Better yet, go HERE to see a great article on the history of the piano!

LORD WEDGWOOD & PRESTIGE WARES WOW 'EM DOWN UNDER

June 8, in the local newspaper in New South Wales this past weekend, another article appeared on this subject...see the update here. Thanks once again to Judy for her keen Wedgwood eye and quick fingers on the keyboard!

Here is an ON THE SPOT report from our good friend Judy Jones who reports frequently on Wedgwood topics of interest. She and hubby Colin were in attendance this week at the festivities "down under" celebrating Piers, Lord Wedgwood's Australian visit to promote Wedgwood products to collectors across Australia. Thank you so much Judy for contributing your report on the presentations. Please click on the title of this post to go to illustrations of the Wedgwood items Judy describes ~ ENJOY!

Lord Wedgwood arrived in Australia on Saturday February 22 and hit the ground running. His first appearance was at the upmarket department Store in Sydney – David Jones – where he presented approximately 200 invited guests with the Wedgwood 250 special editions - a Panther Vase with magnificent engine turning and panther handles, a Three Graces plaque which was produced using the pate-sur-pate technique, 2 Portland Vases, the Renaissance Gold dinnerset, Satyr vase in bone china in a powder blue finish and gilding, the Offering to Peace plaque, bone china pieces decorated with Anthemions or palmettes, a magnificent replica of Josiah’s First Day’s Vase but in Saxon Blue, a black jasper Brainstone Vase, black basalt Mercury bust, a Bacchus and Panther Plaque also in black jasper, a special edition of 6 Frog Service plates and the Palladian Vase. This last piece is a combination of a crystal vase with “rouletting” and black jasper lid. Last but not least was the release of the all new Sydney Cove Medallion oval platter and mug. These were in big demand after Lord Wedgwood’s presentation and I believe stocks are almost exhausted. There are still pieces from the W250 collection released during last year available and these were only released in Australia. Champagne was served along with delicate sandwiches.

Whilst in Sydney Lord Wedgwood also spoke at several other events prior to leaving for Perth Western Australia, Toowoomba and Brisbane in Queensland, Melbourne in Victoria and back to Sydney for another 2 Launches on March 5 and 6.

The first was a designer rug collection which will knock any true Wedgwood-aholic off their collective feet. [Be sure to click MORE under Lord Wedgwood's image-mouse over the thumbnail photos to see the names of those shown, click for larger views of the photos] Superb and breathtaking are two metaphors which come to mind. These rugs are in 5 Wedgwood patterns and can be ordered in any Wedgwood colour and size is to suit the clients' requirements. We found them affordable considering the workmanship and materials. Designs are taken from The Sydney Cove Medallion, the Dancing Hours, Neo-Classicism, the new Renaissance Gold dinnerset and one where rouletting is sculpted in the pile. These can be ordered by contacting Designer Rugs at Edgecliff in Sydney.

Last but by no means least was the Official Launch of the Sydney Cove Medallion silver Coin and entre size bone china plate on March 6. This was held at The Museum of Sydney which is built on the site of the First Australian Government House. We were treated to the viewing of one of the original Sydney Cove Medallions of which there are 11 in existence. The last one in a private collection went to Auction about 5 years ago and the hammer price was $110,000AU. Once again the plate is from Wedgwood but designed here in Sydney. The silver Coin was designed and minted by Perth Mint in Western Australia. Another first for the Aussies. The night was balmy and once again champagnes and wines were free-flowing, along with delicious gourmet finger food. The Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney was in attendance as well as members of The Wedgwood Society of NSW, staff from Waterford Wedgwood Sydney and Museum and Mint representatives. Once again the buying was fast and furious and stocks were exhausted. More will be available from David Jones.

We are sure Lord Wedgwood will leave these shores tired but content at what a great job was done in enthusing us antipodeans.

JOSIAH'S OBITUARY

From our good friends at the Wedgwood Society Of New South Wales, Inc., we have received permission to publish Josiah's Obituary from Gentlemen's Magazine. I might add that The Medallion latest issue is already here on our USA shores with a report on the events during His Lordship's recent Australian Tour. Good Job Paul and THANKS!

LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS & WEDGWOOD

FLASH Just in from our DC area snow-bound Wedgwood friends of the Stringfellow Arms, comes word of the new partnership between the London 2012 Olympics planners and Waterford, Wedgwood, Royal Doulton (WWRD). Great news for us Wedgwood fans. Click the title of this post for one article, or go here for another. London 2012 will start selling its global marketing items soon to help raise funds for the London Olympics, maybe some fun shopping! We hope the snow starts to melt soon guys, but will there then be flooding?@#$!