INTERESTING TAKE ON THE WEDGWOOD MUSEUM FIASCO

I am sorry, I lost the URL from which I obtained this, but think it is an excellent capsulized look at the overall situation, which is still not resolved, much later than was originally promised.  The visual image of that brutally split Portland Vase really brings home the situation in one visual punch!

WEDGWOOD BIRTHDAY SALUTE TO LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

 WEDGWOOD BIRTHDAY SALUTE TO LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

Produced by Wedgwood in 1970 for the 200th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, this black basalt portrait medallion of the musical genius is a fine tribute to the work of Wedgwood modeller Eric Owen, well known for his busts of several famous historic figures.  Frequently we remove portrait medallions from their frames but this one is so beautiful we have left it just as we found it. HAPPY 243rd BIRTHDAY to a man who has brought musical magic to so many for so long!  Click the link to see this item in our inventory. FREE SHIPPING IF HE IS PURCHASED MONDAY DECEMBER 16th, let him celebrate with a fine new home!

Photo courtesy of www.americanbeethovensociety.org

Wedgwood "BIG HOUSE" endangered in Stoke on Trent

It appears the 1751 Wedgwood family home known as The Big House is deteriorating and the damage and its possible repair are involved in an insurance claim.  Go here to see an article on the situation.  What a shame it would be to lose this historic building!

 

WEDGWOOD FOR CHRISTMAS IN STOCK & READY TO SHIP!

WEDGWOOD FOR CHRISTMAS IN STOCK and READY TO SHIP!  The Christmas shopping season is upon us.  We have a nice variety of Christmas themed items in stock in addition to our other 2,000 line items of Wedgwood and related products, and those vintage and antique items at Alexis Antiques Annex.  We have more ornaments to add to inventory, so if you collect a particular series, let us know and we'll see if we have it.  Be sure to see great merchandise for sale in our 25% off bone china sale. Many items in our inventory are now listed with USA shipping included.  We ship until the very last possible minute for Christmas delivery, so be sure to let us know if you're ordering as a gift and need quick shipping later in the month.  In many cases we can giftwrap and include a card at no extra charge, just ask!

WEDGWOOD BLUE FRIDAY & SMALL BUSINESS MONDAY SPECIAL

In the spirit of the season, Alexis Antiques and Collegeplates.com
are offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders between Friday morning and Monday evening.  Check out our websites for lots of good ideas for Christmas gifting for all those lucky enough to be on your shopping list!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Wishes to our Wedgwood Friends

We at Alexis Antiques are sending happiest of Thanksgiving wishes and blessings to all our friends and valued clients.  We wish you a bountiful day of giving thanks for all that is good and wonderful in our world.  Let us give thanks for those early immigrants who came to our shores, began a system of governance and toiled, suffered and died that we might be here this week to be so thankful for so much.  Remember the Brits and their penchant for commemorating special events, even those which ultimately represent the flight of many from that great country for beliefs they held dear.  Josiah Wedgwood is the favorite Brit of many, someone for whom we are very thankful!  I am ever-thankful for Josiah and his contemporaries toiling away in Staffordshire!  Enjoy your holiday! 

JOSEPH PRIESTLEY CORRESPONDENCE located in USA - including letter to THOMAS WEDGWOOD

Many Wedgwoodians the world over research a plethora of interesting Wedgwood-related topics.  I have been able to research a number of topics over the years using the files held in American universities, but was surprised to learn of some of the holdings of Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA.  If one looks at their finding aid, one will find a great deal of information about Dickinson alums, but the Priestley family papers were not something I'd have expected to find at Dickinson!  Check out this link to review how much is there.  The specific Thomas Wedgwood letter is located here.  In a quick review of the site, I see several things that might be of interest to a researcher of Joseph Priestley and his connection to Josiah Wedgwood, FRS.  They were scientists in an age of true science, their correspondence very enlightening.  I hope this connection will lead to the use of this information on the part of a researcher looking into this, yet another, Wedgwood related find.

The Roundhouse at Etruria, a bit of Wedgwood history

From our favorite UK newsmedia, The Sentinel, we bring you this interesting historical article.  The link to the original article is:  http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Way-roundhouse-Etruria/story-19890891-detail/story.html#axzz2hBwPQSGk but there is an annoying ad with sound.  You can click on the symbol in the lower left of the ad and it should shut off the sound.  The article below is from that link sans sound:
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Way We Were: The roundhouse at Etruria

Saturday, October 05, 2013

MADAM, – With reference to Micheal Pritchard's picture [above] of the Roundhouse at Etruria in The Way We Were on September 21.

This originally was one of a pair that flanked each side of the facade of the Etruria factory that Josiah Wedgwood completed in June 1769.

A simple sketch of these roundhouses by Josiah, along with other styles, was included in a letter he wrote to his business partner Thomas Bentley on Christmas Eve 1767.

One unusual feature of the old factory was that the facade faced the canal rather than the main road.

This was so that important visitors received by Josiah at Etruria Hall would have had a view of the factory before being shown around it.

The roundhouse that did not survive housed one of the ornamental ware glost ovens. However, the use to which the surviving one was put is less certain and suggestions include a hovel for another oven, a grinding mill and a stable.

By the 1850s plans were drawn up to have the building converted into a cottage and rented to one of the Wedgwood employees, although this never materialised.

Even before the 20th century the Wedgwood factory had suffered from subsidence due to the extensive mining in the area.

This caused problems with drains, the constant flooding of cellars during wet weather, and the sagging and buckling of the tracks of the newly installed tunnel kilns.

In addition to subsidence, air pollution was another problem.

Smoke from trains climbing the gradient of the loop line and iron filings drifting up from Shelton Bar were a constant cause of ware being speckled.

The question of finding a new location for the factory was first addressed at a meeting of the board of directors on November 26, 1935.

The proposal to relocate was announced to the workforce at a lunchtime meeting in the canteen on Friday May 14, 1936.

The news was broken by Josiah Wedgwood V, who confirmed that due to the severity of subsidence relocation was inevitable, and that the company had purchased an estate at Barlaston where the new factory would be built.

He spoke of the ideal working conditions that the new factory would offer, the sporting facilities and the estate of houses that would be built, painting a promising picture to the workforce.

The huge task of transferring the works from Etruria was accomplished in two halves.

Only the earthenware and Jasper departments moved to Barlaston in 1940.

China production remained at the old factory until 1947 and accounted for a large proportion of the workforce.

The majority of the old factory not used for china production was utilised for the storage of moulds and dismantled machinery. Certain areas had been leased out to other companies for storage premises and included the Dunlop Rubber Company and Shelton Bar.

From the beginning of the 50s the old Wedgwood factory had gone through several occupants, steadily becoming more dilapidated.

During the early 60s it suffered from vandalism. By this time the factory was in the hands of St Quentin Properties which planned to demolish those parts of the works not deemed by the Ministry of Housing as being of particular historic interest, and to use the land as a light industrial estate.

The original intention was to preserve the original office block of 1769, two bottle kilns behind the main building and the roundhouse immediately to one side of it.

Attempts to raise both sufficient interest and capital failed, however, and demolition of the Wedgwood factory took place during September 1965.

All was cleared away, the only building spared being the Roundhouse that still exists on the site today.

KEVIN SALT Longton

 

COLOURFUL WEDGWOOD, DAPPER AND DREAMY

Our friend Lord Wedgwood of Barlaston is on the road in his continuing crusade to inform the world of the beautiful new patterns of Wedgwood china.  Check out how handsome he looks amidst the beautiful china at Bloomingdales, Boca Raton!  Word has it that he's on his way back to HQ in Barlaston before long, so the folks in Florida should enjoy him while he's in this hemisphere!  You can go here to read all about his visit, and an interview with him about Wedgwood, its products, history and coming events!

INTERESTING CANALSIDE VIEW OF WEDGWOOD BARLASTON PLUS MORE - CANAL BOATS

Here is an interesting view of the Barlaston Wedgwood factory from the Trent & Mersey Canal, of course that's the waterway that Josiah created to help get his, and others', goods from Stoke to their markets in other parts of the world.  If you wander around this great blog you'll likely learn something new, I sure did.  I know about canals, and skinny boats, but did not know there is a whole narrow boat culture out there.  But for us Wedgwood fans there are a couple of great photos on this blog of scenes one doesn't normally get to photograph at the factory.  Do enjoy this blog and think how amazed Josiah would be if he could know what great things would float up and down "his" canal all these years later!