WEDGWOOD & GERMAN MUSTARD - Who Knew?

Who knew indeed that there was a German food manufacturer and distributor selling its wares in London, neatly packed in at least one case, the German Mustard, in wonderful Wedgwood mustard jars?

Our good friends Judy & Colin Jones of Australia recently visited well-known Wedgwood dealer Alan Landis and found this treasure amongst his other offerings and snapped it up. I thought Coeln was the name of a city since the rest is '& Dusseldorf' but I can't find a translation that tells us this is another spelling for Cologne or another city...however I found "..cittie of Collin in Germany", so I believe Coeln is the name of a city in which Bedbur's was also sold, along with Dusseldorf. I did find a city called New Coeln in Wisconsin, outside Milwaukee. That tells me that indeed Coeln was or is still another city in Germany where Bedbur's was sold. It has been suggested to me that Coeln is another spelling of Cologne, so perhaps that solves the mystery!

Here is Judy's research: The piece is date-marked for 1861. Approximately 40 German companies set up retail shops selling foodstuffs under their own brands in London in the late 19th Century. W. Bedbur was one such company and they had a Delicatessen in Portland Street (of all streets!!). Herr Bedbur described his business as a “German mustard factory, delicatessen and wine factory”. He sold a wide range of products including 7 types of sausages, 3 of which originated from Frankfurt. Other delicacies included Westfalen and Brunswick ham and Hamburg smoked meat, pickles including Mainz Sauerkraut and Saxon salt, vinegar, pepper and mustard gherkins. [Also a 'truffle & garlic sausage', probably a pate, as well as Pomeranian goose breast.] The Firm offered free delivery to all parts of London. A series of fairly large German food companies became established in London in the years leading up to WW1 but disappeared during the Germanophobic hysteria. [from Migration & Transfer from Germany to Britain 1660-1914] Judy and I surmise that the Wedgwood mustard jars were probably supplied from the factory to Bedburs for filling in London at their shop, rather than thinking that Wedgwood was shipping quantities of the jars to Germany, just to be packed and reshipped to London.

Additionally I found in The Shopkeeper's Guide, published in London, 1853, a listing for Winand Bedbur, 45 Greek Street, Soho listed in the section of Mustard Manufacturers. Also listed was the famous Colmans Mustard Company. And we see in Schmidt's Directory of the City and County of Manitowoc, Wisconsin 1909-1910, the listing -Bedbur, W, Route 2, Two Rivers, Manitowoc County.

Lots of interesting history in this fun mustard jar! Thank you so much to Judy Jones for reporting in on their new Wedgwood treasure, and for doing the research to tell us about it!