An Anglo Indian sadeli work album
French Nast Porcelain Jug
|
ANTIQUE FEATURE |
 |
Summer 2012 here at Lauder and Howard is all about Masons, the Regency period English manufacturer of fine ironstone and chinoiserie china that sought to undercut the expensive Chinese imports of the day by producing wares locally. The truly fabulous example to the left can be viewed here. Miles Mason was a "Chinaman" in Georgian London. "Chinamen" was the name given to the many dealers in porcelain who had to bid for wholesale lots Chinese ceramics imported by the monopoly run by the East India company. The company had the sole right to bring into Britain highly fashionable Chinese porcelains, the appetite for which was almost insatiable at this point. The loads were divided up and the retailers would bid for them at wholesale, and obviously the prices were high. Mr Mason, embracing the entrepreneurial spirit of the age, decided to work with the emerging British pottery industry to produce wares that could ultimately undercut the expensive Chinese imports and outfox the East India Company's monopoly. (To the left is an illustration in Godden's Masons book of the vase we are featuring, the only known example is featured which is lidless....ours has its original lid in perfect condition.) |
|
 |
Masons quickly established a design signature that was largely based on interpretations of Oriental porcelains. This sensational pair is a wonderful example of their Regency version of Japanese Imari which you can see here. | |
 |
Miles Mason's son Charles took out a patent in 1813 for "Ironstone China" which was aimed at emulating the expensive imported "Nanking Stone China". These highly decorative, durable and reasonably priced wares soon dominated the market. This wonderful Chinoiserie example shows clearly the intention of copying Chinese design and colours for the local market, which you can see here. Masons were perhaps the best, of all the English manufacturers who started to produce similar wares at this time, to copy the Chinese style so effectively. | |
 |
This sensational pair of vases, with their mutant Regency dragon handles is a type called mazarine after the blue pigment used. Incredibly rich in gilding and decoration they exemplify the somewhat debauched later years of The Regency in England. You can see them here, desribed in the 1818 Masons catalogue as "sideboard vase - dragon handles sumptuously gilt.". | |
 |
Of all the domestic stoneware pieces made by Mason's, perhaps their jugs are the most iconic and collected today. Ranging in size from tiny to enormous they all display the great flair with colour and composition that the decorators of this firm had. You can view this one here. Nothing, however, lasts forever and by the mid 19th century fashion turned away from the ubiquitous Chinese style stoneware that so many companies were producing. Perhaps also the fact that stoneware was so durable was a fatal flaw as it prevented people from having to replace broken items! So in 1848 Charles James Mason was declared bankrupt and the company ceased production. For the thirty-five years that the company existed they produced some of the most daring and beautiful ceramics in Britain of the period. We always try to have a good selection of pieces so do contact us if you want information about a particular piece. |
