- Style/technique: Art Nouveau tube
lined
- Manufacturer: J & W Wade
- Pattern number: G1324H
- Dimensions: 3" x 6"
- Date: circa 1910
- Colours: 5
A fabulous tube line tile in matt glazes made
as an art pottery tile. Really rare glazes even
for matt having a texture not unlike Ruskin
pottery. Wonderful colours including mauve,
purple and a mid grey background, all unusual
colours as is the white tube lining. Matt glazes
on tiles are mostly associated with the 1920s
onwards however we see a few that are for sure
edwardian and Maws were reported to be working
on them in the last few years of the nineteenth
century. The pattern number suggests an
introduction date of 1909 - 1910, Wade's in
common with other manufacturers continued to use
some edwardian designs in to the 1930s however
mostly moulded designs as they already had the
dies, tube line designs were usually only made
for one or two seasons.
Wade is a highly collectable company for
their advertising and other pottery and
whimsies, cute figures that they started making
in 1953, Wade collectors are mostly unaware that
the company were making art tiles of the highest
quality with super designs and in amazing
colours around the turn of the century. So
excellent are their tiles that I rate them in
the top five art nouveau majolica tile makers
easily besting better known names like
Pilkington and Minton. Wade tiles bear the brand
name 'Flaxman' occasionally and as with many
manufacturers their back markings have subtle
but distinct identifiable details.
