- Style: Profile portrait
- Technique: Embossed majolica
- Manufacturer: J & W Wade
- Dimensions: 6" x 6"
- Date: 1890 (circa)
A fabulous pair of profile portrait tiles
designed by Isaac Broome for Trenton moulded in
high relief and glazed in a most mangificent
glaze.
Isaac Broome is a well known sculptor and
ceramic designer who designed many tiles for
Trenton, Providencial and other US companies.
Quite how this pair came to be made by J & W
Wade of Stoke upon Trent is unknown and has
provoked much discussion, it appears that they
are the only such pair. There are found from
time to time mostly in greens and blues and
rarely in this particular glaze.
The colour of this glaze is difficult to
describe, almost charcoal grey yet it has
elements of purple, brown and green, rich in
colour yet very translucent it is very rare only
some of the émaux ombrants glazes used by
Sherwin & Cotton are at all similar. Sherwin
& Cotton's émaux ombrants tiles were
of course indented relief, these being embossed
in very high relief produce a quite different
effect.
Versos plain bars, a little smoke stained,
embossed Flaxman.
John and William Wade commenced tile making
in 1888 under the company's general trading name
of Wade & Co. Tile making proved very
successful and the business was split off in
1891, named J & W Wade and with the trading
name 'The Flaxman Art Tile Works'. John Flaxman
was a famous 18th - 19th century sculptor living
from 1755 - 1826, he trained at the Royal
Academy school in London and later became
professor of sculpture there. He sculpted
several statues including one in Westminster
Abbey and amongst others worked for Josiah
Wedgwood. A 19th century American tile company
also used the trade name 'Flaxman'. As implied
by the adoption of the Flaxman brand many of
Wade's tiles have a sculptural quality.
Condition: Very good
Price: £450 (approx $746)
Ref: 03161/2
