- Style/technique: Victorian 'Applied Encaustic'
Majolica
- Manufacturer: Craven Dunnill
- Dimensions: 6" x 6"
- Date: Circa 1880
- Colours: 3
A fantastic quality tile in mint condition made by one
of the higher quality companies it has a thicker than
usual strong reddish brown clay body, it is a very
substantial tile. Made of the local Jackfield clay which
was super quality but very dark red and was famously used
for pottery and doorknobs when glazed black. It is also
made by an usual process, a kind of 'applied encaustic',
used only by the Jackfield companies Maws and Craven
Dunnill. Three different clays make the colours, the
glaze is a translucent olive green as can be seen on the
white clay. On the buff clay it gives a mid brown colour
and the reddish clay it gives dark brown. As all the
colours are in the clay and hence very stable a higher
temperature better quality glaze could be used. The
design, imitation of a mosaic layout which is very
similar to Mintons China Works popular transfer print
pattern 1478 (C1873) utilised the process to great
effect.
This was removed from an unused bedroom fireplace and
is in mint condition, verso is very clean and with
earlier ring back fully named.
