- Style/technique: Floral stencilled
slip
- Manufacturer: Marsden Tile Co
- Pattern number M533
- Dimensions: 6" x 6"
- Date: circa 1895
An excellent pair of arts and crafts style
designs of flowing, natural floral forms that
fills the tiles yet with perfect density at no
time being overly heavy. Wonderfully clear and
crisp this the characteristic feature of the
stencilled slip technique contrasting with the
softer edges of organic majolica or glaring
bright 'cloisonné' outline moulding. Four
stencilled colours with a super blue for the
petals and reddish brown for the flower centres,
superbly enhanced by two colours of amazingly
brilliant majolica glaze.
Stencilled slip tiles became popular with
Marsden's association with Wedgwood who produced
far more stencilled tile designs than any other
process including Thomas Allen's favourite
transfer printing. Even with the low origination
costs of stencilled designs the bean counters at
Wedgwood (the company was by this time over 100
years old and run by accountants and shareholder
demands) failed to grasp the importance of the
symmetry and balance afforded by handed designs
whereas Marsden made several.
So here we have an excellent pair from
Marsden Tile Co without the constraints of the
bean-counters and inspired by the will of the
owner-entrepeneur, not only stencilled but also
'rainbow glazed' in the most excellent and
brilliant glazes. The pattern although quite
well known is usually found with lesser
colouring in the slips and more importantly
usually just a single colour of glaze. I think
these qualify as rare for there were three pairs
in the fireplace but one pair was a mis-match so
there were two left hands and four right hands.
This pair is the only pair offered for sale and
a classic example of where the sum is greater
than the individual parts.
Versos perfectly clean, no maker's mark as
usual for Marsden, pattern number incised.
Condition: Very fine
Price: £440 (approx $629)
Ref: 03330
