THE BEAUTY of
MASTER POTTER WEDGWOOD
G'day folks,
January 3, 1795 — When Josiah Wedgwood died on this day he left a thriving business and a fortune to his children. That’s because the pottery that he created was sought after across the world not only in palaces but also in humble homes.
It was also because Wedgwood stood out as a potter of genius, a remarkable
businessman and extraordinarily innovative salesman.
Techniques often used today — direct mail, money-back guarantees, travelling
salesmen, self-service, free delivery, buy one, get one free, illustrated
catalogues — all came from Josiah Wedgwood.
Born in 1730, he was
the youngest of Mary and Thomas Wedgwood’s twelve children. Thomas was a
potter, as had been members of the family since the 17th century. It was
Josiah's great-grandfather who started the family pottery business in 1656.
Early setbacks proved to be the making of Josiah. At the age of nine his father
died and he had to abandon his formal school education to work in the family
business.
He soon became an expert operator of the potter’s wheel, but contracted
smallpox which caused a knee infection. It meant he was unable to work the
wheel’s foot pedal.
Later in life the condition became so painful that Josiah had his right leg
amputated just below the knee. At a time when there were no anaesthetics or
even antiseptics, this was a brave decision by the budding entrepreneur, who
obviously remained lame for the rest of his days.
But his enforced physical inactivity had given him the time
him to read, research, and experiment in the craft of pottery.
As well as turning his attention to design, he set himself the task of
producing a perfect glazed white body. Working tirelessly and refusing to be
beaten, he finally succeeded after more than 400 experiments.
According to the Wedgwood website: “His interest in the properties of clays
meant samples were sent to him from all over the world: Cherokee clay from
America, Chinese kaolin and other rock from Canton, specimens from Australia,
and others collected in the British Isles.”
His Jasperware, usually described as stoneware, has an unglazed matte
"biscuit" finish and is produced in a number of different colours, of
which the most common and best known is a pale blue that has become known as
Wedgwood Blue.
After a time Josiah formed a partnership with Thomas
Bentley, a former Liverpool merchant, and almost bursting with enthusiasm,
Wedgwood wrote to him about his secret experiments:
"I am still going on with my tryals, & want much to shew you some of
them, but I can neither send them in a letter, nor say so much about them to
you as I could like, for Letters are liable to Accidents and therefore I must,
though brim full, contain myself ’til I see you.”
The Wedgwood website goes on to give an insight into this remarkable man’s
industry and determination: “Alongside these clay and mineral samples, Josiah's
workbench would have held the objects which inspired him: antique vases and
busts, waxes taken from ancient reliefs, half-finished pots, casts, biscuit
ware and trial pieces.
“Josiah was indefatigable, developing new ceramic bodies,
enlarging his factory, experimenting, expanding trade and nurturing his family.
The letters he wrote, and the recording of his trials, experiments and ceramic
work, was necessarily done, by candlelight, late at night or before dawn.”
In the end it all paid off. “Wedgwood’s enduring appeal among the world's royal
families and heads of state began with Queen Charlotte [the wife of King George III], who ordered
a set of cream-coloured earthernware. It pleased her so much that Josiah
Wedgwood was granted permission to style himself 'Potter to Her Majesty' and
call his innovative cream ware 'Queen's Ware’."
A few years later the Empress Catherine the Great
of Russia ordered a service in Queen's Ware for 50 people. It consisted of 952
hand-painted pieces of gardens, English scenery and stately homes and is on
display today in the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg.
While such expensive pottery was in much demand in high
circles, Josiah made copies so that cheaper sets could be marketed to the rest
of society. Before Catherine’s order was dispatched, for example, canny Josiah
exhibited it in his showroom and, naturally, duplicate pieces were available
for visitors to purchase.
Wedgwood was used on the banqueting tables at Queen Elizabeth II’s
coronation in 1953, and a 1,282 piece dinner service graced President
Roosevelt’s White House.
The success of his pottery enabled Josiah Wedgwood to build a new factory in
1768 equipped with tools and ovens of his own design which would allow mass
production.
A philanthropist, Josiah built a village called Etruria for
his workers next to the factory and improved roads, canals, schools and general
living conditions. He named the complex after the Italian district of Etruria,
home of the Etruscan people who were renowned for artistic products. The
Wedgwood factory is now in Barlaston, a village about six miles to the south of
the disused Etruria site.
* When Thomas Bentley died in 1780 Wedgwood turned to a friend, Erasmus Darwin,
for help in running the business.
Darwin's son would later marry Josiah’s daughter Susannah, and they would
become the parents of Charles
Darwin, the naturalist who formulated the theory of evolution. Eventually,
Charles would himself, in turn, marry his cousin Emma Wedgwood.
Clancy's comment: I also have some awesome pieces of this pottery. In fact, I used to buy it as wedding gifts because I knew the young couples would not be able to afford it.
I'm ...
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