Jeff Lawrence on sat 13 nov 99
According to John Reeve, the English potteries where he worked after WW2
derived 40% of their gross from selling seconds at half price. If they had
only sold firsts, he claims they'd have gone under. This means they must
have produced almost two seconds for every first.
If his account is accurate, they had high standards, but dealt with defects
in an economically/ecologically acceptable way. At the same time, they were
cultivationg an appreciation for hand-crafted items by getting them into
everyperson's hands.
Crafty, indeed.
Gavin Stairs on mon 15 nov 99
At 11:45 PM 13/11/99 , you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>According to John Reeve, the English potteries where he worked after WW2
>derived 40% of their gross from selling seconds at half price. If they had
>only sold firsts, he claims they'd have gone under. This means they must
>have produced almost two seconds for every first.
>
>If his account is accurate, they had high standards, but dealt with defects
>in an economically/ecologically acceptable way. At the same time, they were
>cultivationg an appreciation for hand-crafted items by getting them into
>everyperson's hands.
>
>Crafty, indeed.
That's very interesting. I used to live in a very old (by Canadian
standards) house in Quebec's Eastern Townships. It used to be a hotel on
the Montreal-Boston Coach line. As in coach and four. When we got there,
there were a few dishes of English manufacture, almost all of which were
seconds. Some had pits, some were just decorated with out of register
stencils. I wondered why so many. I thought that maybe the potteries got
rid of their seconds by exporting them to the colonies.
I have one of these plate here right now. It is marked 2Rd as a monogram
over a banner bearing the word GREEK. Beneath, TRADE MARK frames a
picture of a paddle wheel steamer, over a globe, with another banner
beneath, bearing WM GRINDLEY & Co TUNSTALL. There are some other numbers
beneath, somewhat broken up: a 6 or a 9 and part of a 39. The plate is
stamped with an intaglio 77. Another glaze mark might be a 17. The plate
is completely glazed, by standing it on edge, with two spots on the rim
unglazed or ground after firing, and one point mark opposite under the rim:
the body is white. Picture it on a plate stand. It is a creamy white,
transparent glaze with transfer decorations in a faux grisaille style, in a
red to mauve colour. You can see some body spots under the glaze. The
glaze is faintly crazed throughout, and the bottom has a few stronger
cracks. And this is one of the better ones, wouldn't you know. Only a
few very small defects in the decoration. They might not have thought this
one a second at all. These were clearly not top quality ware. They are
trade ware, meant for the everyday use of the middle class, I
suppose. This one would have been prewar vintage. I've no idea what
year. Perhaps Mssrs. Grindley and Co would know, if they are still in
business.
Gavin
Don & Isao Morrill on mon 15 nov 99
3:45 11/13/99 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>According to John Reeve, the English potteries where he worked after WW2
>derived 40% of their gross from selling seconds at half price. If they had
>only sold firsts, he claims they'd have gone under. This means they must
>have produced almost two seconds for every first.
>
>If his account is accurate, they had high standards, but dealt with defects
>in an economically/ecologically acceptable way. At the same time, they were
>cultivationg an appreciation for hand-crafted items by getting them into
>everyperson's hands.
>
>Crafty, indeed.
Jeff, thankyou for the mention of J.Reeves. we admired his
porcelines and visited with him at Gibsons Landing,long ago. have no
prohibitions about selling 'seconds' as long as they are plainly marked.
Where would we be if we refused to recognize all of the museum
reconstructed examples?
Don & Isao>
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