Ridgway Bedford Works
Dragon Handled Square Jugs

Recent research indicates that most of the production of Mosaic and Jasper Wares that were attributed by Audrey Dudson to the Dudson factory were actually made at the Bedford Works. James Dudson completely reconstructed the Hope Street Works, building a new large oven in 1872 and completing the refurbishment in 1882. James Dudson appears to have been on good terms with the Ridgway family and clearly there had been previous co-operation between them. Dudson came up with a cheaper process for producing Mosaic and Jasper Wares chiefly for the hotel trade. He would appear to have approached the Ridgways to take over the production from them. The Ridgways perhaps agreed because their sales had been dropping and they were afraid of being undercut by Dudson's new process. The transfer appears to have taken place in several stages, with production of Mosaic wares commencing at Hope Street c.1876/7 and Jasper wares in March 1882. The "new class" wares produced by Dudson are distinctly different from their Ridgway predecessors, which appear to have continued alongside the Dudson production. The last Ridgway date codes have been noted for mid 1883, but it is difficult to know how long after that Ridgway jasper ware continued. A Ridgway produced jug has been noted impressed marked "ENGLAND" so they must have still been going in 1891, but this mark is exceedingly rare so production had probably tapered off by this time. It is possible that a joint marketing agreement existed between 1882 and c.1891, which would explain why Dudson products are generally unmarked between those dates (except for the patent lids). I have seen no evidence of Dudson using date codes. Only the Ridgway made wares appear on this page. As far as I have been able to ascertain, this shape was only ever made by Ridgway.

 

Ridgway ~ Bedford Works

E. J. Ridgway (& Sons)
Ridgway, Sparks & Ridgway
Ridgways

 

Incised Number Series

Pattern 1674

Pattern 1679

Fractional Number Series

Pattern i/493

Pattern i/544 "Old Derby"

Pattern i/664

Pattern i/861

Pattern i/2007 "Simple"

 

Incised Number Series

 

Pattern 1674

The jug. Grey stoneware with white sprigs.

Pattern 1674 jug right side

Pattern 1674 jug right side detail

Pattern 1674 jug left side

Pattern 1674 jug top

Pattern 1674 jug base

Pattern 1674 jug pattern number

Photos © Cat Alina 2021

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Pattern 1679

The jug is 170mm tall. Brown stoneware with white sprigs.

Pattern 1679 jug left side

Pattern 1679 jug right side

Pattern 1679 jug base

Pattern 1679 jug pattern number

Photos © Clare and Alan Walker 2020

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Fractional Number Series

 

Pattern i/493

The covered filter jug is 195mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern i/493 jug left side

Pattern i/493 jug left lip side

Pattern i/493 jug right lip side

Pattern i/493 jug right side

Pattern i/493 jug handle side

Pattern i/493 jug top

Pattern i/493 jug lid underside

Pattern i/493 jug top minus lid

Pattern i/493 jug base

Pattern i/493 jug marks

The impressed date code reads "4/83" for April 1883.

Photos © Max Beaumont Fine Art & Consultancy 2021

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Pattern i/544 "Old Derby"

The jug is 203mm tall and 102mm across base. Earthenware.

Pattern i/544 jug left side

Pattern i/544 jug lip side

Pattern i/544 jug right side

Pattern i/544 jug handle side

Pattern i/544 jug handle detail

Pattern i/544 jug base

Pattern i/544 jug marks

Photos © antique_limoges at eBay 2021

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Pattern i/664

The jug with Britannia Metal lid is 150mm to lip, and 170mm to top of lid. Earthenware.

Pattern i/664 jug left handle side

Pattern i/664 jug left side detail

Pattern i/664 jug right side

Pattern i/664 jug right handle side

Pattern i/664 jug handle side

Pattern i/664 jug top

Pattern i/664 jug lid base

Pattern i/664 jug body top

Pattern i/664 jug base

Pattern i/664 jug marks

Photos © Cynthia Dumarin 2023

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Pattern i/861

The jug is 197mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern i/861 jug left side

Pattern i/861 jug right side

Pattern i/861 jug base

Pattern i/861 jug pattern number

Photos © L. B. Laubenthal 2020

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Pattern i/2007 "Simple"

The jug is 180mm tall. Earthenware.

Pattern i/2007 jug left side

Pattern i/2007 jug lip side

Pattern i/2007 jug right side

Pattern i/2007 jug top

Pattern i/2007 jug base

Pattern i/2007 jug marks

Photos © Vintage Once Treasured 2020

 

Top of Page

Return to Bedford Works patterns

 

Notes.

1. G.A.Godden, Ridgway Porcelains (1985), p.219.