Dudson — Ridgway
Rope Handled Jugs
and variants
There was clearly co-operation between the two factories and it is difficult to establish exactly how far that went. Both factories appear to have manufactured jugs of the same shapes. Dudson probably supplied the Bedford Works with moulds, glazes and ideas. Ridgway supplied the manufacturing capacity that Dudson did not have. Presumably there was a sharing of profits.
Up to this point I have considered it fairly simple to distinguish the wares produced by Dudson and those by the Bedford Works. Basically, everything with a fractional pattern number was Ridgway, and everything else was Dudson. I was, however, confronted with a problem after reading Jewitt's The Ceramic Art of Great Britain (1878). Volume 2 describes the products of both the Bedford Works and Dudson's Hope Street Works. Jewitt states that both factories produced moulded ware and mosaic ware, but only the Bedford Works produced jasper ware and jet ware, and he praises both wares with effusive language. Whilst the comment on jet or ebony ware was to be expected, that on jasper ware was not. All jasper wares were, up to now, thought to have been produced at Hope Street. Until this apparent contradiction is resolved, I shall be listing the wares by type and number series rather than factory.
There has been some controversy over the meaning of the word "Paxton", mostly found as an impressed mark, or occasionally printed. The word is only found on this type of jug. Many hold that this is the shape name, but Audrey Dudson always held that this was incorrect and that it was the name of a retailer, and many agree with her. No retailer of sufficient size to account for the number of jugs so marked has ever been traced.
I have included variants on this page of which there are two main ones, chiefly concerning the handles. The jugs made for the Brownhills Pottery Co. have what is described as a cane handle. Those with the humming bird sprigs have a handle in the shape of a branch.
Dudson ~ Hope Street Works
James Dudson
Ridgway ~ Bedford Works
E. J. Ridgway (& Sons)
Ridgway, Sparks & Ridgway
Ridgways
Unnumbered Mosaic Series
Incised Number Series
Fractional Number Series
Pattern i/530 "Maiden Hair Fern"
Unnumbered Mosaic Series
'Mosaic' brown
The jug is 197mm tall, 89mm in diameter at the top, and 117mm at the base. Brown stoneware with mosaic work in blue, white and cream.
The impressed "12" is probably a size mark, and the two outside marks are probably tally marks, but what the "9 8" (or "8 6") is for I cannot say. It could be a pattern number. Only further examples would confirm.
Photos © Annahlyn Pugh 2021
Incised Number Series
Pattern 467
The jug is 165mm tall. Brown stoneware, partly turned body with white ivy sprigging.
The "24" is probably the number in a potter's dozen, being used as a size marker. The higher the number, the smaller the jug.
Photos © Clare and Alan Walker 2020
Pattern 907
The jug is 110mm tall and 100mm wide. White earthenware covered with blue slip and white sprigs.
The impressed "30" is probably a size marker for a small jug.
Photos © Tony Curnock 2021
Pattern 969
The jug (missing Britannia Metal lid) is 180mm tall. Brown stoneware with white sprigging.
The impressed "18" is probably the number in a potter's dozen. This usually relates purely to size, but decoration may also be a factor.
Photos © Paul Collins 2021
Pattern 996
The jug is 150mm tall. Brown stoneware with white sprigging.
Photos © Kenneth H. Carleton 2020
Pattern 998
The jug is 178mm tall, 76mm diameter at top, and 102mm at base. Brown earthenware with white sprigging.
The impressed "24" is most likely a size marker. The double dot is probably a tally mark.
Photos © Annahlyn Pugh 2021
Pattern 1182
The jug is 180mm tall. White earthenware covered with hyacinth blue slip and white sprigs.
The datecode form "13/4/81" I am informed only occurs on hyacinth blue wares.
The "24" is probably the number in a potter's dozen, being used as a size marker. The higher the number, the smaller the jug.
Note the impressed "PAXTON".
Photos © Clare and Alan Walker 2020
Pattern 1422
The jug is 180mm tall. Slate blue coloured earthenware with white sprigs.
The faintly impressed registration diamond is for 10 November 1882, Parcel 10. This was registered by Ridgways, Bedford Works, Hanley.
Godden records that the registration is for a 'Design for a jug form'.1
The impressed date mark reads "4 / 83" for April 1883.
Photos © Clare and Alan Walker 2020
Pattern 1436
The jug is 152mm tall, 89mm in diameter at base, and 70mm in diameter at top. Brown coloured earthenware with white sprigs.
The impressed "30" may be a size mark but it seems a little high for the size of the jug. The two holes may be a tally mark.
Photos © Corgi Acre Antiques 2020
Pattern 1530
The jug. Brown coloured stoneware with white sprigs.
The impressed "12" is probably a size mark and "10/81" is a date code for October 1881.
Photos © Anonymous 2021
Pattern 1531
The jug is 175mm tall and 104mm diameter at base. White earthenware covered with blue slip and white sprigs.
The impressed "24" is probably a size mark and the "3 / 80" a date code. Note the "PAXTON" impressed mark.
Photography © Martin Scott-Jupp 2021
Pattern 1562
The jug is 149mm tall. Black coloured stoneware with white sprigs.
The apparent white patch at the base is only shine.
The impressed "30" is probably a size mark. The impressed date code is unclear at "11 / 7?". Note the impressed "PAXTON".
Photos © Anonymous 2021
Pattern 1622
The jug is 173mm tall. Brown coloured stoneware with white sprigs.
Note the impressed "PAXTON" bottom left.
The date code appears to read "6/80" for June 1880, but the top figure is unclear.
Photos © Maria Kultys 2021
Pattern 1623
The jug is 195mm tall. Slate blue coloured stoneware with white sprigs.
The impressed date mark reads "3 / 80" for March 1880.
The "12" is a size marker. The higher the number, the smaller the jug.
Photos © Clare and Alan Walker 2020
Pattern 1688
The jug is 190mm tall. Brown coloured earthenware with white sprigs.
The top is drilled for a hinged metal lid but this is missing or was never fitted.
The printed registration diamond is for 10 November 1882, Parcel 10. This was registered by Ridgways, Bedford Works, Hanley.
Godden records that the registration is for a 'Design for a jug form'.1
The impressed date mark reads "11 / 82" for November 1882.
Photos © Clare and Alan Walker 2020
Pattern 3016 "BPCo."
The jug with Britannia metal lid. Grey coloured earthenware with white sprigs.
The marks are not well impressed but one is "BPCo." used on goods supplied to the Brownhills Pottery Company. They had their own dedicated pattern numbers and their own handle for this shape of jug.
Photos © Tony Curnock 2021
Pattern 3535 "BPCo."
The jug with Britannia metal lid is 162mm tall. Green coloured earthenware with white sprigs.
The marks are not well impressed but one is "BPCo." used on goods supplied to the Brownhills Pottery Company. They had their own dedicated pattern numbers and their own handle for this shape of jug.
Photos © Sophie Whitfield 2021
Fractional Number Series
Pattern 3/9531
The jug is 8.5 inches tall, and the base has a diameter of 5 inches. Earthenware.
Photos © Milka Kraleva ~ artandkrafts 2020
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Pattern 3/9532
The jug is 203mm tall. Ebony ware.
The jug is 203mm tall. Ebony ware.
Impressed marks are "12" and a very tiny "M", significance unknown.
The jug is 159mm tall. Ebony ware.
Photos © Tony Curnock 2020
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Pattern 3/9562
This jug appears to have once had a Britannia-metal lid.
The jug is 203mm tall. Ebony ware.
Photos © Tony Curnock 2021
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Pattern 3/9970 "Cenis"
This jug is important because it firmly establishes that the shape belongs to the factory.
The jug is 203mm tall. Ebony ware.
The registration diamond is for 9 October 1871, Parcel 8 which is recorded as for E. J. Ridgway & Sons, Bedford Works, Hanley.
Godden records that the registration is for a printed design for dinner wares.1
Photos © Tony Curnock 2020
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Pattern 4/2275
The jug is 152mm tall. Ebony ware.
Photos © Leslie LeFevre-Stratton 2021
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Pattern 4/3905
The jug is 178mm tall. Ebony ware.
Photos © Tony Curnock 2020
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Pattern 4/4268
The jug is 7.75 inches tall. Ebony ware.
The meaning of the impressed "PAXTON" has been disputed. Audrey Dudson was convinced it was a retailer's name, but no retailer of that name has been traced.
Photos © Clare and Alan Walker 2020
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Pattern 4/4304
The jug is 6 inches tall. Ebony ware.
Photos © Clare and Alan Walker 2020
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Pattern 4/4924
The jug is 153mm tall and 89mm base diameter. Ebony ware.
Photos © Michael Grana 2021
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Pattern 4/5124
The jug is 7 inches tall. Ebony ware.
Photos © Clare and Alan Walker 2020
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Pattern 4/5443
The jug is 6.75 inches tall. Ebony ware.
The jug should have a Britannia metal lid as with the i/267 jug below.
Photos © Clare and Alan Walker 2020
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Pattern 4/5900
The jug is 7 inches tall. Ebony ware.
Photos © Tony Curnock 2020
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Pattern 4/6298
The jug is 7.75 inches tall. Ebony ware. The top has been drilled for a hinged Britannia metal lid now missing.
It is unclear why this transfer has been applied to the base as it appears to have no connection with the design on the jug.
Photos © Clare and Alan Walker 2020
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Pattern 4/7206
The jug is 7.25 inches tall. Earthenware.
The impressed date mark reads "8/80" for August 1880.
Photos © Leslie LeFevre-Stratton 2020
The covered filter jug (minus cover) is 8 inches tall and 4.75 inches wide at the base. Earthenware.
The missing cover is flat, and has a turquoise edge and spherical knob. For a similar lid see Pattern i/3 below.
The impressed date mark reads "2/80" for February 1880.
Photos © Kenneth H. Carleton 2020
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Pattern E/2
The jug is 8 inches tall. Ebony ware.
It appears to have been drilled to take a Britannia metal lid as on e/83 below, now missing.
Photos © Tony Curnock 2020
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Pattern E/3
For a teapot of the same pattern click here.
For a vase of the same pattern click here.
The jug should have a Britannia metal lid as with the i/267 jug below.
The jug is 6 inches tall. Ebony ware.
Photos © Tony Curnock 2020
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Pattern E/42 'Persia'
This decoration appears also on Bedford Works i/ series wares where it bears the print name 'Persia'.
The jug is 7.75 inches tall. Ebony ware.
The jug should have a Britannia metal lid as with the i/267 jug below.
Photos © Clare and Alan Walker 2020
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Pattern E/83
The covered jug is 8 inches tall. Ebony ware.
The peculiar form of "e" with the long upper tail seems to be a signature of decorator "2" as I have seen other examples of their work with the same peculiarity.
Photos © Tony Curnock 2020
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Pattern R/49
The jug is 6.75 inches tall. Red ware.
Photos © Tony Curnock 2020
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Pattern i/3 "Yeddo"
This jug is important because it firmly establishes that the shape belongs to the factory.
The covered filter jug is 9.5 inches tall, 6 inches wide including handle, 3.5 inches in diameter at top, and 4.75 inches diameter at base. Earthenware.
The registration diamond is for 17 April 1878, Parcel 14 which is recorded as for Ridgway, Sparks, & Ridgway, Bedford Works, Hanley.
Godden records that the registration is for two printed designs in eastern style.1
The top impressed mark appears to be a date mark: 8? / 14? 1914 seems a little late but not impossible. The middle mark is a moulder's tally mark, and the bottom mark is probably a size mark.
Photos © Tom Douglas ~ My Grandmothers Antiques 2020
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Pattern i/93
The jug with Britannia metal lid is 203mm tall excluding lid. Earthenware.
The date code reads "9 / 79" for September 1879.
Photos © Clare and Alan Walker 2020
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Pattern i/267 "Yeddo"
This jug is important because it firmly establishes that the shape belongs to the factory.
The jug with Britannia metal lid is 8 inches tall, and 5.5 inches from lip to handle. Earthenware.
The registration diamond is for 17 April 1878, Parcel 14 which is recorded as for Ridgway, Sparks, & Ridgway, Bedford Works, Hanley.
Godden records that the registration is for '2 Printed designs in eastern style'.1
Photos © Bonnie Jean Seiwell ~ Lady in Decadence 2020
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Pattern i/530 "Maiden Hair Fern"
The jug is 180mm tall. Earthenware.
The registration diamond is for 28 July 1881, Parcel 14 which is recorded as for Ridgways, Bedford Works, Hanley.
Godden records that the registration is for a 'Printed design - maidenhair form'.1
The impressed "RIDGWAYS" is unusual.
Photos © Clare and Alan Walker 2020
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Pattern i/1891 "Hixen"
The jug is 115mm tall, 70mm diameter at the top and 90mm at the base.
Photos © Dian Ferguson 2021
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Pattern 3430 "Gainsborough"
It is not yet clear whether the later 4-figure numbering system was a continuation of the i/xxxx with the prefix dropped, or whether it was a completely new series. Hopefully the appearance of further examples will settle the matter.
The jug is 152mm tall, 76mm wide at the top including lip, and 92mm in diameter at the base. Earthenware.
Photos © cycle42020 2021
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Notes.
1. G.A.Godden, Ridgway Porcelains (1985), p.219.