Misleading Pieces
Samuel Alcock
Samuel Alcock, Cobridge c.1828-53, Hill Pottery, Burslem, c.1830-59.
Sir James Duke & Nephews, Hill Pottery, Burslem, c.1860-3.
Hill Pottery Co. (Ltd.), Burslem, c.1861-7.
Samuel Alcock produced fine bone china as well as earthenwares. His china has often been mistaken for Ridgway because the factory used fractional pattern numbering. The shapes are, however, quite different, and the style of gilding has a flavour unique to the factory. Whereas Ridgway pattern numbers are generally, but not exclusively, painted in iron-red, Alcock numbering can be in puce, but generally one of the border colours used on the item being numbered. The numbers are also done with a boldness generally absent from Ridgway numbering, and often contain an "N." or "No." to the left of the lower part of the number.
Pattern 2/7143
The border gilding here is typical of the factory style. The pattern number is in puce, a common practice at the factory.
This appears to be the same shape as the pattern 2/5718 service illustrated in the article by Geoffrey & Alma Barnes in Geoffrey Godden (ed.), Staffordshire Porcelains (Granada, 1983), p.315, fig. 483.
The dessert plate is 232mm in diameter. Bone china.
The second dessert plate is also 232mm in diameter. Bone china.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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Pattern 2/8053
The border decoration on this piece totally ignores the piercings, which is not a practice found at Cauldon Place. The pattern number is done in the border grey, and, for that reason, is barely readable.
The leaf dessert dish is 254mm long, 228mm wide, 62mm high at the handle. Bone china.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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Pattern 4/5704
Although the style of landscape painting is similar to that used at Cauldon Place, there is no evidence that Ridgway ever used a 4/ number series (although Francis Morley did at the Broad Street Works). The pattern number is again in puce.
The dessert plate is 229mm in diameter. Bone china.
Photos © Angela Grant 2018
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