Flow Blue Continues to Dazzle Buyers by Barbara Miller Beem Purposeful One

Evans Winter auction will make a GTO at Stevens turned it on, splash wound it up and blew it out $1.50 National p. 1 National p. 1 AntiqueWeekHE EEKLY N T IQUE A UC T ION & C OLLEC T ING N E W SP A PER T W A E A S T ERN E DI T ION VOL. 52 ISSUE NO. 2627 www.antiqueweek.com FEBRUARY 3, 2020 Above Left: “Savoy” by Johnson Brothers (1900). This distinctive dinnerware presents four-leaf clovers set in oval medallions. The center clover is set in grill work. Courtesy of Flow Blue International Collectors Club. Above Middle: “Hanley” by G.L. Ashworth & Bros. (1860). A border-only pattern, this plate is representative of the Mid-Victorian Period. Courtesy of Flow Blue International Collectors Club. Above Right: “Viola” by Wood & Baggaley (1875). The patterns on flow blue china from the Mid-Victorian Period are not as heavily flown, perhaps due to refinements in the chemical process during the firing. Courtesy of Flow Blue International Collectors Club Flow blue continues to dazzle buyers By Barbara Miller Beem purposeful one. “But it’s more romantic to say it was accidental,” according to Julie Robbins, a product specialist at Replacements, Ltd. She suggested that if When it comes to flow blue china, unanswerable questions continue to swirl these lovely pieces of pottery were produced by chance, the process would most about: Who perfected the technique to blur out the cobalt blue decorations? How likely have been lost by now. was the exact mixture of chemicals formulated, and how many failed attempts As for that process, W.P. Jervis, in The Encyclopedia of Ceramics (1901), were there before success was achieved? And when and where did the seemingly described how the “underglaze blues” were made to flow. During firing, “by magical process all come together? Whereas the key to these questions are introducing in the kiln a small quantity of ‘flow,’ consisting of a mixture lost in history, there’s one thing that is no mystery. Flow blue of saltpeter, borax, and lead, the heated fumes of this rising in china, popular from the very beginning, continues to appeal the oven cause the color on the ware to flow.” He added that to legions of pottery lovers, casual and avid alike. what resulted are ceramics with “a very soft and beautiful British households were first introduced to blue and appearance.” white ceramics from China beginning in the 17th century. Continuing, Jervis wrote, “Some pieces have the under- As Ellen King, a lifelong collector, noted, “They went neath stained, which is caused by the color on the pieces crazy.” But these appealing imports were too expensive beneath ‘jumping,’ as it is technically called.” In describ- for the middling class to afford. In response, Staffordshire ing this phenomenon, King, a charter member, past pres- potteries identified a market and met the demand, pro- ident, and club historian of the Flow Blue International viding blue and white domestic wares at an affordable Collectors Club, characterized this reaction as a “flash- cost. Whereas these potters had access to an abundant bang effect.” This explains how many pieces are decorat- supply of clay (the raw material for the wares) and coal ed on the underneath, but others are not, as they were (to power the factories), cobalt, the only coloring agent probably the ones on the bottom of the firing stack. The that could withstand the heat of the kiln, was expensive, color, she asserted, did not penetrate the wares. albeit readily procured. But it was worth the investment, Flow blue china can be divided into three time periods, King said. as outlined in the writings of Petra Williams (the “First Sometime in the 1830s, an unknown potter hit upon Lady of Flow Blue”) and amplified by author Jeffrey B. the formula for producing blue and white china with a Snyder. Examples from the Early Victorian Period, begin- twist, one in which the applied decoration would bleed, or, ning in 1835, were influenced by patterns seen on Chinese as it came to be described, “flow.” With no firm evidence, it porcelains, with a proliferation of romanticized scenes; addi- is traditionally accepted that Josiah Wedgwood was that tionally, these blues are often of a dark hue. The Middle potter. Similarly, it is widely held that his discovery was a Victorian Period (1860s and 1870s) featured floral patterns, Right: “Chinese” garden seat by Thomas Dimmock (1845). If pot- just as Japanese motifs were introduced to the Western world. pourri jars are difficult to find, garden seats are “near impossible,” And finally, the Late Victorian Period, extending into the early according to collector Judy Boyer. Courtesy of Flow Blue International Collectors Club See Flow Blue on page 15 Atlanta Epo enters 3,500 Booths! Ohio Epo enter 800 Booths! SCOTT ANTIQUE MARKETS Atlanta, GA olumbus, O ANTE AN ESGNER TEMS nd Weekend TM 740.569.2800 www.scottantiquemarkets.com eb Apr 1 Ever Month an Mar ec 1 2020 America’s Favorite Treasure Hunts! 2020 Mar 11 Ma 1 eb Nov Rachel ANRoseBowl 4x3 2610 Page 2 WWW.ANTIQUEWEEK.COM February 3, 2020 NEWS Lancaster rifle shoots to highest bid at Luper RWCS will By William Flood WOODFORD, Va. — Long guns had return to Iowa the best shot at high bids during a firearms and sportsman auction conducted by Feb. 28 - March 1 Luper Auction Galleries. BETTENDORF, Iowa — After Firearms and related items comprised holding a very successful MidWeinter 42 of the lots. Long guns claimed the event in the Quad Cities for the first auction’s highest bids, the pinnacle being time last year, the Red Wing a circa 1900 English Charles Lancaster Collectors Society is returning for 375 double rifle in excellent condition with more in 2020. Hundreds of stoneware a walnut handle and extra double barrel and pottery collectors will converge selling for $5,000. Right behind, selling for upon the Isle Resort and Casino in $4,750, was a circa 1874 English W.W. Bettendorf Feb. 28 – March 1. Greener black powder double rifle. It Founded in 1977, the RWCS is featured a Jones-type rotary underlever composed of 3,000 members and had its original case, tools, and parts. worldwide who collect stoneware An Alexander R. Henry underlever double crocks, jugs, churns, dinnerware and rifle from 1890, also with its original case art pottery manufactured in Red and accessories, picked up $4,000. Eleven Wing, Minn., from the 1880s to Above: Beautifully ornate engraving no doubt helped this circa 1900 English Charles 1960s. other rifles sold for $1,000 or more. Lancaster double rifle secure the auction’s high bid of $5,000. In the handgun category were two The RWCS MidWinter event is antique side hammer percussion pistols. A and reel listed in good to fair condition. Harrington & Seaberg steel fire call box, focused around buying, selling, circa 1840 8-inch British officer’s pistol Another Penn, a Senator saltwater game built in Moline, Ill., sold for $200. education and fun with old and new with a checkered walnut handle reached fishing reel in good used condition went Auctioneer Thomas C. Luper, Jr. has friends alike. It will kick off with a $750 while an early 1800s English Rich for $20. been serving the Mid-Atlantic for 37 years Friday night social for attendees in Hollis pistol with brass trigger guard and For bidders not interested in hunting auctioning fine and decorative arts. the hotel’s Salon B ballroom from 6 plate grabbed $225. An Argentinean or fishing, there were other items to spark Contact: (804) 359-2493 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 28. But many 20th-century .22 LR Bersa S.A. Model 23 interest including a 32-inch bronze www.lupergroup.com/auctions attendees will start selling stoneware pistol with 10-shot magazine and case 18th-century Lantaka signal cannon with and pottery from their hotel rooms in went for a modest $150. ornate designs on the barrel and sea the north tower well before that. A Fishing gear collectors had their pick of serpent decorations on the lifting lugs formal Show & Sale will run from 1 23 antique and modern rods and reels. A that snagged $250. Bidding went to $500 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29 vintage (circa 1941-1970) Penn Model 149 on a World War II Japanese Samurai followed by an auction at 4:30 p.m. deep-sea reel with decorative nautical sword, possibly connected to the Marshall – both of which are open to the engraving sold for $30. A $30 bid picked Islands, that featured a matching public. More information about the up a mid-century French-made Garcia Chrysanthemum-adorned scabbard. For auction can be found at www. Mitchell 600A light saltwater casting rod the fire fighting collector, an antique houghtonauctions.com. Whether Below: Going for $1,950, this Belgian breech loading double rifle from the 1850s joined 14 you’re new to collecting Red Wing or other rifles sold for four figures. an experienced collector, anyone and everyone is invited to attend this fun event and find a new piece for their collection. Education is also a major focus of the MidWinter event. Starting at 8:15 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29, RWCS Hall of Famer Steve Brown will give a keynote presentation titled “A Reflection of Minnesota Culture: The Red Wing Potteries”. Steve will provide a glimpse into how Red Wing’s clay industry transformed its product lines to meet the changing needs of society. He will present a collage of vintage postcard images to Above: This fire call box was manufactured show how products were used and to by Harrison & Seaberg from Moline, Ill.

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