Cornishware Still Brightening Kitchens Across the World by Deborah Threadgill
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$1.50 AntiqueWeek T HE W EEKLY A N T IQUE A UC T ION & C OLLEC T ING N E W SP A PER VOL. 53 ISSUE NO. 2654 www.antiqueweek.com AUGUST 11, 2020 Cornishware still brightening kitchens across the world By Deborah Threadgill Blue and white has always been a favorite color combination for collectors—whether it appears in a handstitched quilt, on transferware or any other surface. Cornishware is another perennial blue and white favorite. It is a line of kitchenware that has been delighting collectors since the 1920s and whose popu- larity has withstood the test of time. Introduced in the 1920s by T.G. Green and Company of Church Gresley, Derbyshire, England the banded kitchenware brand was named Cornishware, because Green said the color reminded him of the sky color in Cornwall. Cornwall was also the initial source of the clay used in the manufacture of the pottery. The signature blue coloring itself was referred to as “E. Blue” and many people also referred to the line as “E.Blue.” A banded bowl with the The iconic blue banding seen on the pottery came about, in shield mark in green ink. large part, due to the economic downturn in white-bodied wares Bowls and other utilitarian after World War I. To achieve the “look”, the blue, slip-decorated piece pieces were manufactured was turned on a lathe to remove bands of blue so that the white earthen- prior to the popular lidded ware body underneath could show through. Once completed the piece was storage jars. Image courtesy coated in clear glaze making it suitable for kitchen use. of ebay seller: bobznbitz2016. The line of Cornishware, which started out with utilitarian pieces like mixing bowls, milk jugs and teapots grew to incorporate lettered storage jars with lids, of history and food history in particular are often more likely to spot a rare piece which were sold to the public through department stores and stand-alone shops. when they see one. As an example, would you know what was inside a jar The company allowed purchasers to custom order jars with lettering or wording labeled TREX? For those in the know, Trex is/was a vegetable fat. of their choice to accommodate whatever food item was to be stored inside the Dating Cornishware is a bit tricky. Backstamps were either not recorded or jars. It is these custom jars that are highly prized by collectors today. Custom were used in multiple years. However, as a general guideline a shield backstamp order jars often featured misspelled words, which adds to the charm, collectabil- in black ink was used from the 1930s to the 1950s. Most lidded storage jars with ity and value for many fans. In fact, they are eagerly sought after with collectors lettering have this backstamp. A shield mark in green ink was used from the who willingly pay top dollar to add a misspelled item to their growing collec- 1930s to 1960s mostly on non-jar shapes such as milk jugs, bowls, etc. One very tions. Research shows that many factory employees made lettered items for distinctive backstamp called a “target mark” can be definitively dated to 1968- family and friends oftenwith the family name or other unique lettering applied 1975. This mark shows a stamp in black ink along with the wording “Restyled and then tucked them inside a coat or other item of apparel to sneak out of the by Judith Onions Des. RCA.” Onions was a young designer brought in in 1968 to factory. These one-of-a-kind lettered items are treasured by Cornishware enthu- modernize the line. siasts. In the 1990s a flood of fake vintage pieces started appearing at auctions, As time passed, additional colors were added to malls and online. For the most part these fakes bear a the iconic blue line such as red and white triangular backstamp containing the words (extremely rare and highly collect- “Gresley Ware” or the text-only mark “T.G. ible); yellow and white which was Green and Co., Gresley Ware.” Neither of manufactured in 1959 and intro- these backstamps were ever used in original duced at a trade show in Blackpool Cornishware. in February 1960 and advertised Production of the Cornishware to the public in April of 1960; black line was, for many genera- and white, green and white, and tions, a family run business. orange and white to name just a few. After T.G. Green died in Newer pieces such as the color combi- 1905 the company passed nation plum and white, made in 2004 to his son and business as a Christmas present for Mason and associate Henry King. Cash employees, are few and far The Green/King fami- between in the marketplace and the lies operated the busi- gold and blue ones are so rare only a ness until 1964 when, handful of collectors have ever seen due to financial prob- an example let alone have one in their lems, it ended up in possession. the hands of the Most avid collectors focus on vin- Jersey Banking tage pieces from the 1920s to the Corporation who, at 1960s. Popular items include let- one point, petitioned tered storage jars with lids. While the local councilmen to lettered jars for staples such as allow for the tearing flour, sugar, salt, coffee and tea are down of the old brick most often seen in the marketplace kilns to allow for more and still relatively reasonably priced operational space. The the crème de la crème are jars with request was denied by the lettering for then-expensive and Council. In response to the deci- then-exotic food items—for instance sion the banking corporation cloves, mustard, brown sugar, mace destroyed all the company paperwork and cocoa. What was stored for use including deeds and design pattern book- back then may or may not be used or lets. In the 1980s the factory fell into the even available today so aspiring col- ownership of Swinden-based Cloverleaf lectors who have a keen knowledge Pottery which later sold (due to declining sales and competition from mass produced Right: A contemporary red and white Cornishware milk pitcher. Vintage red and white pieces are considered extremely rare, eagerly See Cornishware on Page 17 sought after, and hard to acquire. Page 2 WWW.ANTIQUEWEEK.COM August 11, 2020 NEWS Garden antiques grew strong bids at Kamelot By Susan Emerson Nutter PHILADELPHIA — Two consistently solid collecting areas are items that are garden related and architectural anything. Combine those two categories in one auction and expect great things. Just look at Kamelot Auctions’ May 2 and May 7 online event fond- ly known as the Garden Sale. Celebrating the 15th installment of this very popular auction, items related to the garden or architec- tural elements are wonderful draws reinforcing the fact these areas never seem soft. Yet, they do have their drawbacks in a sense, and that is size. Garden urns and benches; architectural light fixtures and corbels – those can work most anywhere. Grandiose garden gates and statuary or towering stained glass windows and granite columns are another matter. But no matter. Kamelot found new owners for material in all shapes and sizes, and in many, many instances; presale estimates were crushed. The first lot of the May 2 portion found an Italian, cir- ca 1860, carved marble statue of a winged putto; a usable height at Above: “Four Red Rings” by Jerome Kirk (American, b. 25 inches tall and signed Pio Fedi, on the block. Its presale estimate 1923) realized $5,500. The ki- of $600 to $900 was greatly surpasses when it hammered at $4,600. netic sculpture was dated The second lot of the same day, was the kinetic sculpture “Four July 1978. Red Rings” by Jerome Kirk (American, b. 1923). Dated 1978 and selling with a hand-signed book, this piece of art realized $5,500. Right: A bid of $8,500 was The sculpture was 46 ½ inches high by 24 inches wide and 12 inches needed to take home this deep. circa 1970 set of 14 French What a great way to start an auction! And the big numbers kept iron armchairs with woven backs and seats. See Kamelot on page 2 Lights and sound will dazzle the senses at Selkirk By Eric C. Rodenberg auction house is expected to dazzle The auction will be open for floor all the human senses with brilliance. bidders at their gallery at 555 ST. LOUIS – Light plus Sight plus Many lots have been consigned Washington Ave. and avail- Sound equal Action. Of that, Bryan from the estate of Lou Phillips, own- able for live online bidding Laughlin, executive director at Sel- er of Phillips Antiques, a longtime at Invaluable.com and on kirk Auction is confident for the up- fixture on Broadway Street in St. Selkirk’s online platform. coming Aug. 15 gallery sale. Louis. Absentee and phone bidding Two hundred and twenty-two lots “Selkirk has historically used is also available. will come through the auction block their gallery auctions as a brand in Within the “Light” category at the sale, titled Light/Sight/Sound, itself,” Laughlin said. “We’re using are many colorful early 20th where this powerhouse Midwestern the Light/Sight/Sound phonetics to century lamps and stained glass better identify our market and make and reverse painted table lamps that it easier for our customers to distin- came from Phillips Antiques. A fine guish among the categories for sale.” selection of jewelry includes a 14K Laughlin said the company has yellow gold wedding ring with a 2.19 enhanced its descriptions in online emerald-cut diamond estimated to and printed catalogs, as an aid for sell for $10,000-$14,000.