Chats on English China — Context and Discussion

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Authors: Hayden, Arthur, 1868-1946 Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2018 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Pottery -- Collectors and collecting; Porcelain, English; Pottery, English -- History; Porcelain -- Collectors and collecting Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

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Words 48,294

Reading time 210 min

Text sections 9

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Source: Project Gutenberg record #57124

Arthur Hayden's 1904 guide to collecting English porcelain examines factory histories, marks, and decorative techniques through detailed descriptions of wares from Coalport, Chelsea, and other makers, with emphasis on identifying authentic pieces.

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CHAPTER I. HOW TO COLLECT: A CHAPTER FOR BEGINNERS

V. EARLY STAFFORDSHIRE WARE—THOMAS WHIELDON: HIS CONTEMPORARIES AND SUCCESSORS

VI. SALT-GLAZED WARE, STAFFORDSHIRE

VIII. THE SCHOOL OF WEDGWOOD

IX. LEEDS AND OTHER FACTORIES

X. TRANSFER-PRINTED WARE

XI. STAFFORDSHIRE FIGURES

XII. SWANSEA AND OTHER FACTORIES

XIV. LATE STAFFORDSHIRE WARE

CHATS ON ENGLISH CHINA

_With Frontispieces and many Illustrations._

CHATS ON ENGLISH CHINA. By ARTHUR HAYDEN.

CHATS ON OLD FURNITURE. By ARTHUR HAYDEN.

CHATS ON OLD PRINTS. (How to collect and value Old Engravings.) By ARTHUR HAYDEN.

CHATS ON COSTUME. By G. WOOLLISCROFT RHEAD.

CHATS ON OLD LACE AND NEEDLEWORK. By E. L. LOWES.

CHATS ON ORIENTAL CHINA. By J. F. BLACKER.

CHATS ON OLD MINIATURES. By J. J. FOSTER, F.S.A.

CHATS ON ENGLISH EARTHENWARE. (Companion volume to “Chats on English China.”) By ARTHUR HAYDEN.

CHATS ON AUTOGRAPHS. By A. M. BROADLEY.

CHATS ON PEWTER. By H. J. L. J. MASSÉ, M.A.

CHATS ON POSTAGE STAMPS. By FRED. J. MELVILLE.

CHATS ON OLD JEWELLERY AND TRINKETS By MACIVER PERCIVAL.

CHATS ON COTTAGE AND FARMHOUSE FURNITURE. (Companion volume to “Chats on Old Furniture.”) By ARTHUR HAYDEN.

CHATS ON OLD COINS By FRED. W. BURGESS.

CHATS ON OLD COPPER AND BRASS. By FRED. W. BURGESS.

CHATS ON HOUSEHOLD CURIOS. By FRED. W. BURGESS.

CHATS ON OLD SILVER. By ARTHUR HAYDEN.

CHATS ON JAPANESE PRINTS. By ARTHUR DAVISON FICKE.

CHATS ON MILITARY CURIOS. By STANLEY C. JOHNSON.

CHATS ON OLD CLOCKS AND WATCHES. By ARTHUR HAYDEN.

CHATS ON ROYAL COPENHAGEN PORCELAIN. By ARTHUR HAYDEN.

CHATS ON OLD SHEFFIELD PLATE. (Companion volume to “Chats on Old Silver.”) By ARTHUR HAYDEN.

BYE PATHS OF CURIO COLLECTING. By ARTHUR HAYDEN. With Frontispiece and 72 Full page Illustrations. 21s. net.

LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN, LTD. NEW YORK: F. A. STOKES COMPANY.

CHATS ON ENGLISH CHINA

AUTHOR OF “CHATS ON ENGLISH EARTHENWARE,” “CHATS ON OLD SILVER,” ETC.

WITH 150 ILLUSTRATIONS

T. FISHER UNWIN LTD LONDON: ADELPHI TERRACE

_First Edition_ 1904 _Second Edition_ 1906 _Third Impression_ 1907 _Third Edition_ 1909 _Fifth Impression_ 1910 _Sixth Impression_ 1912 _Seventh Impression_ 1917 _Eighth Impression_ 1919 _Fourth Edition_ 1920

(_All rights reserved_)

PREFACE TO FOURTH EDITION

A certain amount of necessary revision has been given to the volume.

The prices obtained at public auction for representative examples have been brought up to date, and ten new illustrations have been added.

ARTHUR HAYDEN. _September, 1920._

PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION

This edition has been slightly revised and corrected. Throughout the volume many new illustrations appear in place of those in the first edition, and their selection has been made in order to show more clearly the characteristics of the china as dealt with in the letterpress.

In addition to these, twenty new illustrations have been added, and I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to Messrs. Wedgwood & Sons, by whose courtesy I am enabled to reproduce examples from their museum at Etruria, and fine examples after Flaxman, including specimens of dinner-ware which are now being manufactured by the firm from the old designs by that artist.

I have similarly to acknowledge my obligation to Messrs. W. T. Copeland & Sons, of Stoke-upon-Trent (the successors of Spode), for several illustrations of the ware from their factory, and to Messrs. Minton for some fine specimens of their productions.

It is my hope that this improvement will make the volume more useful as a practical working handbook for the collector.

To the great number of enthusiasts who have written to me in connection with this volume and with the _Dilettante_ pages in the _Lady’s Pictorial_, I tender a grateful and appreciative acknowledgment.

ARTHUR HAYDEN. _March, 1906._

In regard to English Earthenware, which appeals to a wide circle of collectors, I have, in response to many readers who have written to me on the subject, prepared a companion volume to this, entitled “Chats on English Earthenware.” The subject is treated from a collecting point of view, and a large number of carefully selected photographic reproductions of typical examples illustrate the letterpress.

Those who are interested in the outline sketch of English Earthenware given in the concluding chapters of this volume, and desire greater detail, will find a completer record in the companion volume.

A. H. _January, 1909._

This little volume has been primarily written with a view to enable the possessors of old china to determine the factories at which their ware was produced. A modest attempt has been made to show that the china-shelf is a record of men’s triumphs and failures, and the fantastic shepherds and shepherdesses, lustrous bowls, queer printed dishes, and bizarre decorated jugs, may be regarded by a reflective mind as so many symbols representing something less perishable than the clay of the potter.

These “Chats” originally appeared in the pages of _Our Home_. In collecting them in volume form I trust that they will appeal to a wider circle of readers.

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Arthur Hayden opens Chats on English China with a chapter for beginners, but the book quickly reveals itself as a connoisseur's manual. The author's voice is that of an experienced collector speaking to initiates, using phrases like 'happy is the collector' and 'we blush to have to print it' to create a shared, insider tone. Hayden's diction is precise and evaluative: he describes Coalport's egg-shell porcelain as 'among the most marvellous china ever produced in this country,' and notes that its unmarked pieces carry 'a signature of perfection of manufacture.' Such judgments are grounded in observable qualities of paste, glaze, and design.

The Collector's Vocabulary of Quality

Hayden's language for assessing china is both technical and evocative. He praises Coalport's 'improved glaze for porcelain' and notes the 'good paste' and 'excellent glaze' of marked pieces. When describing a Coalport vase, he specifies a 'blue ground, richly decorated in pink and gold.' The author frequently uses superlatives—'marvellous,' 'exquisite symmetry,' 'gems of ceramic art'—but always ties them to specific features: the handleless cup following Chinese models, or the 'bleu-de-roi ground, enriched with gilding' of a plate made for Queen Victoria. This vocabulary trains the reader to look for precision in manufacture rather than vague beauty.

Marks as Evidence of History

Hayden treats factory marks as clues to provenance and dating. He explains the Coalport scroll mark containing 'C. S. N.' as standing for Coalport, Salopian, Caughley, Swansea, and Nantgarw—'emblematical of the development of the manufactory and its absorption of the smaller factories.' He also warns that some early Coalport ware imitated the double 'L' of Sèvres, the 'C' and anchor of Chelsea, and Dresden's crossed swords 'so successfully as to delude the unwary collector.' The author's tone here is confidential, almost rueful, as he shares knowledge that separates the informed from the deceived.

The Social and Industrial Context

Hayden does not ignore the human cost of porcelain production. He mentions that 'the terrible effects of lead on the workpeople in china factories' received parliamentary attention, and notes approvingly that the Coalport Company could produce patterns 'without the use of lead.' This observation appears in the midst of technical discussion, linking aesthetic appreciation to manufacturing ethics. The author also records that a service for the Emperor of Russia was 'executed by command of Her Majesty the late Queen Victoria' and exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851, situating individual pieces within broader historical and commercial networks.

The Willow Pattern as a Case Study

Hayden uses the Willow Pattern to illustrate how English factories adapted Chinese models. He states it was 'first manufactured here' and 'is still manufactured by the Coalport Company,' appearing on a list of some forty patterns. The pattern's longevity and popularity are presented without romanticizing its origins. Hayden's treatment is matter-of-fact: the pattern is a 'stock pattern,' a commercial staple rather than a unique artistic achievement. This approach reflects the book's overall method—treating china as a product of specific factories, techniques, and markets, not as an abstract art form.

Hayden's Chats on English China rewards readers who attend to its concrete observations about paste, glaze, marks, and decoration. The author's judgments are always traceable to visible features, making the book a practical tool for examining actual pieces. Readers should approach it as a period guide—valuable for its specific knowledge of early twentieth-century collecting, but also for the way it reveals how connoisseurship was practiced and communicated.

I kept thinking about how Hayden’s book makes you slow down and notice the little marks on old china—the quiet patience of it. It reminded me of something gentler, the way Kate Greenaway — Story, Setting & Ideas lingers with its soft, careful worlds. Both feel like holding something fragile and wanting to understand it, just for yourself.