Tiles from Sherwin & Cotton
Sherwin & Cotton were one of the greatest decorative
tile makers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries commencing in 1877 and selling up to Johnsons in
1911. One of the most prolific designers especially with its
famed art director George Cartlidge with a vast range of
designs in numerous techniques some of which were exclusive
to themselves. They made many tiles especially for the
fireplace market with a wide range of five-tile panels and
6x12 for panel centrepieces. Famed for George Cartlidge's 'photographic' tiles they
were true art tile manufacturers, the most often found tiles
in original frames as objéts d'art rather than to
enhance a larger piece are from the company. They used many
unique processes that others tried to imitate but could not
reach the heights of the company, it was the first
manufacturer to produce barbotine tiles in any quantity. A
great part of the beauty of their wares is their most
brilliant glazes, intensely coloured yet the most
translucent of all the contemporary manufacturers, without
the glazes George Cartlidge's émaux ombrants tiles
would have been similar to those of other companies. Compare
with other companies embossed figural tiles, tile
specialists like Craven Dunnill, famed manufacturers like
Mintons and Sherwin & Cotton's are unique. The other
companies had to make their tiles more embossed, less
delicate, to utilise the tremblay effect of majolica glazes,
none match those from Sherwin & Cotton. In many ways more arts and crafts than those companies
who have gained such reputation, whilst Morris & Co.'s
tiles were either decorated overglaze so subject to wear and
not really fulfilling a basic requirement of tiles,
durability, or dutch made imports often with copies of
islamic patterns, George Cartlidge as art director both
designed, manufactured and worked with the technologists of
the company to devise the processes to bring his aspirations
to reality.
