Style: Art
nouveau secessionist
Technique: Lustre, two-colour
Maker:
Maw & Co
Designer:
Probably Charles Henry Temple
Dimensions:
6" x 12"
Date:
circa 1900
A highly stylised art nouveau yet arts &
crafts influenced design
in the manner of the
Vienna Secessionists. Highly stylised floral
decoration the outline in a brown stain
apparently painted through a stencil and pinted
by hand with lustre colours. Alongside the
familiar golden lustre there is blue/green
lustre, this is incredibly rare, the first time
I have seen it any where near this kind of date,
de Morgan didn't do green lustres ever.
The manufacture of
lustrewares was an unpredictable process relying
on a reaction between the atmosphere in the kiln
and the painted stain which results in a
brilliant metallic sheen that is literally on
the very surface.
A difficult process with dramatic results
means such tiles were highly prized and highly
priced, an interesting comparison of prices can
be gained from a Maw & Co price list dating
from the 1890s.
- Plain coloured tiles 4d - 4.5d each
- Relief tiles 6.5d - 7d each
- Walter Crane designs 6.5d each
- Lustre tiles 56d each
The unit of currency in 1890 is pennies, old
pennies - 240 to the pound!