LINTHORPE POTTERY

Basic Information

The Linthorpe Pottery was opened by John Harrison in Middlesbrough in 1879. For about the first three years he had the services of the highly important freelance designer Christopher Dresser who was appointed Art Designer and Art Superintendant, and supplied designs for pottery, all examples of which were to bear his impressed facsimile signature. Dresser recommended that Henry Tooth also be appointed and he was brought from the Isle of Wight to Middlesbrough via Staffordshire where he stayed a few months to learn about pottery. Tooth was Manager at Linthorpe and pieces also bear his HT monogram. Other basic marks are "Linthorpe" impressed, and an impressed shape number. There are often also painted or impressed initials of the decorators, along with a serial number for that particular piece of work. Tooth also left Linthorpe soon after Dresser ceased his connection, and then the main work of designing for, and running the pottery fell on Richard Patey, who also played a major role while Tooth was still here. For the excellent quality of pieces produced at Linthorpe after the Dresser/Tooth period the credit must go to Richard Patey, who unlike Dresser and Tooth didn`t put his name to pieces.The early shape numbers on which Dresser and Tooth Marks are found go into the 900s, but people can be confused about what might seem haphazard and inconsistent marking. Early shape numbers may have Dresser and Tooth marks, or just Tooth marks, or neither, according, I would suggest, as to whether or not Dresser and/or Tooth were still associated with Linthorpe. Clearly the early shape numbers would continue to be produced, but Dresser or Tooth marks would seem inappropriate when they were no longer actively involved.

In 1889 The Onward Building Society owned by John Harrison went bankrupt and collapsed in a financial crisis and this also brought the Linthorpe Art Pottery to an end.

Books and Articles

Linthorpe Art Pottery, Clive W. Hart. Aisling Publications

Linthorpe Pottery. An interim Report. Jonathan R.A.Levine, 1970. Teesside Museums and Art Galleries Service

Christopher Dresser. Catalogue of an exhibition, Dorman Museum, Middlesbrough, and Camden Arts Centre, London, 1979-1980

Christopher Dresser, Widar Halen.Phaidon-Christie`s, 1990

Christopher Dresser, Stuart Durant. Academy Editions, 1993

Christopher Dresser, Exhibition by New Century, Harry Lyons and Christopher Morley, 1999

Christopher Dresser 1834-1904. An Exhibition arranged by Richard Dennis, John Jesse. The Fine Art Society Ltd, 1972

English Art Pottery 1865-1915, Malcolm Haslam, 1975. Antique Collector`s Club

Christopher Dresser and the Linthorpe Art Pottery, Hilary Wade. The Antique Collector, February 1984 page 50

A Tale of Three Potteries, Roger Pinkham. The Antique Dealer and Collector`s Guide, September 1977

Christopher Dresser 1834 - 1904 The first Industrial Designer, Dorman Museum Centenary Exhibition Catalogue 2004

Christopher Dresser, The People`s Designer - , Harry Lyons. Antique Collectors` Club, 2005

Selection of Images

Shape 1, height 2 3/4". An interesting piece as it is shape number one, and the outline of this shape is incorporated in some of the impressed "Linthorpe" marks, see Clive Hart`s book, page 51. This example has underglaze painting and applied painted slip decoration. Strangely there is no artist`s painted initials to base. The examples with incised decoration are perhaps more interesting,one of which is featured on the cover of Clive Hart`s book. Private collection	Shape 24, height 9 1/2".This appears to be perhaps the most commonly seen of the early Linthorpe shape numbers, and as the shape was dimpled by hand can vary in appearance. Another example I sold seemed to suggest it might have been hand thrown, and another example I`ve seen has the dimples twisted round and into the neck. Both these examples are illustrated in my article "Reflections on Linthorpe" Newsletter 4, May 1997, and both shapes suggest hand throwing. Appleton Antiques, sold from stock
Shape 169, height 10 1/4". Christopher Dresser/Henry Tooth vase, incised FB. This vase shows Dresser`s clever exploitation of shape distortion (pressing daisy heads into the body) to produce interesting effects with running glazes. Note also the bands of incised decoration. For a variant of this shape with elaborate incised decoration see Clive Hart page 22. Appleton Antiques, sold from stock	Shape 640,Christopher Dresser/ Henry Tooth cup and saucer, cup height 3", saucer diameter 5". Mustard glaze with painted underglaze decoration. Appleton Antiques, sold from stock
Shape 1545, height 7 1/2". Ewer with angular handle. Though the shape number is later than when we associate Dresser to be involved with Linthorpe the shape strongly suggests whoever designed it was influenced by Dresser`s work. Appleton Antiques, sold from stock	Shape 197, height 4 3/8". Christopher Dresser/Henry Tooth vases in white clay. There are no artist`s initials on either vase. The floral and leaf, and geometric underglaze painted decoration is unusual, interesting and colourful. Private collection
Shape 353, diameter 8". Christopher Dresser/Henry Tooth, artist`s monogram CP. Private collection	Shape 299, diameter 11 1/2". Henry Tooth, artist`s monogram DB with job serial number 29. Private collection

Both these plates are examples of a kind of decoration of very high quality that features more frequently on decorative plates than vases, but is also found on vases. The background is usually matt with a varying stippled effect produced by a spray-gun technique, while the floral decoration is, in contrast, painted glazed slip. One wonders how many designs there are for each of the plate sizes, and how many of each design were produced. One might also wonder what the Dresser signature means on them when it occurs. It seems unlikely that he designed the decoration, (although he was a botanist). Perhaps the kind of contrasting decoration, matt background with painted glazed slip, was his suggestion-but this is pure speculation.

Special Choice Image

This rare and impressive Exhibition Vase, 24" high, shape number 1912, in the Classical Warrior Profile design is a tour de force of Late Victorian Ornamentalism. While small details of the overall design may remind us of things Dresser liked to do, as a whole it is not in spirit a Dresser piece. A great amount of work has gone into both the design and the decoration, and yet there is no decorator`s mark to the base. Any pieces of quality produced at Linthorpe after Christopher Dresser and Henry Tooth severed their links with the Middlesbrough pottery, whether from the point of view of design, or execution of decoration,or both, must be down to the credit of Richard Patey, who didn`t put his mark on pieces as Dresser and Tooth had done. This piece was bought in auction in 2001 by Appleton Antiques, and is understood to have been one of a pair, the other having been smashed in a burglary in which this one too sustained damage to the top rim. It`s a pity more is not known about the provenance, and the proprietor of Appleton Antiques would be very interested to hear of the existence of other examples. It was subsequently sold to The Dorman Museum, Middlesbrough, where it can be seen among their outstanding display of Linthorpe Pottery.

 

Newsgroup: Click here to join the Moorcroft and Linthorpe Art Pottery Collectors`Club Newsgroup.