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e were delighted to be featured in the November issue of the BBC Homes & Antiques magazine under “H&A recommends”. 
They wrote: “Committed to providing you with highly collectable ceramics and pottery from yesteryear, Carano.co.uk features amongst others Noritake and Moorcroft departments. The website’s Art Deco section is a highlight, selling beautiful tableware. Look out too for the striking ‘Tall Trees’ collection by Shelley, with prices ranging from £45 for a milk jug to £85 for a cup, saucer and tea plate”
Percy Shelley
Percy Shelley created the ‘Shelley China’ trademark in 1910; however the potteries heritage goes back nearly 100 years before that when in 1827 John Smith built a group of potteries which became known as the 'Foley Potteries'.
Following a few ownership changes, James Wileman took control and in 1872, recruited Joseph Ball Shelley to work with him in developing the Foley China Works side of the Wileman business, with a particular view to developing the export markets.
It is from this period that the pottery really started to grow and prosper and it was the first time that the company had a registered trademark 'Wileman & Co'. Export markets were to prove of vital importance to the factory during this period and the company even made specific designs for sale in North America and Canada after Percy Shelley visited the Chicago Exhibition of 1893. Percy Shelley joined the company in 1881 and with James Wileman retiring in 1884, the Shelleys were left in charge.
The late 19th Century was a creative time for Wileman & Co, and under the guiding hand of Percy Shelley, Frederick Rhead was recruited in 1896 as Art Director and remained with the company until 1905. He produced some of the most innovative and creative work that was ever to come out of the Foley Works and was most famously responsible for the Intarsio and Urbato ranges, but he also contributed to many of the patterns used for Shelley's table wares of the same period.
In 1910, the Shelley China mark was officially adopted by Shelley, and steady progress continued through that decade, despite the disruption caused by the war.
After the end of WWI, three of Percy Shelley’s sons joined the company, and throughout the 1920s and 30s Shelley achieved steady growth and success, both at home and in export markets. Notable new ranges in the 1920s & 30s were the nursery wares in the mid-1920s - with designs by Mabel Lucie Attwell and the stylish Harmony ware ranges, all of which were to prove very successful and indeed collectable.
Even the intervention of the Second World War did not cause as many problems for Shelley as for some manufacturers. It was not until after the war ended that problems started to become apparent for Shelley. As the 1950s progressed, Shelley's new designs became less inspired and started to seem dated compared to contemporaries of the time such as Poole and Midwinter. New designs also seemed fewer and farther between. Part of the explanation for this might have been Shelley's continued focus on their export markets - some of their older designs were still selling well to the North American market despite appearing outdated in the UK. Almost inevitably, in 1966 the end came with the buyout of Shelley by Allied British Potteries, who re-equipped Shelley's works to produce Royal Albert pottery, marking the end of an era at the Foley China Works.
Lorna Bailey
The popularity of Lorna Bailey Artware continues to grow so we have added a Lorna Bailey cats section to our site.For collectors wishing to buy new Lorna Bailey Artware, visit www.lorna-bailey.co.uk to see their new Christmas Editions.
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Ally Pally Fairs Return in 2008
As we reported in the December 2006 newsletter, after 25 years the very popular antique fairs at Alexandra Palace, London closed.
We are pleased to report that the fairs are due to return next year under new organizers, Nelson Fairs. They propose to hold three fairs next year on April 13, September 7 and November 23.
Regretfully, we will not be able to have a stand there in April but will book for the remaining two fairs.
eBay
There is a report in the Antiques Trade Gazette stating that the Conseil des Ventes, France’s auction watchdog, has taken eBay to court in a bid to bring the online giant to heel under the country’s auction laws.
Seemingly, French law requires all auctioneers to be approved by the Conseil and subject to strict rules, including the need to provide transparent accounting and stringent guarantees. The Conseil argue that eBay’s activities define them as auctioneers and that they should follow the rules. eBay continue to claim an independent status as a disinterested party providing an auction platform for others to do business – and so are not an auctioneer.
The Conseil warned eBay in September that it was considering legal action, then decided to file the lawsuit when eBay failed to respond.
Diary
Over the next three months we have booked a stand at the following Antiques & Collectors Fairs:-
- Jan 6th and March 2nd – The Grand, The Leas, Folkestone, Kent.
- March 21st and 22nd – Peterborough Festival of Antiques.
- March 23rd and 24th – The Brentwood Antique Fair, The Brentwood Centre, Doddinghurst Road, Essex
If you are in the area, please come in and see us. If there is anything you would like us to bring with us, please let us know.We thank you for your custom during 2007 and wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous 2008. |
