Glamorgan Antiques Newsletter
April 2002 - Newsletter # 1
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WELCOME.
Firstly we would like to welcome you all to this first newsletter from Glamorgan antiques.We hope that it will appeal to all lovers of Antiques, whether newcomers or more experienced Collectors.Anyway, the learning process in Antiques never ends,we all get to be more experienced but we never stop learning.
In This Edition
REPRODUCTION STILL HAUNTS THE ANTIQUE FAIRS AND INTERNET
BEGINNERS GUIDE TO IDENTIFYING CONTINENTAL EUROPE PORCELAIN
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COLLECTABLES.
Glamorgan antiques has a Spring sale in the Collectables Department.We
are offering a 10% reduction in price on anything advertised in this
section.The reason being we have new items waiting to be added,so we
need to move some of the other stock first. Unlike Fashion such as Clothes,
antiques are never outdated, so a sale in Antiques can be a very rewarding
experience for the Collectors..Never ever turn down a good buy in Antiques,as
there is always a buyer waiting in the wings who knows that a 2nd chance
may never occur..Most Antiques are difficult to find, especially for
Specialist buyers, and Antiques apart from Reproduction, cannot be ordered
like usual shop items.
You only get "one bite of the cherry" to to speak! So, our advice to you is to take the proverbial "bull by the horns" and "grab" the opportunity while you can!!
Please look at our extensive stock list of Collectable items - Click HERE
VICTORIAN
FLOW BLUE.
We have been rather unhappy, for want of a better word, lately, to see
Victorian Flow Blue being offered for sale on the Internet that is not
Flow Blue at all ,just ordinary Blue and white transfer.Real Vicrorian
Flow Blue was in the beginning a mistake by the Potteries of Staffordshire,
England.This "accident" occured at the beginning of Queen
Victorias illustrious and long reign, when mistakes in the Transfer
process at the potteries caused the Ink blue to "Flow" into
the clear white glaze that resulted in a muzzy appearance.It was originally
rejected by the British public, and the consequence was, that most of
it was shipped to the Americas, where it was welcomed by open arms of
the eager American buyers.
Eventually, the British people also started to "like" the
Muzzy appearance on their dishes, and so to the delight of the hundreds
of Staffordshire potteries, the Blue was now allowed to freely flow
into the white at every opportunity.Eventually, this appearance was
thought of by the sentimental Victorians as being rather Romantic, and
whole dinner sets of enormous proportions were stamped with the patterns,
such as "Romance" and "Wild Roses".
A whole new generation of collectors now avidly search for Victorian
Flow Blue items at every opportunity, but do please make sure that the
Blue is Flow Blue and not just an ordinary blue and white transfer.You
can read a fuller version of the delights of Flow blue in our article
from the pottery section, which can be read by clicking onto this link
here.
For Flow Blue Items for sale please look at Pottery Page 1 and Pottery Page 2
REPRODUCTION
STILL HAUNTS THE ANTIQUE FAIRS AND INTERNET
PLease be wary of the enormous amount of Reproduction that is being
sold at Antique fairs and on the Internet.Please be sure that you all
buy your items, especially Staffordshire figures, from reputable and
knowledgeable dealers.Remember to always check the base of Staffordshire
Comforter dogs, and steer clear of Dogs with large base holes (Not damage)
or no base at all.The only small exception to this rule, is in 20th
century Black glossy dogs with glass eyes.Some of these,Jackfield type,black
glaze dogs have larger holes or no filled in bases at all.Check the
edge of the unglazed pottery to make sure that the pottery colour is
a dark brick red,this was the colour of the Jackfield clay used.If the
colour is whitish grey, then the Dogs are reproduction post 1960 and
modern.Most of the black dogs, especially those with glass eyes were
made in the early part of the 1900's up to 1930 even.Also some Staffordshire
lions with their front paw resting on a ball were also made at the beginning
of the 1900's, the ball represented the world, and the Lion was the
old British Empire.No Staffordshire made in the early part of the 1900's
should be unduly expensive,as this was the final period of Staffordshire
and the finesse and appeal in these late issues is not really present..One
final point we would like to make, please remember that Staffordshire
animals with glass eyes are not as old as those with painted eyes.Most
people think it is the other way around, but it is not.To read a fuller
account of Staffordshire figures written by Glamorgan antiques please
click here.
BEGINNERS
GUIDE TO IDENTIFYING CONTINENTAL EUROPE PORCELAIN.
Most continental Europe(Not Britain) porcelain is of the hard paste
type, very white and glassy.Many people ask us to value European Porcelain
- because their items carry the underglaze blue crossed swords backstamp,or
the Vienna Beehive etc., and they are mistakingly led to believe that
their own items are, therefore, by the great Meissen and Vienna factories....In
fact most blue crossed swords and beehive marks are just Pseudo or mock..However,
even though they are not really Meissen ,Dresden or Vienna, some of
these lesser factories produced some beautiful porcelain throughout
the Victorian period, and into the 20th century..At the time of manufacture,
classical scenes of Ladies and Cherubs (Putti) cavorting around Italianate
gardens eating bunches of grapes was considered the height of good taste,
but they were only copying the scenes that were taken from great paintings
of the 18th century.Some of these artists, who, incidentally had died
before the Porcelain was made, have their names or signatures on the
panels of these items, but please note, the artists did not actually
paint these items themselves, as they are only transfer copies of the
original paintings,with perhaps a touch of later hand painting highlighting
these most attractive scenes.One lady artist that readily springs to
mind is Angelica Kauffman.The potteries delighted in copying her wonderful
paintings, but the signature is only a copy as Angelica Kauffman died
long before these porcelain items were produced.
WHAT
TO COLLECT?
We are often asked this very question by the buying public.Our answer
is always the same,"Collect whatever appeals to you". What
is the point of filling your shelves up with plates and dishes you do
not really like, just because a friend or someone in a magazine said
that they like to collect these particular plates and dishes.. If you
enjoy looking at Glass paperweights then start a collection, and, if
possible buy a reference book on the subject you want to collect.If
on the other hand you are drawn to Pewter, then buy Pewter. However
always,always,buy from reputable sources..Ask questions and study your
subject in depth before investing your money.Later on your taste may
change, you may suddenly decide you want to collect something entirely
different, but our advice to you is to buy the best of what you like,even
though you may have to pay rather more than you wanted to,as, in the
end you will be glad that you did, especially if you decide to sell
your early collection..Your "buying" the best will always
pay for itself in the long run.
Please look at our extensive stock list of Collectable items - Click HERE
BE KIND TO EACH OTHER,BE HELPFUL TOO.
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