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Sunday, July 28, 2013

Pearlware/Creamware FEATHEREDGE

The simple design yet very elegant appeal - FeatherEdge stoneware/china - - dishes that are known as featheredge creamware pottery was produced by many 18th and 19th century pottery companies.

Close up view of edge
 
 

Creamware is a cream-coloured, refined earthenware created about 1750 by the potters of Staffordshire, England, which proved ideal for domestic ware. It was popular until the 1840s.
It served as an inexpensive substitute for Chinese export porcelain. The most notable producer of creamware was Josiah Wedgwood. Around 1779, he was able to lighten the cream colour to a bluish white using cobalt in the lead overglaze. Wedgwood sold this more desirable product under the name pearl ware.

Each company that made creamware, also sometimes called pearlware, had several variations in design, depending on the artists design concept. Each company had its own design pattern for the featheredge used on a given item. The pottery piece was formed from a soft paste clay, and glazed in cream color, with a color used at the edge that slightly bled into the cream color. The edges also possessed an impressed design, hence the name featheredge. There were several colors used for the color at the edge. Color's such as: hues of green, red, yellow, and blue.

Feather Edge Ware, also known as Shell Edge Ware, (most collectors today use term featheredge), was used in the housholds of all classes for everyday use. It was made mainly in the Staffordshire and Leeds areas of England and exported to many areas of the world. The United States was the main importer. It was made with salt glaze stoneware, whiteware, pearlware, creamware and ironstone bodies. The older pieces have incised designs on the edge.



Feather Edge is a period term used by English potters and American importers for common 18th century creamware items having an embossed “comma-like” rim design. The term is specifically used in pattern books published by Wedgwood, Leeds, Castleford and the Don Pottery. It is most often found on plates and platters, but occasionally appears on hollowwares.

There are alot of collectors for featheredge stoneware/china. It is difficult to find and therefore rather pricey.  You will find more of the colbalt flow blue edge than the other colors. Some pieces will have minor chips or cracks, which are also collected, and priced accordingly.  This just proves how hard it is to find. We have been fortunate to purchase several platters, soup bowls, and plates from someone who hunted for and collected it for 40 years.
 

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