Text extracted from opening pages of book: COLLECTING OLD LUSTRE WARE By W. BOSANKO With rosy lustre purpled o'er : Pope, Odyssey ii. LONDON WILLIAM HEINEMANN SILVER LUSTRE TEAPOT ( Trial piece by John Hancocfy The original of the teapot shown above was presented by Mr. W, H. Slater of Derby, who was a designer at Hanley Staffordshire Potteries, to Mr. F. Lawden of Hanley, now at Boscombe, Bourne mouth. Mr. Lawden states that Mr. Slater - was a distant relative of the Hancocks of Worcester and of the John Hancock who invented lustre, according to his own statement and also the statement of Shaw the Staffordshire historian. Mr. Slater assured Mr. Lawden that this was a trial pot by John Hancock and had been in the family up to the time of his presenting it to the recipient. Mr. F. Lawden has been in possession of it for many years. W. B. EDITOR'S PREFACE I BELIEVE this to be the first book on old English lustre ware ever published ; even in casual articles or chapters of other books the information available in print has hitherto been meagre. Yet there are many collectors of old lustre ware ; it still abounds, there is plenty of it to hunt for, and prices are not yet excessive. By the aid of this informative book and the study of museum examples a beginner may equip himself well, and may take up this hobby hopefully, certain of finding treasures of rejoicing for the eye. The author of this very uncommon and useful book is an enthusiast and an expert collector, resident in a district which is traditionally associated with lustre pottery. He has gone about his collecting in the spirit of research ; he has not been content merely to amass, he has sought to know all about his hobby ; and in this book he compares, classifies, and arranges lustre wares comprehensively, in a way that nobody else has tried to do. The illustrations, skilfully selected and finely rendered, are almost an education in themselves, and they show that the author has made of his collecting' an art as well as a science. I am happy in being able to add this book to the Collectors' Pocket Series. KANSAS CITY &:. 65Q4572 AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION SOME of the brilliant lustres produced by the early Staffordshire potters notably during the Wedgwood period have an exceptional interest, and the history of the production of lustre ware at the various centres of potting is as elusive as the rich bloom for which the collector now seeks. The absence of historical sequence, the paucity both of data and marked examples, together with the erratic manner in which the metallic glazes were associated with the pottery and porcelain made in the English factories at the beginning of the nineteenth century and onwards, all tend to add fascination to the pursuit of the finer specimens which have survived. The following publications have been quoted or otherwise made use of, particularly affecting the histori cal points : Handbook of English Earthenware ( South Kensington), by Sir Arthur H. Church, K. C. V. O., F. R. S. Transfer Printing on English Pottery and Porce lains,*' by W. Turner, F. R. S. The Connoisseur. Staffordshire Pots and Potters, by G. W. and F. A. Rhead. ix AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION British Pottery Marks, by G. W. Rhead, R. E. Chats on English Earthenware, by A. Hayden. Articles from London Opinion, by J. F. Blacker. Mr. J. R. Kidson gave valuable help on Leeds wares. In addition, thanks are also due to Mr. W. J. Pountney who gave exceptional help respecting the early Bristol Potteries and information about practical potting. Thanks are hereby tendered to Dr. J. Maurice Harper of Bath who supplied several interesting photographs of specimens from his rich collection of Staffordshire pottery, to Messrs. M. Cook, W, McClelland and A. T. Jenkins for the loan of certain specimens, and to Mr. A. Chambers of Buxton for a print in the Copper section. W. B. TREGADJACK. KNOWLE, BRISTOL CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE vii ILLUSTRATIONS xiii CHAPTER I. ( a) LUSTRE 1 ( b) ENGLISH LUSTROUS WARES 3 --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.