RELATED TRIVIA :
The Ceramics Above are all Early ‘Worcester.
1 - 'Worcester' is the only British porcelain manufactory to endure as same company / same name
from its 1751 inception until today. Even the most casual shopper
might know the popular Worcester ovenproof 'Evesham' pattern -
available frequently at T.J. Maxx!
2 - The Worcester Manufactory was founded in 1751 by a rather
'versatile' grocer / banker - and a coalminer who happened to have a license to mine soaprock.
3 - The British passion for tea demanded a ceramic that wouldn't
burst when very hot water (needed for tea-making) hit the inside of the pot
(as it did 'pottery'- both then and now). Soaprock added to clay happened to solve that problem -
and voila (with some trial and error) -
early British Worcester (soft paste) 'porcelain'.
4 - The blue came from the mineral cobalt. It was both painted and 'transfer printed'
These early wares for some reason always appear fresh, clean, pretty -
and very nice to wake up to!
The Silver :
1 - The early British fork with three tines appeared in the late 17th century.
These tines represented the 3 fingers God gave us,
with which all of God’s solid foods should be eaten -
formerly the thumb and two fingers.
2 - Huguenot Silversmith Paul de Lamerie :
The V&A describes Paul de Lamerie as the
"greatest silversmith working in England in the 18th century",
with "exceptional powers of invention and creation…and ability as a
businessman, retailing some astonishingly spectacular silverware."
3 - Samuel Pemberton - from a family of silversmiths and considered
by most to be the best Birmingham box maker of his day.
He was made Guardian of the Assay Office in 1793.
(The blueberry pancakes by Stax, Memphis)
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