Country Pursuits

There are six basic hunting scenes, two for fishing and three for shooting. All are printed and  hand enamelled. Originally the subjects were painted by male artists including Gresley, Dean, Mosley, Barlow and Browning (See below). Subsequently they were painted by the women enamellers including Brenda ("Pip") Bentley, F Cox, J F Kinder and J Doyle.

Most shown above are in the "1928" shape.  The "New" shape is less commonly found. "Snipe Shooting" is signed by E Browning. The John Peel poem was written by John Woodcock Graves (1795-1886).

A collection of 1920 shape coloured boxes and 1800 shape trays. Some were perhaps sold together as smokers sets.  One of the respondents to the Derby Telegraph Article who worked at the factory from 1940-45 recalls "another young man named Ernie Browning painted dogs on ash trays". The above example has a date cipher for 1939. If anyone has any further information about him I would be delighted to include it.

An assortment of trinket trays in other shapes with a hunting theme. J Doyle appears on the "Staff List 1947" page and was employed at the factory from 1960 to about 1968.  The Highland Cattle heart shaped dish appears curtesy of the Hannah Goodsell collection.

Smokers Set in the Gadroon Shape

1920 shape box with painted moose image signed Gresley.

1754 shape covered box with "Bob white" Quail adornment.  I have seen a similar box with a Pheasant on it.

1754 shape covered box. So far this is the only piece I have found associated with the sport of horse racing.  It is signed by Gresley, and was perhaps a special commission.

Cup, saucer, side plate and large sugar basin in the Stanhope shape signed J Barlow.  So far I have not seen a piece marked with a pattern number.

Large breakfast cup and saucer signed J Barlow. No marked pattern number.

Ely shape tea cup and saucer with cobalt ground signed J Barlow. No marked pattern number.

Edinburgh shape coffee cup and saucer plus orphan coffee cup.

Chelsea shape coffee cups and saucers in patterns A292 and A293. Seen as a coffee set to include A294 with coffee pot, sugar basin cream jug and six cups and saucers.

Coffee cup and saucer in the Chelsea shape signed J Kinder

The remnants of a tea set signed by H Pausch '57. It was presumably painted by the Henry A Pausch whose signature appears on Cauldon Ware, which had been part of the group controlled by Harold Taylor Robinson. Most of the artists worked freelance and this was perhaps a special commission. 

Two goblets by Dean in the 1942 shape.

Loving cup and two large trophy vases. The vase with the ground to the foot is signed by Mosley.

Large tyg or three handled loving cup in Rouen shape 884 signed Barlow, perhaps a special commission.

Hunting scene plate signed by Mosley in the Devon shape. Pattern number A673.

Round wall plaque signed "M.M.Barlow".  These also appear in an Oval  version and  signed "Dean".  Two small hunting scene plaques which I suspect would have been mounted originally or perhaps these are pot lids.

Six game centres by Donald Birbeck all on the Vine shape (Pattern A971).  Siam Green ground apart from the final two which have a cobalt ground. Also seen in this series Summer Ducks, Mallard, Blue Winged Teal,  Prairie Hens, Ruffed Grouse, Snipe, Wild Turkey, Bob White, Blackgame and Teal.

Silver shape with Montreal green ground and "Teal" centre by Donald Birbeck.

Plain shape plate (Pattern A268) with image taken from a painting by Donald Birbeck. It has a T Goode Royal Crown Derby factory mark and date cipher for 1937. The original watercolour is also shown above together with a Clarence shape plate with the same image enamelled and signed by T. (Tim) Bramfitt (1962-64). There are two paintings by Birbeck of Pheasants, but so far it seems that only one version was used by the factory. The second painting of the pair is shown above. Versions in oils have been sold through Auction Houses, to include some of the other images in the A268 series. The images of the paintings are courtesy of the Robinson Newman collection.

Hunting Scenes on the Gadroon Shape.  The six different scenes are shown here together as a set.  All are signed "Barlow". Factory marks for 1948.

Three dinner plates of unknown shape. The last two scenes appear in the heart shaped trays listed above. The first image appears courtesy of the Robinson Newman Collection.

Jorrocks plate in the less common silver shape -  "Pigg flew a double flight of oak rails". So far I have found twelve different scenes in the series.

Jorrocks plate in the Gadroon Shape - "A horse with only one fault".  Factory mark for 1944. Not the usual Handley Cross factory mark in this example. The gilding on the rim just above the shoulder is the same as that used on pattern A258 "Warwick" and is all by hand, not printed.  Remarkable skill on the part of the gilder. Unfortunately there is no gilder's mark on this piece. 

Four Jorrocks plates in the Stanhope shape with Siam green grounds.  From left to right - "Mr Jorrocks Come hup! I say, you ugly Beast", "Pigg flew a double flight of oak rails", "Mr Jorrocks winking at the nursery governess" and  "Starting for the cut me down countries".   

Five Jorrocks plates in the Vine shape with Siam green grounds.  From left to right - "Mind the Bull", "Pigg flew a double flight of oak rails", "Mr Jorrocks in Clover", "The biggest fox whatever was seen" and "The hill on the cat and custard pot days"    

Three Jorrocks plates in the Vine shape with Golden Fawn grounds.  From left to right -  "The biggest fox whatever was seen", "Mr Jorrocks sounds twenty" and "Mr Jorrocks winking at the nursery governess".

Five Jorrocks plates in the Vine shape with Celadon, Montreal Green and Salmon Pink Grounds.  From left to right - "Mr Jorrocks sounds twenty", "Mr Jorrocks Lecture on 'unting", "Hurt? No sir rather the contrary", "Mr Jorrocks winking at the nursery governess" and "Mr Jorrocks Come hup! I say, you ugly Beast".

Three vine plates with a hunting theme.

The plate in the first image is one of a set of six "Hand Painted Hunting Scenes" centres on Lombardy pattern plates. It is signed by C.M. (Catherine Mary) Pell (1965-70). The final image is more of a cartoon hunting scene, of a type more usually found on Cauldon ware and is dated C1965.