Kneeling Nude potter - "Late Mayers" 1790

The introduction of the trade mark

A company called Bates, Elliott & Co. (1870-75) first introduced a trade mark of a kneeling potter with the date 1790 underneath.

This mark was continued by sucessive companies operating at the Dale Hall pottery works.

One of the more successful earlier occupiers of the Dale Hall works was Mayer Bros (c.1843-55) and it was Bates, Walker & Co (1875-78) who added 'Late Mayers' to the mark.

Why is the ware marked with the date "1790"?

If you have a piece of pottery with this date "1790" printed on the bottom, then one thing you can be sure of - it was not made in 1790.
The earliest date it can be is 1870, and it may be as late as 1936.

It was not unusual for potters to try to establish an early date, to try to give their ware some sense of history and value.

The occupiers of the Dale Hall pottery works used the date "1790" - which was the date the works were first built by Joseph Stubbs.

The wording "LATE MAYERS" refers to Thomas, John & Joshua Mayer who operated from 1843.

click for more on the Dale Hall Pottery Works

Short history from" Jewitt's "Ceramic Art of Great Britain 1800-1900"

"The extensive works at Dale Hall (or Dale Hole, as it used to be written), founded in 1790 originally belonged to Joseph Stubbs - a successful manufacturer of earthenware during the 1822-5 period, who having retired from business, died in 1836. He was succeeded in about 1843 by Messrs. Thomas, John & Joshua Mayer, who from 1855 traded as Mayer Brothers & Elliot, and from them the works passed through the firms of Mayer & Elliot, Liddle, Elliot, & Co., Bates, Elliot & Co., Bates, Walker & Co., and Bates, Gildea & Walker to the firm of Gildea & Walker during the 1881-6 period."

"The marks of Messrs. Mayer were T. J. & J. MAYER; MAYER BROS, etc. Those of the later firms were BATES, WALKER & Co. PATENTEES (or other successive changes), on an oval ribbon, with date, etc., of registration inside; and a nude figure kneeling and holding a ewer in front of him, on a tablet with the date 1790.

This device was introduced in a variety of ways, with the initials B.W. & CO., B.G. & W., or G. & W„ LATE MAYERS, and the name of the pattern, etc. On some, the device is surrounded by a circular ribbon, on others by a triangular one.

Messrs. Gildea & Walker continued to 1886. The Dale Hall Works were subsequently worked by Keeling & Co. (Ltd.) from 1886 to 1936. They used the above mark with the initials K & Co. B."

Bates, Walker & Co. (1875-78) continued the belt mark and the name 'English Porcelain'. They also added 'Late Mayers' to the mark.
English Porcelain B W & Co Bates & Walker (impressed)	B W & Co Late Mayers Bamboo is the pattern name - the registration diamond gives the date when the pattern was first registered: 8th Feb 1876

Bates, Gildea & Walker (1877-81) continued the kneeling potter mark

B G & W
Late Mayers

Pomegranate is the pattern name

B G & W
Late Mayers

KIÔTO is the pattern name
registration date:
24 Nov 1880

Impressed mark 3/81 is the date of manufacture: March 1881

Gildea & Walker (1881-85) continued the previous marks, they appear to be the first to use the words TRADE MARK associaed with the kneeling potter mark.
A number of marks appear which are clearly impressed with GILDEA & WALKER and an impressed month/date which corresponds with the Gildea & Walker operation, however they have the transfer printed mark 'B W & Co' of the earlier Bates, Walker & Co - the assumption is that Gildea & Walker had a stock of the earlier transfers which they used up for cost saving.

1790
Trade mark

G & W
Late Mayers

SYLVAN is the pattern name
registration year: 1884

English Porcelain
B W & Co

Gildea & Walker
(impressed)

Impressed mark 10/84 is the date of manufacture: Oct 1884

James Gildea (1885-88) continued the previous marks.
As with Gildea & Walker number of marks appear which are clearly impressed with GILDEA and an impressed month/date which corresponds with the James Gildea operation, however they have the transfer printed mark 'B W & Co' of the earlier Bates, Walker & Co - the assumption is that James Gildea continued to use a stock of the earlier transfers.

J. G.
Late Mayers

LEAF is the pattern name

J. G.
Late Mayers

CRUSOE is the pattern name
registration year: 1886

English Porcelain
B W & Co

Gildea
(impressed)

Impressed mark 1/86 is the date of manufacture: January 1886

Dale Hall Pottery Co (1892) continued the kneeling potter mark. They were only in operation for a year - concurrent with Keeling & Co
Dale Hall Pottery Co Alpine is the pattern name	Semi-China Dale Hall Pottery Co England also including the printed mark 'B W & Co' of the earlier Bates, Walker & Co

Keeling & Co (1887-1936) continued the previous marks. They sometimes included the letter 'B' in their mark to signify the town of Burslem, where the works were located. Some 'kneeling potter' marks introduced a crown over the mark. Some later mark retained the crown and 'Late Mayers' but not the kneeling potter.
K & Co B Late Mayers PEONIES is the pattern name	Keeling & Co Ltd Late Mayers England	Losol Ware K & Co B Late Mayers Made in England TOKIO is the pattern name	Losol Ware Keeling & Co Ltd Est. 1790 Late Mayers England

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