AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
April, 1914 
136 
or fancy goods merchants, who 
made little ventures in <>ther 
lines of business than their own. 
After the Revolution the merchant 
marine of Salem increased very fast, 
and they brought goods from every 
land. In 1786 the "Grand 'l\irk" 
was the first New England ship to 
double the Cape for Canton. In 
1805 Salem had forty-eight vessels 
that sailed arouiul the Cape; so no 
wonder the "notable housekeepers ' 
had cupboards full of china. 
Lowestoft is still plentiful in many 
New England towns, as well as in 
the South, showing what large (luan- 
tities of it came to this country: it 
has the most baffling history of any 
ware made within two centuries. Gn 
the question of this porcelain all 
china collectors may be said to be 
ranged in two camps — those who be- 
lieve that Lowestoft was Oriental porcelain, decorated in 
England at the town of that name, and those who believe 
that the decoration as well as the porcelain was made in 
China. To fully understand the differences of opinion it is 
well to begin with the geographical position of the 
town of Lowestoft. It is 
situated in Suffolk on the east 
coast of England, ten miles 
south of Yarmouth. Just op- 
posite, across the North Sea, 
is Rotterdam, in Holland, a 
great port of entry for Dutch 
merchantmen trading from 
the East from as early as 
1600. There was a tax, to 
be sure, on undecorated ware 
brought into England from 
China between the years 
1775 and 1800, yet it can 
ried to England it is strange that 
there is scarcely a piece to be found 
unpainted. I know of but one such 
piece in this country, a helmet cream- 
er. which is held in a private collec- 
tion in Newark, N. J. 
It is admitted on all sides that as 
earlv as 1756 and until 1762, soft 
paste pottery was made at Lowestoft 
in imitation of Delft ware, and dec- 
orated in blue and white. Pieces 
dated and signed are held in and 
about Lowestoft and in several rnii- 
seums in England. Mr- Jewitt, who 
has unearthed what facts are known 
about Lowestoft, says: "The collec- 
tor will be able to distinguish imme- 
diately between those examples paint- 
ed at Lowestoft on Oriental body 
and those which were potted and 
painted there.” 
Nichols, Salem, Massachusetts I he porcelain which ^ 
Lowestoft is of a line pearly tint, the usual color of Chinese 
porcelain. The decoration has certain characteristics which 
are all soon learned, and each collector must make up his 
mind what position he wishes to take in this ^‘sputed 
question if he thinks it is necessary to become an author ty. 
* One of the richest collec- 
tions under one roof is found 
at Concord, Mass. It em- 
braces a great variety, show'- 
ing all the familiar patterns, 
and is a study for the collec- 
tor. One of the most inter- 
esting pieces to be found in 
America is a fine bowl of 
blue and white ware with 
Chinese figures upon it, 
which has the name "Eliza- 
beth Buckle, 1768.” inscribed 
upon it. 
Two Lowestoft teapots. That to the left has band and monopam in 
gold, brought to Salem at an early period. The teapot to the right 
is decorated with the rare rose-spray pattern 
)e seen how easily china could have been shipped in from 
Rotterdam, there being no embargo between England and 
:hat country. 
If such large quantities of undecorated china were car- 
Ever since the days when the gallant chevalier, wearing 
his powdered wig and dressed in short clothes, lifted the 
ponderous knocker that ornamented the front door, either 
to join the group within who sat in the large square room 
Examples of rare Lowestoft. That to the left is decorated with the festoon pallem, that to the right with a ship scene 
