RERAMIC STUDIO 
m 
the examples which are accessible to us we cannot discover 
any indications of two distinct origins, and it is therefore 
reasonably safe to assume that all of this ware which has 
found its way to America is from the same general source, be 
it England or China. In view of the fact that fully identified 
pieces are so rare in English collections it would seem 
improbable that the immense quantities of this ware found in 
this country could be of English manufacture. We cannot 
suppose that the American market should have been selected 
by the small English factory as a dumping ground for the 
great bulk of its products. Indeed, if one-tenth of the ware 
which is known here as "Lowestoft" could have been made 
at the English factory, that establishment must have been 
the largest of its kind in all of Europe. 
First let us consider the subject of paste or body. No 
one will dispute the assertion that ordinary Chinese porcelain 
presents similar characteristics to what we call "Lowestoft." 
In fact the two are identical in all points, save the one of dec- 
oration. No English porcelain is known, be it Lowestoft, 
Plymouth or Bristol, that possesses the same peculiarities, — 
the distinctive, greenish or bluish tinge, the extreme brittle- 
ness, the pitted appearance of the glaze and the uneven sur- 
face of the paste. 
The second point to be considered is the character of the 
forms of " Lowestoft " vessels. For a century and a half or 
more the helmet cream pitcher and the twisted and floriated 
handles of sugar bowls and tea pots, the jar shaped vases and 
square, flat tea caddies have been conspicuous among 
Oriental wares. These shapes first appeared in the blue Can- 
ton china and were exactly reproduced later in the mono- 
chrome and polychrome-painted wares. We search in vain 
among them all for English models. 
ORIENTAL "LOWESTOFT" BLUE AND GOLD DECORATION. 
Pennsylvania Museum, Philadelphia. 
As an -illustration of the first described class of " Lowes- 
toft " ware, we here show two pieces, a small tray and tea 
caddy in the Pennsylvania Museum, Philadelphia. The dec- 
orations are entirely in blue, relieved by gold stars and dots. 
It is what is commonly known as "Lowestoft" porcelain, yet 
beside it in the same case are some pieces of identical form 
and paste which are unquestionably of Chinese origin. 
The second class is represented by a little group of 
"Lowestoft " which may be seen in the Boston Museum of 
Fine Arts. The saucer to the left of the group and the cup 
are of similar character to the two pieces already shown, with 
identical decorative designs. The toddy jug, teapot and 
plate are decorated in various colors and are unquestionably 
of Eastern manufacture. 
ORIENTAL " LOWESTOFT. " MONOCHROME DECORATION. 
From private collection in Milford, Pa. 
Illustrating the third class is a portion of a table service, 
consisting of helmet creamer, cup and saucer, teapot and 
sugar bowl, embellished with a design of the American Eagle 
and thirteen stars, and the characteristic dotted border lines. 
These pieces are decorated in brown and gold and evidently 
form part of an order executed in China for an American 
purchaser. 
One of the most striking forms of "Lowestoft" vases is 
shown in the accompanying cut. These were usually made 
in pairs and placed at each side of the mantel, but it is seldom 
that they are found with the cover intact. The decorations 
were generally in colors and gold, though occasionally in 
brown. 
ORIENTAL "LOWESTOFT." POLYCHROME DECORATION. 
By courtesy of N. Metzger, New York, 
A most interesting piece of so-called "Lowestoft" porce- 
lain is to be seen in the Bloomfield Moore collection of the 
Pennsylvania Museum, Philadelphia. It is an enormous 
punch bowl, 21 inches in diameter, with exterior decorations 
in various colors. In the interior are carefully lettered docu- 
ments in the Swedish language, closely imitating printing. 
