I1ERAMIC STUDIO 
'97 
and the fabulously high prices asked for " Pinxton China" 
(articles generally numbered but rarely marked, though some 
of them bear the letter P over glaze in red) and its great rarity, 
confirm these conclusions. Such is, however, not the case, or 
at least experts agree to the statement that while at Derby 
Billingsley did his best work, for he then had but one idea, 
and that to paint as well as he knew how, upon most perfectly 
made porcelain. Having after his removal assumed interests 
and responsibilities in a pottery where all the practical prob- 
lems fell upon him for solution, he is said to have dropped 
his palette and to have given his entire time to the develop- 
ment of body and kilns. 
Pinxton pieces therefore must interest us more because 
*'^ftW««^Vir»«Wmiifl».lm««»«i»««»«»»*»** > ^ 
Dish ol Nantgarw ch 
pegwm. Decorated by ] 
of Morgan S. Willi; 
of the development of paste, than for increased skill in flower 
painting. The arrangement between Coke and Billingsley 
was of short duration. Various changes were made and 
Billingsley bought plain white Staffordshire porcelain and did 
some independent decorating, before he went to Worcester 
under an engagement to work for the pottery there. His 
work while in Worcester commanded high prices and "Billings- 
ley Roses " on Worcester porcelain are much appreciated by 
those who possess Worcester of that period. 
Later, with his son-in-law, he started a pottery at Nant- 
garw, under the firm name of " Billingsley & Walker." Here 
they developed their ware, and sent a sample to the govern- 
ment for analysis and recognition, hoping to receive govern- 
ment aid. The result of these proceedings was the final pur- 
chase of the works by Mr. Dillwyn of Swansea, who trans- 
ferred all material to Swansea. Mr. Dillwyn was warned by 
Messrs. Hight & Barr of Worcester against " Billingsley & 
Walker." After two years Mr. Dillwyn dismissed the two 
men, who returned to Nantgarw, where they produced many 
beautiful pieces which are very rare and command high prices. 
Mr. Rose of the Coalport works, feeling that the Nant- 
garw trade would seriously affect their own, bought up the 
stock and all their recipes for pastes and glazes, and removed 
all, as well as the Swansea works, to Coalport, entering into a 
permanent arrangement with Billingsley and Walker. Thus 
the Nantgarw factory, just as it was approaching perfection 
in its productions, was forever closed. 
In 1827 Billingsley died. Walker removed to America 
where he founded a pottery at New Troy — "The Temperance 
Hill Pottery." 
Now observe the difficulties that beset the student. Por- 
celain cups and saucers, looking much like each other, bear 
some of them one mark, some another, some are numbered, 
and some are absolutely without designation, yet each and 
all may bear indisputable evidence that the roses are "Billings- 
ley Roses." By tracing the migrations of the artist, and in 
this way alone, can we learn how to account for these manifes 
tations, and In this way alone can we become honest 
judges of wares. We must not and we need not make Derby 
and Worcester pastes resemble each other in order to claim 
that the decorator painted the roses on both this and that 
cup. Our half knowledge is at fault, and we must supplement 
that we already possess by study and investigation. An in- 
terest attaches itself to the possessions of one who has ac- 
quired a bit of early Derby, a crude piece of Pinxton, and a 
Worcester cup and saucer, a Nantgarw plate, and a Coal- 
port cup, each one of the articles suggesting at least the work 
of Wm. Billingsley. To bring to bear upon our collecting 
this determination to classify broadly, will cause us to use all 
the side lights available, looking not so much for marks as for 
styles in the art of the potter. 
If we are hunting for specimens of wares, one cannot 
find them by studying decorations. If we are looking for the 
work of this or that artist, the nature of wares will not reveal 
the knowledge we seek. How easily an artist might buy 
undecorated plates from twenty different potteries and con- 
fuse the unwary by painting all alike. 
Silk does not look like cotton, nor satin like velvet. To 
the educated eye potteries and porcelains are as widely dif- 
ferent and yet may be as well known. 
Sauci 
;r of Sws 
.tisea china, 
from 
the collection 
of 
Charl 
es J. 
Jac: 
iS( 
m, Esq, 
Pel 
lylan, 
Cardiff. 
Painted b. 
v Will 
iam. Pc 
>llard, 
ne 
of the 
best k 
now 
rn 
Swan 
art 
ists, v 
vho was c 
•onsidered si 
jperioi 
• to all c 
ithers in 
hii 
3 treat 
nient ( 
)[ the 1 
wild re 
ise. 
These illustrat 
ions are froi 
n "The Cerai 
nies of S' 
wa 
nseaa 
nd Na 
ntg: 
ar- 
.v, by 
w. 
Tu 
rner," 
and are 
reproduced 
by ci 
curtesy 
of the 
pu 
blishet 
s, Be 
mro 
se 
& So 
ns. 
Lit 
nited, 
London. 
The last illusti 
•ation docs 1 
vot pre 
jperly t 
.elong to 
- tt 
is arti 
clc bu 
t is 
gi 
ven a. 
spe 
cimen 
of Swans 
iea decorated by 
ne of th 
e best ki 
101 
vn coi 
a petit 
ors 
of 
Billin 
gs- 
It may be interesting to know that the Derby factory has lately pla 
market some very fine reproductions of Billingsley plates. Specimens c 
chased at Tiffany's.— [Ed.] 
