The Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review
January 2, 1933 Pages 53-55
Having just returned from a visit to the Royal Pottery of John Steventon & Sons, Ltd., Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, it is now our pleasure to be able to put on record a few facts - and very interesting and encouraging we ourselves find them to be - in connection with this firm's recent activities.
It is our good fortune to be able to visit many potteries, showrooms, and retail businesses in the course of a year, and we are often confronted with evidences of progress such as are really heartening, but we think we can confidently say that at the present time there is no clearer instance of marked progression in connection with the activities of a pottery firm than is to be met with in the case of the productions of the concern about which it now falls to our lot to write.
Of recent years John Steventon & Sons Ltd., have left no stone unturned to produce a range of general earthenware that is of undeniable merit, technically and artistically, and towards this end they have obviously expended a very considerable sum of money, as well as much serious thought and effort. It is clear that they are determined to produce a range of goods such as will attract the best placed pottery dealers, both at home and abroad, and that they are meeting with a large measure of success in connection with the ambitious programme must be well known to pottery dealers everywhere..
We called the attention of our readers about twelve months ago to the fact that this house, after having already modelled quite a number of new shapes and articles in tableware, has embarked upon, at no inconsiderable expense in modelling, a suite of well over a hundred pieces in the new "Floretta" ware, a modernistic treatment in pottery depending as much for its success upon art modelling as upon a delicate and distinctive treatment of hand-painting. This line, as we confidently anticipated it would be, proved tremendously successful, and it is not surprising that it has provided inspiration for many other incursions into the realm of exploration as regards distinctive ornamental treatments.
We referred also to the fact, early last year, that two new dinner-ware shapes had been modelled, one of which was the "Portman" which, being slightly decorative, was calculated to show up to particular advantage when treated with simple bands of colour in combination with a neat and judicious type of colouring. Since we then wrote, many remarkably good decorations have been applied to this shape, and we are glad to be able to include , in the illustration which accompanies our present notes, an indication of a remarkably attractive best gold decoration, assisted by a slight free-hand treatment. Patterns such as these are of a kind which may be expected to appeal to educated modern tastes, and it is not to be wondered at, therefore, that they are to be found on the tables of the higher grade establishments.
But another new shape has been modelled, known as the "Classic" and to this shape like wise some smart banded treatments are being adapted particularly alternating bands and lines of strong colouring. All sorts of colour contrasts are offered, and very attractive these decorations are. It is almost unnecessary to add that this new "Classic" shape, like its predecessors, is being modelled throughout, so that dinnerware, teaware, and table extras will be available to match..
There is an extremely attractive range of miscellaneous patterns in all sorts of wares for domestic uses. Many of the lines are exceptionally useful as gift wares, for they can be sold either as single pieces or as small composition services. Generally speaking, however, it is upon useful rather than ornamental wares that this house is concentrating just now. They offer purely ornamental wares, it is true, and some that are wonderfully good, being distinctive and at the same time faultless from the point of technique and decoration. The full range of samples should most certainly be referred to by every dealer who prides himself on stocking lines of modern interest coupled with reliability. The firm's London showroom is at 1-3, Union Bank-Buildings., E.C.1'
