Fabulous Museum Quality Set of Six Antique Willow Pattern Teaplates By WmAdams & Co Warranted Staffordshire, Tunstall, England from Circa 1891-1910 (and Some Circa 1860)
A possible impending house move has forced me into evaluating all the contents of my attic and some items will have to go, in my effort to downsize. I'm making progress but more items need to go!
I have quite the selection of Willow Pattern which I have collected over the years and used for buffets, afternoon teas, and for display on my kitchen dresser, but I have too much Willow Pattern for my needs so this set of six can go!
For sale here is a Fabulous Museum Quality Set of Six Antique Willow Pattern Teaplates By WmAdams & Co Warranted Staffordshire, Tunstall, England from Circa 1891-1910 (and Some Circa 1860) measuring 6.75 inches/17 cm in diameter.
The history bit!:
The Adams family, and William Adams in particular are synonymous with Staffordshire Pottery through the centuries. The Adams family had potteries in Staffordshire as early as 1650. At that date two brothers, William and Thomas had separate ventures in Burslem. Such family activity has continued to the present.
William Adams and Company, with large potteries in Tunstall is managed by members who are the 11th and 12th generations in direct descent from the original 17th century Adams of Burslem.
Attributing examples of china marked Adams to a particular man can be complicated and confusing because so many of them bore the same given name: William!! In the latter part of the 18th-century and continuing into the 19th, there were three William Adams. All were cousins and operated their own large potteries independent of the others. Further, with one exception, they were succeeded by sons of the same given name who, in the main, continued making the same kinds of wares!!!
William Adams & Co (& Sons) operated from Tunstall from 1769 until the firm was acquired by the Wedgwood Group in 1966. The Adams name continued under Wedgwood until the 1990's.
This is a fabulous set of six matching teaplates which I think are all by W Adams, given the fact they are the same version of Willow pattern, and are from the same molds. However, only two are backstamped featuring a scroll design and the words Warranted Staffordshire, Wm Adams & Co, T, England. This places these two plates at circa 1891 - 1910, and thus genuinely antique.
The other four are unmarked on the reverse but are actually older again, dating to 1860 at the latest, due to the presence of tripod stilt marks on the front and back of the plates. Tripod stilts were used in the Staffordshire potteries (and possibly Scotland) between circa 1760 and circa 1860, and they were used as a method of stacking plates/platters for glazing in the kiln.
I have photographed the stilt marks, which are not flaws, but is the way I can date these four plates to over 160 years old.
These six plates are in excellent antique condition, considering their great age, with no cracks, chips, crazing or pattern loss apart from one small chip to the rear of one plate, as photographed.
Perfect for special occasion use, but would also look fabulous as part of a display of Willow pattern on a kitchen dresser. Truly a museum quality set, especially given that they are a set of six. These standard of plates rarely ever come up other than as individual plates, so wonderful to have six place settings.
They would be wonderful on display in some grand house where I could come visit them, but really I am just happy if they find a good home where they will be cherished as they were with me!! I sold a large set of matching plates in three sizes last year, unfortunately forgetting that I also had these, as they were packed away.
Keep a watch on my other Willow Pattern ads as I have various other willow pattern items of interest!!!
Check out my other ads and more coming soon! Discounts possible for multiple purchases!
- Collection
- Post/Courier
- Cash
- Bank transfer
2 months ago
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