The Herculaneum Pottery was based in

Toxteth Toxteth is an inner-city area of Liverpool in the historic county of Lancashire and the ceremonial county of Merseyside. Toxteth is located to the south of Liverpool city centre, bordered by Aigburth, Canning, Dingle, and Edge Hill. The area ...

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. between 1793/94 and 1841. They made

creamware Creamware is a cream-coloured refined earthenware with a lead glaze over a pale body, known in France as '' faïence fine'', in the Netherlands as ''Engels porselein'', and in Italy as ''terraglia inglese''.Osborne, 140 It was created about 17 ...

and pearlware

pottery Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and ...

as well as

bone china Bone china is a type of ceramic that is composed of bone ash, feldspathic material, and kaolin. It has been defined as "ware with a translucent body" containing a minimum of 30% of phosphate derived from animal bone and calculated calcium phospha ...

porcelain Porcelain () is a ceramic material made by heating substances, generally including materials such as kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to other types of pottery, arises main ...

. About 1793-4 Richard Abbey, who had been apprenticed to John Sadler, an engraver, started a pottery at Toxteth Park, on the north side of the

River Mersey The River Mersey () is in North West England. Its name derives from Old English and means "boundary river", possibly referring to its having been a border between the ancient kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria. For centuries it has formed par ...

, along with a Scotsman named John Graham. In 1796 they sold the business to Worthington, Humble & Holland, who engaged as manager Ralph Mansfield, of

Burslem Burslem ( ) is one of the six towns that along with Hanley, Tunstall, Fenton, Longton and Stoke-upon-Trent form part of the city of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, England. It is often referred to as the "mother town" of Stoke on Trent. ...

. He left them after some years' service, and commenced a small pottery on his own account. In addition to Mansfield, the new company engaged about forty men from the Staffordshire potteries, and they were transported there by boat. The buildings acquired from Abbey were considerably enlarged and improved, and as

Wedgwood Wedgwood is an English fine china, porcelain and luxury accessories manufacturer that was founded on 1 May 1759 by the potter and entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood and was first incorporated in 1895 as Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd. It was rapid ...

had called his new colony " Etruria", the company christened theirs " Herculaneum". The first productions were transfer-printed earthenware, which was carefully potted and of a somewhat deeper shade than that of

. The company must have done a good trade with America, because there are many pieces bearing American designs and emblems. Some services had the embossed basket rims, and one of these was printed with views of well-known English scenery. Terra-cotta vases and statuettes in black basaltes were also made, as were also jugs with relief figures. In 1800 the manufactory was considerably enlarged, and again in 1806. Early in the 19th century china was produced, and its manufacture was continued to the close of the works. In 1833 the company was dissolved, and sold for £25,000 ($125,000) to Mr. Ambrose Lace, who leased the premises to Thomas Case and James Mort. They introduced as a trademark the Liver, which is the crest of the borough of Liverpool. In 1836 they were succeeded by Mort & Simpson, who continued until the close of the works in 1841. Early wares were marked "HERCULANEUM". The company gave its name to the

Herculaneum Dock Herculaneum Dock was part of the Port of Liverpool in Liverpool, England. It was at the south end of the Liverpool dock system, on the River Mersey. To the north it was connected to Harrington Dock. The dock was named after the Herculaneum Pott ...

which occupied the site later. File:Creamware basket and stand, Herculaneum Pottery of Worthington, Humble, and Holland, Liverpool, England, c. 1796-1805, earthenware, lead-glaze, transfer-print, enamel - Krannert Art Museum, UIUC - DSC06593.jpg, Creamware basket and stand, c. 1796-1805 File:Herculaneum pottery, caraffa, liverpool 1800-05 ca. veliero.jpg, Jug 1880-05 "Success to the Liverpool Packet", which flies an American flag. Inscribed "presentation" wares for ships were a speciality of Liverpool potters. File:Dish, ca. 1810 (CH 404584051).jpg, Transfer-printed dish, c. 1810 File:Stoneware coffeepot, Walker Art Gallery.jpg, Imitation

jasperware Jasperware, or jasper ware, is a type of pottery first developed by Josiah Wedgwood in the 1770s. Usually described as stoneware, it has an unglazed matte "biscuit" finish and is produced in a number of different colours, of which the most com ...

coffeepot, 1800-1810

References

Further reading