Thomas Astbury made a remarkable discovery somewhere around 1720 when he fired the clay used for stoneware at a lower temperature. The result was whitish-colored earthenware that was eventually developed into what we know today as creamware.

About 20 years later Enoch Booth (1717-1743) set about improving the same body by carefully washing local clay, mixing it with clays from Devonshire and Dorset and adding calcined flint. Booth is usually credited with the invention of liquid glaze, as well, a process that revolutionized the pottery industry. It was Josiah Wedgwood, however, who perfected and successfully marketed creamware.

Wedgwood and Creamware

Josiah Wedgwood (1730-1795) was only 11 years old when he started work with his brother Thomas, a preliminary for his five-year apprenticeship that began in 1744. At 22, he began a five-year partnership with Thomas Whieldon. In 1759, Wedgwood struck out on his own. Eager to produce finer wares than his competitors, he abandoned old-fashioned methods and set to work lightening the cream-colored earthenware developed by Booth. He transformed the ware and produced a smoother, harder surface with a glaze that concealed blemishes.

Wedgwood described his new product as, “a species of earthenware for the table, quite new in appearance, covered with rich and brilliant glaze, bearing sudden alterations of heat and cold, manufactured with ease and expedition, and consequently cheap.”

In 1762, he presented Queen Charlotte with a 73-piece combined caudle and breakfast service in his improved glazed creamware to commemorate the birth of the Prince of Wales. The Queen was delighted and subsequently ordered a table service of the same body. Shortly after delivery, George III commissioned another service in what was named “The Royal Pattern.” Because of the royal favor, Wedgwood named his creamware “Queen’s ware.” It was a phenomenal success and demand for this lustrous ivory ware soared. It wasn’t long before hundreds of other potteries imitated Wedgwood’s creamware and the middle classes rushed to purchase it.

This lightweight, sturdy, yet refined body is quite attractive in its undecorated state, but also lends itself to various types of decoration. The ware can be found heavily embossed and molded in rococo forms as well as reduced to the barely geometric shapes of the neo-classic period. It can be found hand-painted in elaborate patterns or simply decorated with shell-edge designs. Creamware was also transfer printed as early as 1771.

Collecting Creamware

Starting to collect English creamware is an exciting prospect, though the ware can be expensive and many forms can be difficult to locate. My suggestion would be to focus on a certain type of decoration, form, or molded motif. For example, a collection of “Queen’s Rose” or “King’s Rose” decorated creamware would make a fine display on a china shelf or in a showcase. Later hand-painted botanical subjects offer another focus for a collection.

Alternatively, a selection of pierced and embossed dessert plates and serving pieces would make an interesting collection. For those who are more ambitious, collecting an assortment of creamware teapots might be a challenging, if expensive, project. Some collectors attempt to find marked examples from specific factories. In any case, the forms and decorative elements in creamware suggest dozens of possible directions.

Beginning collectors are often impatient. The attempt to amass as many pieces as possible in a short time leads to mistakes. Go slowly and spend time studying; visit shows and shops and ask questions. Look at collections established by museums and institutions. Know what’s out there and learn what you like best. Find a dealer that you like and develop a trust between yourself and them.

Think long and hard before investing in your first piece. Ask your dealer what he or she thinks about your proposed purchase. Think about condition, rarity, quality of execution, quality of decoration, and even how you plan to display your collection once you bring your creamware home. Ask about twentieth century reproductions. If possible, examine the differences between these and earlier pieces so that you don’t make mistakes in this area.

Condition and Value

One of the most disheartening experiences for any professional is to be asked to look at a collection for possible purchase only to find dozens of pieces in poor condition. Collectors can easily find damaged pieces that are less expensive than those in pristine condition. These are more plentiful, but they aren’t appropriate for a collector who wants to think in terms of investment.

Chips and cracks in your creamware effectively reduce its value by about half, so be aware of this when making your purchases. Knife marks on the surfaces of plates and platters reduce the value as well. Excessive wear or flaking to painted decoration makes articles less appealing. Underfill in the molding of an object, or “factory seconds,” with glazing faults can be interesting, but are also less valuable. Purchasing objects with large cracks is a mistake. Most of the time, these aren’t very stable and can deteriorate over time.

Understand that even though you might be able to purchase twice as many damaged objects, you serve your collection better by buying the best you can afford every time. I’m often asked by clients whether they should worry if they’ve overpaid. My answer is always the same. If you find something that is perfect for your collection – an object that you rarely see in the marketplace – don’t worry too much about the price you pay. You only have to pay it once but you’ll have the piece forever. Some of the nicest and most desirable pieces in my collections were a stretch for my budget at the time of purchase. I can count on one hand the items I’m sorry I bought, but I don’t have enough fingers to count the number of things I wished I’d gotten but decided to “think about.”

Photographs courtesy of Historic Deerfield, Inc., P.O. Box 321, Deerfield, MA 01342, (413) 775-7214, www.historic-deerfield.org.