"Imperial Stone"

A group of stonewares, mostly with moulded bodies enhanced with sprigged decoration, are marked "Imperial Stone" on applied pad marks which usually feature a model or design number. Some clearly related designs bear titles rather than the model number mark. The main effect comes from the sprigged decoration so some of the wares would be outside the scope of this website. However, three designs listed below are exclusively or predominantly moulded and jugs with sprigged decoration are being added as time permits and when good images become available.

The wares are now attributed to Machin & Potts of Burslem by virtue of a surviving pattern book which features several of the designs. The cover of the book is embossed "MACHIN & POTTS / WATERLOO CHINA WORKS / BURSLEM" but the designs are not numbered. Research into this group of wares is ongoing, but there are links to the same designs made in china and marked with model numbers within an oval pad.

Model 14 (not titled) Design not published. A jug moulded with hunting scenes, copied from a design made by Wedgwood. This version has a sprigged border of scroll panels. One variant with a dolphin handle and different border sprigs was issued as Model 21 (see below). Marks: applied pad mark "IMPERIAL / STONE" with model number 14 Illustrations: Henrywood RMJ/31
Model 15 (not titled) Design not published. Marks: applied pad mark "IMPERIAL / STONE" with model number 15
Model 20 (not titled) Design not published. Marks: applied pad mark "IMPERIAL / STONE" with model number 20
Model 21 (not titled) Design not published. The same moulded body as Model 14 above but with the dolphin handle and floral spray sprigs around the neck from Model 20 above. Marks: applied pad mark "IMPERIAL / STONE" with model number 21
Model 31 (not titled) Design not published. This design with two Aesop's Fables sprigs does not appear in the Machin & Potts pattern book although another jug of the same shape but with different stiff flower or leaf sprigs does feature twice (see below). Marks: applied pad mark "IMPERIAL / STONE" with model number 31
Model 39 (not titled) Design not published. This design appears in the Machin & Potts pattern book along with another jug of the same shape but with slightly different flower sprigs. The shape is the same as Model 31 above. Marks: applied pad mark "IMPERIAL / STONE" with model number 39
Animal Hunting (not titled) Design not published. A copy of the Phillips & Bagster jug but with a snake handle. Marks: applied pad mark "IMPERIAL / STONE"
"Adelaide" Design not published. Moulded body with applied foliate sprigs. This design does not appear in the Machin & Potts pattern book. Marks: applied ribbon with title "ADELAIDE" .
"Athenian" Design not published. Moulded body with applied foliate sprigs. This design appears once in the Machin & Potts pattern book. Marks: applied scroll with title "ATHENIAN"
"Thespian" Design not published. Moulded body with applied figural sprigs. This design appears twice in the Machin & Potts pattern book.   Marks: applied Staffordshire knot inscribed with title "THESPIAN"

Credits: Linda Gilmour; Dick Henrywood; Philip Mernick; Paul Walther; Metropolitan Museum of Art (open access); Northern Ceramic Society