A Lot of a Prattware Lid and Round Box Base,...

A Lot of a Prattware Lid and Round Box Base, England, 19th Century

Some damage.

Total height: 5.5 cm, diameter of lid: 10.5 cm

19th-century English ceramics created by 'F. & R. Pratt & Co' (also known as Prattware or Pratt Ware) are products of F. & R. Pratt & Co. Ltd, a ceramic manufacturing company in Fenton, England. The company began its operations in the early 19th century (around 1820) when it was founded by Felix Edward Pratt and Richard Pratt, hence the full name F. & R. PRATT. Felix Pratt (1806-1879) recognized the economic potential in decorating lids for containers destined for products sold in quantities and over about 40 years, hundreds of different lid designs were created. Typically, the illustration on the lid indicated the contents of the container, such as floral decorations for women's cosmetics, containers for tea, tobacco, and more. However, there were also other themes, including scenes from Shakespearean plays or depictions of battle scenes. The company became a very important manufacturer of household ceramics and also a producer of lids with colorful printings that served the food industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and the cosmetics industry. A significant part of the lids and containers were made for various companies in Europe and beyond, made to order, hence the manufacturer's name on the lids. Household ceramics included relief-decorated items (mainly jugs and pots) and dinnerware decorated before glazing. The reliefs on the items, especially the jugs, depicted rich and detailed scenes from all fields – nature, figures, hunting scenes, various sites, and more. For example, scenes of sailors parting from their sweethearts before setting sail were a popular theme on jugs. The jugs and items were colorful, but the number of colors was limited due to the high temperatures required for firing. In addition to reliefs on various items, the company also extensively used the Transfer printing technique – a method of decorating ceramics using an engraved copper plate with ink to transfer the image onto paper, and while still wet, the paper was applied to a glazed ceramic item. The image drawn on the engraving was transferred to the ceramic item. Sometimes, the print on the finished item was hand-painted. The company changed ownerships until it was purchased in 1967 by a subsidiary of the well-known manufacturer Wedgwood. While the Pratt brothers were responsible for the business side, in 1840, the engraving and watercolor artist Jesse Austin joined the company, and in 1847, they began producing colorful lids for containers depicting the royal family, famous individuals, city life scenes – mainly London - and these Victorian-era depictions made these lids very popular. Austin also created miniature watercolor copies of famous paintings, which also appeared on Pratt company lids and items. While the lids gained fame, the containers with engravings on them, as well as the high-quality decorated dinnerware, earned the brand name ‘Prattware’. It's important to distinguish between items labeled as PRATT, which typically were items with relief decorations, mostly in "pearl" or "cream" color, while the name also refers to items produced in other cities, not only in the Fenton factory. Therefore, attention should be paid to the stamp on the various items to ensure its authenticity. The quality of the lids and items was so high that they were exhibited in 1897 (only three years after Felix Pratt's death). In the 1920s, collecting Pratt-produced lids became fashionable, and interest in them has not waned to this day. Despite the production of hundreds of thousands, those that have survived are not in particularly good condition.

From "Egozipedia"