Antique c1860 low Tazza / Comport Sir James Duke & Nephews 22kt Gold Gilt Floral

 Sir James Duke & Nephews, a lesser-known porcelain manufacturer. 🍽️

• Sir James Duke & Nephews operated the former Hill Pottery in what is now Stoke-on-Trent, England. Their ceramics were produced during a brief period, approximately from 1860 to 1863 or 1864. The quality of their work was highly regarded by experts, even though the firm remains relatively obscure.

• The Hill Pottery itself had an interesting lineage:

  • It was originally owned by Ralph Wood and later carried on by Samuel Alcock & Co. from around 1828 to 1859.
  • In 1839, Samuel Alcock & Co. rebuilt and enlarged the pottery.
  • The works were a combination of several earlier potteries, including those of J. & R. Riley, John Robinson & Sons, and William Taylor.
  • The Hill Pottery was situated at the top of a hill called “The Sytch,” which ran from Burslem to Brownhills.

• Sir James Duke & Nephews produced white and cream-colored earthenware services, as well as china and Etruscan ware.

• In 1867, the Hill Pottery Company was divided into china and earthenware departments:

  • Alcock & Diggory took over the china department.
  • Burgess & Leigh acquired the earthenware department and later moved to the newly built Middleport Pottery in 1899.

• The ceramics produced by Sir James Duke & Nephews are characterized by their high quality and unique designs. Although their time in the pottery world was brief, their legacy lives on through their beautiful creations.

If you’re ever lucky enough to come across one of their pieces, cherish it as a glimpse into this intriguing chapter of porcelain history! 🏺✨