Dawson inscriptions pre-1830
It is rare for items of this early period to be marked, but in the case of Dawson's, we have the fabulous jug below dated 1801 in the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection.
Perhaps the most unifying feature of items on this page is the way the pink roses are painted. Often they are surrounded by hints of blue enamel. The bottom left detail is from a mug, with an inscription for Mary Ann Coates, 1815, and printed marks 'Dawson & Co' and 'Low Ford'. The second, from a mug inscribed 'Love and Live Happy' is also shown below. However, some caution is needed. The third detail is from an item attributed to Scott's Southwick Pottery.
This undated mug is included here because of the similarity of the lower case 't', and 'f' to the jug above. It is marked 'Dawson & Co' 'Low Ford', and pairs a transfer of John Gilpin with the Mariners' Compass. The text is unlike the items that follow, so the mug is hard to date. John Lambton MP held the Durham County seat from 1812 to 1828, when he became the first Earl of Durham. My guess is that this mug was made c1812 at the start of his career. The Diverting History of John Gilpin was a popular poem penned by William Cowper in 1782 about a man whose runaway horse took him 'farther than he intended'.
Below, a mug with printed marks for 'DAWSON & Co' and 'LOW FORD'. This provides a positive ID for this squat frog with short stubby legs.
An inscribed mug with the Dawson frog. Both North Hylton and Scott's made mugs with red roses.
An early ovoid creamware jug with an inscription for 1805 and the Dawson bridge 10 transfer. Note that the oval shapes to the far left and right of the bridge transfer's title are blank. They would later be engraved 'J Dawson & Co' and 'Low Ford Pottery'.
The mug below is included here because of the similarity of the flower enamelling to the jug shown beside it with the Dawson bridge 10 transfer. The Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection catalogue tentatively suggests North Hylton attribution, but it seems to fit better with the items on this page,
In the absence of a frog, attributions are guesswork at best, but this mug shares elements of flower decoration and text that seem to sit well with items on this page.
This mug, with a Dawson frog, has blooms either side of the inscription that are similar to the 'Love and Live Happy' mug above. The purple pink of the rose matches those on the Ingleby mug below.
This mug combines the double-headed rose motif with the Dawson frog. Interestingly, it has a Yorkshire inscription. Norman Lowe has identified at least 2 possible contenders for John Inglebys born in Ripon: one in 1794 and another in 1809. Of course, we don't know how old John was when he received the mug, but it is possible it was a Christening present.
This mug has similar pale pink enamels to those above and below, but no frog. The daisy motif at the top of the inscription matches the mugs below.
The mugs below have a similar double-headed rose motif to the two above. Also, compare the ampersand with the Joseph and Ann Hall jug below. Norman Lowe searched for John and Margery Walker and found a marriage in Matlock in 1791. He further writes: 'But as Margery is a shortened form of Margaret I looked for John and Margaret Walker and found marriages in Newcastle in 1791 and 1803.'
Thanks also to Derek Cutts, the owner of the Stephenson mug who writes: 'There are two couples in the frame as subjects. I favour the two married in the 1790s over the two who wed in the 1820s.'
Thanks also to Derek Cutts, the owner of the Stephenson mug who writes: 'There are two couples in the frame as subjects. I favour the two married in the 1790s over the two who wed in the 1820s.'
Photo Norman Lowe
JOSEPH HALL and ANN WATSON were married 24 December 1806 at Hamsterley By Bishop Auckland and in the 1841 census were living at Monks Field, St Andrew Auckland where Joseph’s occupation was given as farmer.
The jug has a printed mark beneath the title 'Dawson & Co Low Ford'.
Although this mug is unmarked, the pattern, showing the pyramid of Caius Cestius (see Baker plate 34), and this form of square handle (also see the mug below), are both known to have been used by Dawson. Interestingly, the inscription for 1815 is printed in the same hand as the jug above (centre detail above).
Although I am unclear of the date of the jug below with a Dawson bridge transfer (in the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection), I have included it here, again, because of the similarity of the 'J' in the inscription.
Although I am unclear of the date of the jug below with a Dawson bridge transfer (in the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection), I have included it here, again, because of the similarity of the 'J' in the inscription.
This mug, with the Dawson frog, has a daisy motif similar to the Mary Ann Coats mug, with Dawson printed marks, shown below.
The mug, with an inscription for 1815, has printed marks 'Dawson & Co' and 'Low Ford'.
A monumental punch bowl, 49cm diameter and 23cm high. It has the same fine script as the items above.
Pratt colours
This mug, from the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums collection, is attributed to Dawson in their catalogue. The text is more crudely painted than on the items above. I have included it here because the enamels have a similar earthy palette to the plates below.
The plate below from the Victoria and Albert Museum Collection has a 'DAWSON & CO' in a semi-circle surrounding the numeral '4' impressed mark.
I have a Van Speyk plate with a very similar impress to the plate below, so again it was likely made c1830.
The unmarked mug below is included on the basis of similar decoration and the following information provided by Norman Lowe: a Mary Sanders was born in 1836 to George Sanders and Elizabeth nee Maddison. George was a potter living in South Hylton so presumably worked for Dawson's. Norman has been unable to trace any link to Andrew Sanders, the part-owner of the Low Ford pottery in the 1790s.
