John Carr inscriptions
John Carr continued at the Low Lights Pottery in North Shields after his partnership with John Patton dissolved in 1846. RC Bell suggests that initially he traded as Carr & Co, but then by 1855, as John Carr & Sons.
Although the date on this jug and bowl just precede the Carr & Co period, I have included them here because of similarities of the inscriptions to others on this page.
Below, again a jug dated 1845, clearly from the same hand. The lower case 't' is particularly distinctive, Compare it with the 1850 'Ann Williams' jug below.
Another jug with a Channel Islands inscription in red brown enamel. Again note the elaborate lower case 't'. Although the inscription has the date 1819, the jug was most likely made in the 1840s, like the one above.
A small jug from the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London collection, commemorating Lord Nelson. Note the lower case 't' and the embellishments either side of the inscription, and compare them with the jug above. I haven't been able to find another match for the 'Forget Me Not' verse on 1840s or 50s Carr items.
This jug has a similar lustre motif to the Channel Islands jug above.
Photo Dukes Auctions
The lower case 'r' also becomes distinctive, with the arm dissociated from the stem of the letter.
Photo Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums
The Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums catalogue attributes this jug to Scott's Southwick Pottery. Scott's did versions of these Charles Wesley verses. The Carr versions are much less common.
Photo Ian Holmes
The plaque above, which I assume to be late 1840s, has the same distinctive font as the jug below. The pink lustre star (or flower) motif is found on plaques with the C, C & Co impressed mark from the 1830s.
Photo Toovey's Auctioneers
This jug, dated 1857, has the Carr version of the 'Masonry' transfer.
The jug below, despite the inscribed date of 1811, was likely made much later, perhaps as a 50th birthday present.
This is a very similar hand to that found on John Patton wares from the 1850s. According to RC Bell, by 1860 the Phoenix Pottery had been converted into a chemical works. So it appears that the enameller was by this date working at the Low Lights Pottery for John Carr & Sons.
This jug has the Mariners' Compass transfer with the initials JH shaded over. Read more at the end of this page.
