West view of the Cast Iron Bridge... – bridge 13
This is the most common view of the Bridge over the River Wear, and was used by many potteries. The Garrison Pottery (Dixon's) used multiple very similar variations of this transfer, which merit a page of their own. This page gives an overview of Dixon, Phillips & Co's output from 1840–1865. Although, interestingly, there are no recorded Dixon plaques with this transfer.
Garrison Pottery 1
6 rings of smoke from chimney (top right detail). Small boat with oar to right of central ship (bottom right detail).
The transfer on a larger sized jug, beneath a second handle on the front to aid pouring.
The transfer on two eel pots with typical flower transfers on top.
A slop bowl. I think the central transfer is degraded from rubbing (from a plant pot?!) rather than wear to the copper plate.
Garrison Pottery 2
7 rings of smoke from chimney (top right detail). Small boat with oar to right of central ship (bottom right detail).
And again on a larger jug with a second handle on the front to aid pouring.
Two eel pots with the transfer.
Garrison Pottery 3
There are (just about) 8 rings of smoke from chimney (top right detail). Small boat with oar to right of central ship (bottom right detail). My guess is that this is an earlier imprint from the 1840s, before the scratch mentioned below happened. On later imprints some of the foliage is lost in the foreground.
A frog mug from the 1840s with the transfer, again without the scratch.
The jug below has a later imprint from the same copper plate. A diagonal scratch has appeared over the 'S' in September (bottom centre detail).
The transfer, complete with scratch, as it appears on a smaller inscribed jug with the date 1855, and a slop bowl.
Garrison Pottery 4
8 rings of smoke from chimney (top right detail). Small boat with sail to right of central ship. There are no railings on the left side of the bridge.
The bowl has the Dixon Phillips & Co impress with anchor used by the Garrison Pottery until about 1850.
Below, a large jug with this version of the transfer and an inscription dated 1846. Note the lustre motif around the transfer matches the bowl above. Beneath it, another jug with an inscription for 1846.
Garrison Pottery 5
The chimney has 8 smoke rings and is almost identical to the version above. However, the centre of the first and second smoke rings leaving the chimney are not shaded, and there is more definition to the foliage in the foreground. Note also that, like the items above, the buildings seen to the left and right under the bridge have no foliage behind them (right details).
The details above are from a small jug with a flower transferred collar.
A small jug with an inscription for 1845.
Garrison Pottery 6
This transfer is very similar to the one above. There are 8 rings of smoke from chimney (top right detail). Small boat with sail to right of central ship. There are no railings on the left side of the bridge.
However, the buildings seen to the left and right under the bridge do have foliage behind them (bottom left and right details).
The loving cup has a frog associated with items from the 1840s.
Below, a jug commemorating Robert Peel (died 1850), and another inscribed 1848. Both have a faint nick over the 'v' in 'river' that appears on the Gove jug above.
And here on a pair of bowls with a dated inscription for 1851.
Garrison Pottery 6 – later imprints
I originally though these imprints came from a different copper plate to those above. However, analysis of the Sailor's Tear transfer that often pairs with this bridge view, shows that it was expertly reengraved sometime around 1855, with some fine details added. Note the flags on the central ship, and the roof and windows on the house on the horizon to the right of the bridge. This is one of the few examples I've found of a transfer becoming more intricately detailed over time. The above details are from a jug with an inscription dated 1855.
This transfer also appears on large punch bowls with coloured over enamels, c1860.
The transfer on a mug with a dated inscription for 1862.
Here again on another punch bowl with a masonic transfer. Typically, the coloured enamels are applied to the inside of the bowl only. Note the similarity of lustre decoration with the jug below.
Garrison Pottery 7
This transfer is smaller, and used under the spout of the jug. Small boat with oar to right of central ship (bottom right detail). There are 9 rings of smoke coming from the chimney (top right detail).
The jug is unmarked, but has typical late 'Dixon' decoration, c1860. See the end of this page for a later incarnation of this transfer on a mug made by either Carr or Ball's Pottery.
Garrison Pottery 8
Another small transfer, this time used in the inside of a chamber pot. There are 10 rings of smoke coming from the chimney (top right detail). Small boat with oar to right of central ship (bottom right detail).
The potty has Crimean transfers, so was likely made c1855 or just after.
Note that on this version of the transfer, the profile of the white clouds has become frilly. A large jug dated 1856, again with Crimea transfers.
A small jug with the transfer and another of a hunter, emblematic of September.
Garrison Pottery 9
This transfer appears on a large pedestal bowl, which although unmarked, has a form and lustre decoration associated with the Garrison Pottery, c1860. The transfer is dissimilar to the other versions from this pottery (see above). It doesn't have distinct smoke rings coming from the chimney. Small boat with sail to right of central ship (bottom right detail). There are no railings on the left side of the bridge.
Perhaps John Carr & Sons or Ball's Pottery
This variation of the transfer, which has rocks in the foreground on the left side and an additional window on the building to the right of the kiln, is likely a re-engraved version of the Garrison Pottery 8 transfer above. The poor quality and lustre decoration suggest it was made after the Garrison Pottery closed in 1865.
