Vintage Antique Style Coffee Grinder

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Vintage Antique Style Coffee Grinder

In 1987 Wedgwood merged with Waterford Crystal, forming the Southern Ireland based luxury goods group Waterford Wedgwood. Sadly this mega-company was placed in receivership in January 2009 after it failed to find a buyer. In February of 2009 it was announced that a private equity firm based in New York had purchased certain UK and Irish assets of Waterford Wedgwood.

Thus ended the era of one of the finest earthenware companies in history started by Josiah Wedgwood back in 1759. Today Josiah Wedgwood is considered England's greatest potter. He is also the grandfather of Charles Darwin.

Born in Burslem in Staffordshire, England in 1730, Josiah Wedgwood served as a potter's apprentice under his older brother, Thomas Wedgwood IV. This was expected since he and his brother were the fourth generation in a family of potters. It seems Josiah Wedgwood believed early on that, once he learned what he needed to know, he was going to revolutionize the making of pottery. He was absolutely right.

Unable to actually make pottery himself, due to a physical disability from a case of smallpox, his plan was to design pottery instead. His goals were lofty and they included experimenting with a myriad of different techniques - his successes in this area led to his being credited as the person who industrialized the manufacturing of pottery.

While in his twenties Wedgwood worked with Thomas Whieldon, the most talented potter of that time. Then in 1759 he started his own company by leasing the Ivy Works in Burslem. With capital afforded him by his wealthy wife, who was also a distant cousin, Wedgwood was able to transform "The Potteries" at Staffordshire in England into the epicenter of the world's most innovative and unique pottery factory.

During this time, he perfected a new form of cream colored fine earthenware with a high gloss that found great favor with Her Majesty Queen Charlotte, who was the wife of George III. He made a tea set and coffee service for her from this new material. He was thereafter known as "Potter to the Queen" and he named the glossy china "Queen's Ware," which is still in use today and avidly collected worldwide.

Although porcelain was always the finer material, many beautiful and highly desirable examples of old china were made of earthenware. Josiah Wedgwood never actually made any porcelain. His Queen's Ware pattern was earthenware of the highest quality made with exceptional skill, as were his other designs.

With his business expanding, Wedgwood moved his factory from the Ivy Works to the newly built Etruria Works, which would operate for the next 180 years. While at Etruria, black porcelain dating back to the Etruscan times was in the process of being excavated locally. This black porcelain fascinated Josiah Wedgwood and after a period of time he managed to duplicate it. It became known as Black Basalt.

Right around the same time in 1770, Wedgwood developed Jasperware, which became his most popular and most famous line of all. It was the most important leap forward in pottery production since the Chinese discovery of porcelain. This particular pottery is something that most people recognize on sight.

The most common version of Jasperware was the flat matte unglazed pieces in light blue with white classic designs in relief. Many other colors followed to include black basalt. The majority of his famous Jasperware centered on mythological figures, but famous people and some well-known locations would soon become fixtures on these pieces as well.

Famous at the time for being somewhat liberal, Josiah Wedgwood looked after his workers by not only employing them but housing them as well. He had an eye for art and also employed many highly notable artists including John Flaxman Jr. and William Hackwood. They were clearly responsible for much of the classically themed white relief used in the production of Jasperware.

Wedgwood is also heralded as being the inventor of modern marketing such as direct mail, money-back guarantees, traveling salespeople and free delivery. Josiah Wedgwood was a man who was far ahead of his time.

Josiah Wedgwood, "Potter to the Queen," died in 1795. Five years before his death, Wedgwood took his three sons and his nephew Thomas Byerley as partners in the business, thus guaranteeing his company would continue on well into the future.

The Wedgwood Company remained a private family business for five more generations employing many family members, including Mr. Wedgwood's grandchildren.

Eventually the Wedgwood Company did get into the porcelain business by making very fine bone china beginning around 1812. After a slow start, it became a highly successful and profitable enterprise for the company.

Anne Benedetto is a former auction house owner and former dealer in the antiques and collectibles business. She presently provides people with important details, behind the scenes information, helpful tips and first hand knowledge of the brick and mortar auction business. Visit Anne at http://AuctionHouseTalk.com which is an interactive site where interested people can talk about the ins and outs of auctions, antiques and collectibles.

MEMORY LANE: 1950s-style fairgrounds in Rogersville, Tenn.