A Pottery by the Lagan: Irish Creamware from the Downshire Pottery, Belfast 1787 - c. 1806

Peter, Francis

Belfast: The Institute of Irish Studies/The Queen's University of Belfast, 2000. Softcover. Black and white illustrated wraps with black and white lettering, ix, 83 pp., bw and color illustrations. VG (very minimal shelf wear). Item #182691
ISBN: 9780853896944

"In 1993 an excavation near the Ravenhill Road in Belfast uncovered evidence of one of the largest potteries every built in Ireland. Although its short-lived existence is largely unknown today, the Downshire Pottery was founded during the 1780s with an ambitious aim - to compete with the greatest eighteenth-century potter of all, Josiah Wedgwood. The fine-quality wares they produced,known as creamwares of 'Queen's-wares,' were often richly colored and handsomely decorated, but they were never marked. Consequently, not even one example of Irish creamware was known before the excavations took place. In the few years since then, a small diverse selection of pieces has already been identified, and the range continues to grow. This book provides a thorough account of the rise and decline of this fascinating pottery bringing together all of the available documentary evidence, describing the excavated finds it detail and illustrating the examples of Downshire pottery that are now recognized. They many photographs provide a unique insight into an aspect of Irish art and history that previously has been largely overlooked. For those who might hope to find a rare example of this Irish creamware for themselves, the book will prove an invaluable guide." - blurb on back of book.