Vol 5(2).pdf

WHITE IRONSTONE NOTES
VOL. 5 No. 3 WINTER 1998
BERLIN SWIRL
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL
Rachelle Hitt, a third generation ironstoner,
celebrates in a Berlin Swirl punch bowl.
The name of this richly embossed shape, Berlin Swirl, is derived
from the term ‘Berlin Ironstone’ used with the potter’s backstamp.
Actually, ‘Berlin Ironstone’ was a term like ‘bone china’ that identified
the body used for the potting, and it is found on several other patterns.
Potters of this shape show an interesting progression. “Berlin
Ironstone China” first appears in the 1845 leopard mark of T.J.&J.
Mayer, potters in Burslem from 1843 to 1855. A Berlin soup tureen was
registered in 1845 by Mayer Bros. & Elliot. (Was it given a shape name
at that time? We’d like to know.) Then the term ‘Berlin Ironstone’ continues
with the 1856 lion and unicorn mark of Mayer & Elliot of
Longport. In 1864 it turns up again in the mark of Liddle, Elliot & Son.
Most of the Berlin Swirl pieces we find today have the 1856 registry
diamond and are marked Mayer & Elliot. The shape was produced for
over 25 years.
The design of Berlin Swirl is quite a change in style from the popular
patterns of the late 1840’s, especially from the upright severity of the
several Gothic variations. We have no knowledge of Berlin Swirl’s
modeller, but in researching for this article I’ve come to believe that this
rather Italianate design, with its graceful plumes curving in and out, was
done by someone who had been trained in architecture. The tall pieces,
such as ewers, jugs and pots, have the proportions of fine paneling. The
shape requires a very precise and somewhat difficult mold. This is plain
to see in the precision of the hair line edging which follows and accentuates
the curve and depth of the embossment. (See the photo of the
pedestal compote on page 4.)
There’s another thing I surmise about the modeller of Berlin Swirl :
I think he was with the Messrs. Mayer for a number of years, and
worked as a modeller at their potteries in Burslem and Longport. As I
was enjoying Jean Wetherbee’s “Collector’s Guide,” I found on page
80, Fig. 9-38, a Virginia Shape teapot by Brougham & Mayer, potters at
Tunstall from 1853-55. The pattern is so similar in style to Berlin Swirl
that it must have been done by the same person! Perhaps that person
was one of the Mayer Brothers. The eldest, Joseph, was noted as a
prize winning designer.
On a personal note, I became a Berlin Swirl enthusiast in 1964, after
I learned to translate the registry dates by studying Godden’s marvelous
“Encyclopedia.” My first find was at the June street show in New
Oxford, Pennsylvania--an 1856 huge turkey platter that was registered
on my December birthday! I bore it proudly home, where it now hangs
on one kitchen wall.
Harriet Denton

2
WICA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jim Kerr, President
Ed Rigoulot, Vice President
Fran Kinne, Secretary
Jack Allers, Treasurer
Beverly Dieringer
Diane Dorman
Polly Gosselin
Patty Spahr Hitt
Bill Lancaster
Olga Moreland
Tom Moreland
Rick Nielsen
Ray Secrist
Honorary Lifetime Member
Jean Wetherbee
The WHITE IRONSTONE CHINA ASSOCI-
ATION, INC. is a not-for-profit corporation.
WHITE IRONSTONE NOTES © is the official
newsletter of the corporation.
Photographs submitted by members become
the property of WICA, Inc. and no article,
photograph or drawing may be reproduced
without the express permission of WICA, Inc.
WHITE IRONSTONE NOTES is published
and edited by Ernie and Bev Dieringer with
associate editor, Harriet Denton. Drawings
and photos are by Ernie and Bev Dieringer
unless otherwise noted. Please send all news
notes, articles, photos, suggestions, questions
and listings for advertising or the Spare Parts
column to: WICA, Box 536, Redding
Ridge, CT 06876. Fax # 203 938 8378 or
e-mail Dieringer1@aol.com.
WICA web page: www.ironstonechina.org
_____________________________________
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WHITE IRONSTONE NOTES is available at
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Single back issues of WHITE IRONSTONE
NOTES are available to members only at $6
each. Volume 1 has 3 issues and is $18,
Volume 2, 3 & 4 have 4 issues each and are
$24 per volume. Please make checks payable
to WICA, Inc. and send to the above address.
_____________________________________
ADVERTISING RATES
Advertisements will be accepted in order of
receipt from WICA members and space allowing,
from non-members. Rates (subject to
change): $10 per column inch (7 lines). Nonmembers,
$20 per column inch. Members
can list a single piece for sale free in the Spare
Parts column each issue space allowing.
Payment in full by check made out to WICA
must accompany each ad. Send to newsletter
address. Publishing deadlines are Dec. 1 for
Winter, March 1 for Spring, June 1 for
Summer, Sept. 1 for Fall.
_____________________________________
APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
Send $25 for each individual or $30 for two
individuals at the same address with check
made payable to WICA, to: Jim Kerr/WICA,
RD#1 - Box 23, Howes Cave, NY 12092.
Please send all ADDRESS CHANGES to the
same address.
Membership year is June 1st to May 31st.
INDEX
Pg. 1 Berlin Swirl
Pg. 4 Berlin Swirl
Pg. 8 Tam O’Shanter Jug
Pg. 9 John Gilpin Jug
Pg. 10 Regional News
Pg. 11 Profile P.S.
Pg. 11 New and Unusual
Pg. 12 Spare Parts
Pg. 12 Collectors’ Showcase
FROM THE EDITORS’ DESK
We have been delighted with the
response from so many of you to our
request for dishes we listed on the Parts
Wanted page. We are posting another list
with some Shapes removed and a few
added. The Dish Book is growing not
only with pictures of Shapes but also with
many marks. A recent trip to the Oliver’s
in New Hampshire netted marks of five
makers of plain dishes and three Shapes
we didn’t have. The Region 5 meeting at
Fran Kinne’s was very fruitful also.
Several members knew we were coming
and brought dishes for us to photograph.
Sally & Howard Erdman were incredibly
generous and trusting; they sent eighteen
special dishes from their amazing collection
for us to photograph and draw. We
even added eight dishes when we attended
the Tea Leaf Convention in Columbus,
Ohio. A large number of WICA members
belong to both clubs, and we have
been in contact with them on the internet
thanks to Dale Abram’s TLOL (Tea Leaf
On Line), a weekly “Newsletter” to
which we all contribute letters. We are
aiming to have the Dish book ready for
the 1999 Convention in Troy, Michigan.
The internet also helped us to access a
last minute picture of a Berlin Swirl potty
-- see page 7. Todd Hitt sent it to our
AOL address and I was instantly able to
edit it in Photoshop and drop it into the
Newsletter. It just keeps getting better
and better!
Every week, more of you are going on
line through your computers or your TV
sets via your cable company’s web services.
Please send us your web address.
This will enable us to send you interesting
information between mailings of the
Newsletter.
We would like to thank our Editor,
Harriet Denton, who catches our misspellings
in spite of the built-in spell
checker and our sometimes awkward sentence
structure which occasionally
changes the meaning of what we wanted
to say. This time her efforts went beyond
the call of dedication. In October, Harriet
was knocked down by an overly friendly
neighbor dog and broke her right femur in
several places. She still produced the
articles on the Story Jugs and the Profile
on Berlin Swirl. We are indebted and in
awe and the dog is still her friend.
LETTERS TO THE EDITORS
This letter came as an e-mail
*********************************
My experience of this morning was too
good not to share it with you.
Several years ago I purchased a
Sydenham soup tureen from Dick and
Adele Armbruster. The ladle didn’t
match, and neither I nor they knew what
it was. Later, I asked Jean Wetherbee.
She looked it over, shrugged, and said she
didn’t know. This morning as I was reading
the main article in the current
newsletter I turned to page 4 after having
finished page 1. My eyes immediately
caught the drawing of the Cambridge
ladle. That’s it!
It is interesting that it was the drawing
and not the photograph which communicated
to me. I had always thought that
photographs were better. It only goes to
show the importance of having both.
Each serves a good purpose.
My ladle has the Davenport mark and
the October 23, 1852 registration mark.
Also it is impressed “OPAQUE CHINA.”
While poking through the cobwebs in
my basement I surveyed my minor collection
of Cambridge. I noticed that the
octagonal soap dish cover that I possess
has two holes, one on either side of the
finial on the longer axis of the piece. Is
that unusual? I don’t see that feature on
any of the soap dishes in the newsletter.
And on top of everything else, the sun
is shining brightly and the air is crisp and
clean.
Kenneth Wooster, Cortland, NY
*********************************
We have seen these ‘vent holes’ in several
soap dish and tooth brush box lids.
*********************************
Dear WICA,
I wanted to drop a note regarding something
I thought may be of interest to the
association. I recently returned from
North Carolina where I spent a week on a
recovery dive on the wreck of the passenger/freighter
“City of Houston” which
sank in late 1870’s off the coast of North
Carolina. As an avid scuba diver, and
china collector, I was pleased to find that
the majority of the cargo was English
Ironstone and porcelain china. Since the
ship ran from New York to Galveston,
Texas, making stops at major ports along
the way, there were other durable goods
as well. There were shards of American
produced ironstone items produced by
Trenton/City Pottery as well.
Members of our dive team recovered

many items, some intact, but mostly
china shards and small porcelain children’s
pieces. Of the items recovered,
marks included Burgess & Goddard,
Pankhurst, J. Wedgwood, and others.
Most of the shards were black in color
taking on a Black Basalt look. Due to the
depth of the dive - 100 Ft, our dives were
limited to 20 minutes, waiting 3 hours
between dives for total of 4 - 5 dives per
day.
We used air powered dredge to move
sand which buried most of the relics and
aided in the recovery of the artifacts.
Porcelain doll parts were also found,
along with glass items, medicine and food
jars, brass items, ammunition, sewing
machines, and food items.
I plan on repeating this trip next year
and hope better weather will enable more
dives and recovery of more items.
Bob Davenport, New Milford, CT
*********************************
We hope to hear more about this from
Bob in the future. We will find out about
two other ship wrecks with white ironstone
cargo at the 1999 Convention.
Arnold Kowalsky sent the press release
below. If you buy a lot of books, this
could be quite a savings.
*********************************
Art Book Services has just released their
Fall 1998 Catalog. The catalog is free.
Our friend Steve Chum is no longer there
and has been replaced by Grant Connors.
Their toll-free number is 1-800-247-
9955. For any books ordered, there is a
10% discount by mentioning Flow Blue,
White Ironstone or Tea Leaf Club membership.
Of special interest, the Cushion Pocket
Guide is coming in (temporarily out of
stock) which is of great interest for those
looking to carry a pocket book of marks
and all registration dates for earthenware
from 1843 to 1892.
Schiffer Publishing is now on the internet
at www.schifferbooks.com. You
may order on-line, and shipping is free.
Many of you are familiar with Snyder’s
books on Flow Blue and White
Ironstone/Tea Leaf, etc. They have over
800 titles strictly on antiques.
Arnold Kowalsky
*********************************
Enclosed is a photo of my most recent
purchase. I was at a sale near my home
and in fact, was ready to leave when I
spotted this on a shelf with a $45. price
tag. I thought my eyes were playing
tricks on me until I turned it over and saw
the markings, Elsmore & Forster, Laurel
Wreath. I quickly looked it over for any
damage or repair. It is in mint condition.
I could hardly pay fast enough. Of course
I did take one more look around just in
case there were any other pieces I may
have missed! I really enjoy the newsletter
and if it wasn’t for Jean Wetherbee’s
book, White Ironstone, which I have
learned so much from, I may have passed
my teapot up!
Pam Stockglausner, Eureka, MO
*********************************
We just love to hear about wonderful
ironstone finds. Reminds us of the time
that we stopped at a local tag sale on the
spur of the moment. In the middle of the
yard sat a square cardboard box which
was being ignored. There was the tip of
what looked like an ironstone ladle sticking
out between the flaps. My chest was
flooded with adrenalin as Ernie and I
both pounced on the box. Inside was a
mint condition 4 piece Sydenham soup
tureen. We paid a very reasonable price
for it and went home smiling. As I recall,
we smiled for a couple of weeks.
Let us hear about your wonderful finds.
*********************************
NEXT ISSUES
Profiles on: Corn & Oats and Plain white
ironstone. An article on a newly defined
shape by Olga Moreland to appear in the
Spring issue. Additional pages for our
Galleries of teapots, mugs, relishes and tall
ewers. New galleries on bread plates, welland-tree
platters and ladles.
Thank you to those of you who have been
sending photos. They are most appreciated.
We couldn’t do this Newsletter without
you.
CALENDAR
April 28-May 2, 1999 Fifth Annual
WICA Convention, Troy, MI
See the Convention supplement included
with this issue.
November 6th 1999
Region 5 Will be hosted by the Pattisons in
Dallas, TX.
Consider hosting a Regional. They are
great fun for all involved. For more information,
call or write the Editors for instructions.
Here is a list of the regions:
Region 1) Alaska, Arizona, California,
Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and
British Columbia.
Region 2) Colorado, Idaho, Montana,Utah,
Wyoming, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Region 3) Indiana, Michigan, Ohio.
Region 4) Illinois, Iowa, Kansas,
Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North
Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and
Manitoba.
Region 5) Arkansas, Louisiana, New
Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas.
Region 6) Alabama, Georgia, Florida,
Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West
Virginia.
Region 7) Delaware, District of Columbia,
Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania.
Region 8) New York, Ontario, Quebec.
Region 9) Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode
Island. Vermont, New Brunswick,
Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince
Edward Island.
WHITE IRONSTONE:
Here is the original photo of Rachelle A COLLECTOR’S GUIDE
Hitt which mother Patty shared with several
of us. Rachelle was one year old Hardbound copies are available from
BY JEAN WETHERBEE
when she posed in mom’s favorite Prairie
WICA for $25.95 plus $3 shipping. Send
check made out to WICA, to:
Flower basin. We took some liberties in
Fran Kinne
replacing the basin with the Berlin Swirl
110 Hillside Ave.
punch bowl for the cover. We hope you
Tenafly, NJ 07670
enjoy our cover girl. 3

BERLIN SWIRL
Above: Dessert dish (aka cookie plate or biscuit tray) by Mayer & Elliot, 9 1/2” across.
This is the only one we’ve ever seen in Berlin Swirl. (Hurt collection and photo)
Above: Punch or syllabub bowl. This is the bowl on the
cover which holds Rachelle. (Diemer collection)
Above: Very rare oval compote. Note the sharpness of the
hairline emphasis. (O’Hara collection)
4

Above: Side and front view of the
ladle which has a diamond registry
matching the tureen’s.
Above: Four piece sauce tureen. (Moreland collection)
Above: Relish marked Berlin
Ironstone, Mayer & Elliot.
(Anne Miller collection)
Below: Soup tureen undertray, 15” wide. (Denton collection)
Below: Gravy boat. (Moreland collection)
Above: Butter dish. (Denton collection, Hansen
photo)
Above: Covered vegetable tureen. (Denton collection, Hansen photo)
5

Above: Four platters of a
possible set of seven, marked
either Mayer & Elliot or
Liddle, Elliot & Son. The
ones with diamond registry
read 1856. Two oval bakers,
front and back. Both are
marked Liddle, Elliot & Son.
Left: Four plates from 6 “to
10 1/2”. (Denton collection,
Hansen photos)
Above: 10 1/2” plate (Wollon photo and collection)
Below: Oval tea set (Moreland collection)
Left: Handleless cup and saucer.
Right: Syllabub cup and 4 1/2” cup
plate.
(Denton collection, Hansen photos)
6

Above: Vertical toothbrush vase
minus liner. (Overmeyer collection
and photo)
Above: Bath set containing the ewer and basin, toothbrush box and three piece soap dish. For years,
Harriet looked for a lid for this oval soap dish. Last summer she discovered that the lid on her sauce
tureen, the one missing a ladle hole, belonged on the soap dish!! Now she needs a cover for her
sauce tureen. (Denton collection, Hansen photo)
Below: Basin (Denton collection, Hansen photo)
Above: large oval creamer and table pitcher.
(Denton collection, Hansen photo)
Above: The round ewer is a prize! The mark
reads ‘Manufactured for & Imported By E. &
S. R. Filley, St. Louis, MO.’ with the American
eagle. It also has the usual 1856 diamond.
(Denton collection, Hansen photo)
Left: Round and oval.
creamers and their bottoms.
This indicates that a
round tea set was manufactured
as well as the
oval set on the facing
page. Were pitchers made
in graduated sizes in both
oval and round shapes?
Please let us know what
sizes and shapes of pitchers
you have. Note that the
round creamer handle is
not a ring shape.
(Moreland collection)
Above: Photo which was sent to us over the internet
of the potty. Some collectors describe the finial as a
rose bud but most think it is an apple. (Hitt collection,
photo )
7

THE TAM O’SHANTER JUG
The British call them jugs. They were everyday pieces used in pubs and ale
houses to serve the brews. And what better way to illustrate a popular poem of
the time than to put the story around the side of a jug.
This 19th century Ridgway jug illustrates a Robert Burns poem, written in
March 1791, called “Tam O’Shanter.” Tam was, to put it plainly, a boozer. He
joyously drank to excess with friends, and relied on his faithful mare, Maggie,
to get him safely home. But one stormy night he nearly came a cropper, and
Maggie was left with a stump instead of a tail.
To read the jug, start to the right of the handle. Tam is happily seated with
friends, drinking ale at the pub in Ayr instead of going home to his wife at the
close of market day. He becomes roaring drunk and, upon leaving, finds he
must ride through a terrible storm. As he nears a stream, Maggie suddenly
stops! Ahead, Tam sees a circle of ugly warlocks and witches dancing in a circle.
In the center sits Auld Nick in the shape of a beast, piping out the music.
But among the hags there is one young dancer attired in a very short skirt.
Drunken Tam spots and calls out to her. Ooops! “And, in an instant, all was
dark; and scarcely had he Maggie rallied when out the hellish legion sallied.”
So Maggie runs, the witches follow--but stop at the stream. The young witch,
however, has seized Maggie by the tail.
“Maggie’s spring brought off her master hale,
But left behind her ain gray tail.
The carlin caught her by the rump,
And left poor Maggie scarce a stump.”
The story is complete at the jug handle, which shows the witch’s hand pulling
off Maggie’s tail.
Harriet Denton
Impressed mark “Published by W. Ridgway & Co. Hanley,
October 1st 1835”. 9 1/4” high. ‘Published by’ was a term
used before the Registry began in 1841.
8

“THE DIVERTING HISTORY OF
JOHN GILPIN”
As Told On A William Ridgway Jug
“The Diverting History of John Gilpin” is a rollicking ballad about the
misadventure of a linen draper about to celebrate a delayed 20-year
honeymoon. His wife and family are to go by chaise to ‘the Bell, an
inn at Edmonton,’ and he would ride along on a borrowed horse. Just
as they are leaving three customers arrive, so John dismounts to attend
to business. Thus he gets a late start.
The borrowed horse moves slowly over the stoney town street, but on
the good country road begins to trot and then to gallop--’which galled
John in his seat.’ To ease himself, he grasps the horse’s mane. But the
horse is not used to such a rider, and runs away. The turnpike men
think Gilpin is running a race and “their gates wide open threw.” He
flies through Islington and on to Edmonton.
“At Edmonton his loving wife
From the balcony spied
Her loving husband, wond’ring much
To see how he did ride.
Stop, stop, John Gilpin! Here’s the house
They all at once did cry;
The dinner waits, and we are tired:
Said Gilpin--So am I!”
But the horse continues on, and there is an intervening part of the tale.
Once again, John heads for the inn, the horse running with him clinging.
WILLIAM COWPER (1731-1800)
William Cowper, author of the poem which inspired this W. Ridgway
jug, wrote “The Diverting History of John Gilpin” in 1782. Cowper
was a contemporary of Robert Burns. It is doubtful they ever met, but
quite possible that they were familiar with each other’s writings--especially
as the fame of both poets spread throughout Great Britain the last
quarter of the 18th century.
While a student at Westminster, Cowper was crossing the burial ground
of St. Margaret’s where a grave-digger was at work. Approaching to
look on, he was struck by a skull. The grave was marked ‘Burial Place
of John Gilpin.’ Why Cowper used the name for a humorous poem, we
shall never know.
Above: A design for the Gilpin jug from William Ridgway’s first pattern
book.
Both of these poems can be found in your local library. The “Tam
O’Shanter” poem can also be found on the web at:
http://www.robertburns.org/works/TamOShanter.shtml
Harriet has graciously offered a copy of the whole Cowper poem if a
WICA member sends a request with an SASE to:
Harriet Denton
10217 Gainsborough Road
Potomac, MD 20854
“Now, mistress Gilpin, when she saw
Her husband posting down
Into the country far away,
She pulled out half a crown;
And thus unto to the youth she said
That drove them to the Bell--
This shall be yours when you bring back
My husband safe and well.
The youth did ride, and soon did meet
John coming back amain;
Whom in a trice he tried to stop;
By catching at his rein.
The frightened steed he frightened more,
And made him faster run.
Away went Gilpin, and away
Went post-boy at his heels!”
The story ends when the horse runs back to town.
Nor stopp’d till where John had got up
He did again get down.
The pottery produced by William Ridgway from 1830 to 1854 is often
unmarked, except for moulded stoneware jugs such as the one pictured
above. The line of the poem “Stop, stop, John Gilpin! Here’s the
house” is plain to see at the neck of the jug, and the handle with the
head of the horse is remarkable.
Harriet Denton
9

10
REGIONAL NEWS
Region 4 Meeting September 12th
On Saturday, September 12th, twenty white
ironstone enthusiasts gathered at the home of
Kyle Husfloen, in Galena, Illinois, to enjoy a
day of sharing, leaning, buying and selling.
Co-hosts were Anne Miller of Spring Valley
and Kyle. The morning program was given by
Anne. She recounted the Miller’s summer
visit to the museums set up near the sites of
two wrecks of 19th century Missouri River
paddle wheel steamboats. The Bertram and
Arabia each sank
between 1860 and 1880 and each contained,
among their cargos, large selections of white
ironstone. Anne’s special interest was the
Grand Loop and Loop and Line patterns, and
she shared her findings with the group including
both photographs and slides of the museum
displays.
The group enjoyed the show and tell portion
of the morning. Bill Durham showed a mug
which he thought was Loop and Dot. The
Yungingers showed off a beautiful 3-toed Lily
Pad compote by Pankhurst.
While Ann and Nancy set their homemade
buffet lunch, Kyle gave a tour of his 1850’s
home. The afternoon ended with table sales.
After the noon luncheon and “show and tell”
several folks present set up for table sales
which were enthusiastically received.
Around 3:30 p.m. things wound up and the
group of happy WICA members returned
home to Minnesota, Wisconsin and various
points in Illinois.
The photo above was taken on the porch of
Kyle Husfloen's beautiful antique house. Left
to right from bottom row: Jane Yunginger,
Jennie Riechers, Debbie Froh, Carol
Fleischman. Middle: John Yunginger, Kyle
Husfloen, Anne Miller, Tim Froh, Gwen
Manning, Frank Fleischman. Top: William
Miller, Bill Durham, Bill Byers, Gene Barrett,
Bill Lancaster, Carol Lancaster. Not shown in
photo, Nancy Livingston.
Kyle Husfloen and Carol Fleischman
Successful Region 8 Get-Together
On Saturday, October 17, twelve people
gathered for a “regional” at the home of Susan
Daly and Stephen Wasby, outside of Albany,
New York. The morning was devoted to a version
of “Show and Tell,” with people telling
how they began to collect white ironstone and
settled on their favorite patterns. There were
also “war stories” about collecting and about
family “disputes” over acquiring, or not
acquiring, pieces. The high point of “Show
and Tell” was the Morelands’ display of nearly
20 tureen ladles (and one stew ladle and one
Red-Cliff interloper). After lunch, the group
watched the interesting and informative video
“Potbank,” about an English kiln and its firing.
The day ended with a sale of white ironstone.
Attending, in addition to the hosts, were
Janet and Jack Allers, Barbara Benson, Polly
Gosselin and Bertica Vasseur from
Connecticut, Mara and Jim Kerr, Tom and
Olga Moreland, and Ken Wooster.
NOTE: The video is available, for the asking,
for other “regionals.”
Region 7, September 26th
Fran Kinne opened her wonderful Victorian
home to fourteen happy white ironstoners.
Amy Earls, who had been the keynote speaker
at this year’s convention, brought a show and
tell group of American ironstone shards. Olga
Moreland brought several pieces from her collection,
which may represent a separate Shape
not yet published. She is writing an article on
it for the Spring Newsletter. Ernie Dieringer
discussed new suggestions for cleaning white
ironstone and the group shared their experiences
with cleaning ironstone.
The seventeen attendees were: Julie Rich,
Harriet Denton, Jane and Wes Diemer,
Barbara Burnett, Susan Deasey, Olga and Tom
Moreland, Polly Gosselin, Bertica Vasseur,
Bev and Ernie Dieringer, Vicky Bishof, Amy
Earls, George Miller, Gloria Weatherby, and
Fran Kinne.
Region 5, November 14th
The WICA Region 5 met Saturday,
November, 14, 1998 at Howard and Sally
Erdmans’ home in Denton, TX. The day was
deemed a smashing success despite floods
which prevented the attendance of two carloads
of folks from South Texas. Ed Rigoulot,
Ted Brockey, Warren and Gwen Pattison, Jack
and Patty Hurt, Herb and Eileen White from
Arizona, Lannie and Cindy Barber from
Arkansas, plus the hosts made up our very
enthusiastic gathering.
Sale tables were set up in the garage and
buying and selling were vigorously pursued.
We gathered indoors for a mid-morning Show
& Tell session with hot spiced cider and donut
holes served. The attendees were toured
through the Erdman’s home and introduced to
their large collections of white ironstone and
bright Czechoslovakian things. The hosts
have 1,200 plus in each of these categories.
After a gourmet lunch which was served in
a bandanna clad basket for each guest plus a
cup of Howard’s excellent gazpacho, we
reviewed the famed tape of the Last Firing of
the Bottle Kiln with special emphasis on the
health aspects involved in the potting of china
in those days. We heard an audio tape of testimony
of men and children involved in the
old-timey potting taken from A Collector’s
Guide to Nineteenth-Century Jugs by Kathy
Hughes, which Patty Hurt provided. A British
friend of the Erdmans had recorded the tape
which made us feel as if we were all
Commissioners hearing this report back in
1842. Sally E. briefly added further remarks
as to the unhealthy aspects of potting as practiced
in Staffordshire.
The final event was to discuss the functions
of our group. We will continue meeting yearly.
The Pattisons will host the 1999 meet in
Dallas on November 6th.
*************************************
Great food, terrific people and white ironstone.
Does it get any better?

PROFILE P. S.
Below: An undertray for the Sydenham
gravy boat was found by Jim and Mara
Kerr. The first identified undertray that we
reported on was in the Scalloped
Decagon/Cambridge profile. What other
Shapes have them? Keep looking!! There
may be gravy boat undertrays for all the
Shapes.
Above: Three Boote’s 1851 Soup tureens. In Volumn 1 No. 2 , 1994, we
profiled Boote’s 1851 and Sydenham Shapes. These two photos are additional
information. We always suspected that soup tureens were made in
three sizes, and we thought we had a large one and a small one. Then we
met another collector with two tureens and, when we compared, one of the
small ones turned out to be the middle size. This gives us hope that someday
we will find the middle size Boote’s 1851 sauce tureen. Also see
Collectors’ Showcase.
NEW
AND UNUSUAL
Above: Jean Wetherbee continues to find new information to add to our
knowledge of white ironstone. The above version of Atlantic Shape is by
Samuel Alcock. The T. & R. Boote Atlantic Shape shown at right is owned by
Nancy Rajala. ( Wetherbee photo)
Left: An infant feeder or medicine spoon made
by Minton, Stoke-on-Trent. Patented Feb. 25,
1879. The end of the handle has a foot which
keeps the spoon level when resting on a table.
(Kinne collection)
11

WANTED
PANELED LILY sauce tureen lid.
Olga Moreland, (212) 744 0872
-------------------------------------------------------
BERLIN SWIRL mug, plates, butter dish,
toothbrush holder - vertical or horizontal,
compote, soup tureen and anything else
unusual.
Patty Spahr Hitt, (614) 447-0730
-------------------------------------------------------
BERLIN SWIRL sugar lid (4 1/4” long), FIG
or UNION teapot, CERES hot toddy bowl
with lid, mugs in these Shapes; CANADA,
MORNING GLORY, PRIZE BLOOM, or
SHARON ARCH.
Bill & Carol Lancaster, (608) 325-5724
-------------------------------------------------------
DOLPHIN master waste jar, chamber pot lid
and basin, HURON creamer and ewer.
Steve Ross, (219) 744-5893
-------------------------------------------------------
MEMNON vertical toothbrush vase to complete
the marked base plate.
Janet Allers, (914) 876-3757
-------------------------------------------------------
Teapots in BORDERED FUCHSIA by
Anthony Shaw, HYACINTH by Wedgwood &
Co., WASHINGTON SHAPE by John Meir &
Son.
Jerry Goar, (716) 271-3702
-------------------------------------------------------
CERES by E. & F. soup tureen lid, underplate
and ladle.
Pegeen Kline, (610) 562-2980
-------------------------------------------------------
CERES by E. & F. round soap dish or butter
dish lid.
Bev Dieringer, (203) 938-3740
-------------------------------------------------------
FANCY BREAD PLATE - pg. 102 of
SPARE PARTS
Collector’s Guide, FLUTED BAND creamer
pg. 46, CERES by E. & F. covered vegetable
(largest size).
Jane M. Diemer, (302) 475-7412
-------------------------------------------------------
LAUREL WREATH teapot lid or will trade a
sugar lid for one.
Janice Stork, (219) 875-5443
-------------------------------------------------------
BOOTE’S 1851 child’s creamer, GRAPE
OCTAGON soup tureen lid 8 1/4”, 6 PAN-
ELED TRUMPET, 2 child’s tea set saucers.
Bronwen Morris, (203) 226-3639
-------------------------------------------------------
SCALLOP DEC/CAMBRIDGE sauce boat
undertray, BERLIN SWIRL vertical tooth
brush vase and soup dishes.
Harriet Denton, (301) 299-8348
-------------------------------------------------------
H E L P
Most Wanted Shapes for Dish Book
We have included page numbers from Jean
Wetherbee’s “Collector’s Guide” for your
convenience.
Acorn -- J. & G. Meakin pg. 114
Arched Wheat -- R. Cochran & Co. pg. 97
Augusta Shape -- J. Clementson pg. 68
Balanced Vine -- Clementson Bros. pg. 107
Baltimore Shape -- Brougham & Mayer pg 70
Basketweave -- Shaw pg. 144
Border of Leaves -- J & G Meakin pg.107
Dominion -- Wm Baker & Co. pg. 140
Fig Cousin -- Davenport / Wedgwood pg. 111
Flora -- John Alcock pg.
Florentine -- C. & W.K. Harvey pg. 72
Flower Garden Border -- Grindley pg. 140
Garden Border -- Grindley pg. 140
Garibaldi Shape -- T. & R. Boote pg. 72
Grape Wreath -- Bridgwood & Clark pg. 104
Grenade Shape -- T. & R. Boote pg. 72
Haveloch Shape -- Holland & Green pg. 73
Hidden Motif -- J.F. pg. 122
Lafayette Shape -- Joseph Clementson pg. 68
Meadow Bouquet -- W. Baker pg.
Mobile Shape -- G. Bowers or Heath pg. 74
Morning Glory w/thumb -- W & E Corn
Nut with Bud -- John Meir & Son pg. 114
Oxford -- Henry Alcock pg. 120
Pacific Shape -- Elsmore & Forster pg. 76
Paneled Grape -- many makers pg. 104
Persia Shape -- Edward Corn pg. 60
Poppy Shape (Scotia) -- F. Jones & Co. p. 99
Ribboned Oak -- W. & E. Corn pg. 114
Roped Wheat (The Lorne) -- J. Furnival p. 98
Scrolled Border -- Bridgwood & Son pg. 88
Summer Garden -- George Jones pg. 128
Tracery -- Johnson Bros. pg. 143
Trailing Ivy -- John Maddock pg. 112
Trumpet Vine -- Liddle Elliot & Son pg. 128
Western Shape -- Hope & Carter pg. 128
Wheat Harvest -- John Alcock pg. 102
White Oak & Acorn --Holland & Green p. 114
Winterberry -- Edward Clark pg. 117
We have found several Shapes that were not
represented in Jean’s book and we have found
that some Shapes have several different names
but are the same design. If you have a dish
that you can’t identify in any of Jean’s books,
please send us pictures and backstamps.
Please Call the Dieringer’s at (203) 938-3740
or fax us at 203 938 8378 or email
Dieringer1@aol.com.
COLLECTORS’ SHOWCASE
12
Back in 1994 in our second issue, we profiled
Boote’s 1851 shape. From then to
now, we thought we had seen everything
that was made in this pattern and had
included it in the profile. We have
learned a lesson: Never say that you
have covered it all. In July of this year
we made a trip to Hillsboro, New
Hampshire, to visit Jean Wetherbee. She
had several things for us to photograph for
future use in the Newsletter and among
them was this stunning cookie plate which
belongs to her daughter, Linda
Dalenberg. Linda has gathered a large
collection of T. & R. Boote’s 1851 pattern
and this is certainly a prized piece.
The dish is 9 1/2” and is similar to the
Sydenham cookie dish we presented in
Volume 1, No. 2, pg. 6, so we should have
realized that one existed in Boote’s 1851.

R A F F L E
First Prize: New York Shape compote
Second Prize: Ceres by Elsmore & Forster Soda Mug
A U C T I O N
Boote’s 1851 child’s three piece tea set.
Sydenham Shape oval covered vegetable tureen.
These are some of the early consignments