Perspective --------------- Wedgwood continued on to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. He pursued a career in the Royal Scots (1973 - 80) before retiring from the regiment to pursue his wider business interests. Wedgwood succeeded to the Barony in 1970, whereupon he entered the House <strong>of</strong> Lords, where he served until the 1999 'reform act' abolished the right <strong>of</strong> hereditary peers to sit in the chamber. Lord Wedgwood is now based in the salubrious neighbourhood <strong>of</strong> Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia, the city his wife Mary and her family hails from. As an audience <strong>of</strong> nearly three hundred ate canapes, scones and cakes <strong>of</strong>f plates from the new tea range, Wedgwood declared, "Actually, my personal favourite is 'Cuckoo'; here's a wonderful play, a twist, on a design we created in the early 1800s. You'll remember all that interest in ancient design, chinoiserie, the Brighton Pavilion [c.1787-18221 down in the South <strong>of</strong> England ... and this is the result today, and I think she's a beauty. So with tea ware that is unashamedly romantic and fun and different, we like to mix things up a little bit!" He discussed many <strong>of</strong> the limited-edition prestige items in some detail, particularly pieces whose design echoes earlier prototypes from the archives. <strong>The</strong> 'First Day's Vase ' was reinterpreted in 2009 in honour <strong>of</strong> Wedgwood's 2<strong>50</strong>th anniversary. Six vases were originally thrown by Josiah Wedgwood (with his partner Thomas Bentley (1731-80) powering the wheel) to mark the opening <strong>of</strong> his new factory at Etruria on 13 June 1769. Many <strong>of</strong> the most beloved designs, like the "Dancing Hours Plaque", date from the period (1787-94) when Josiah sent gifted sculptor, modeller and draughtsman John Flaxman (the younger, 1755-1826) to study in Italy. This transformed Flaxman from an obscure and derivative British stylist into an international figure with a proven record in faithfully executed decorative design. In discussing the new blue Jaspervvare 'Wattle Octagonal Tray', Wedgwood reflected on the firm's historical links with an emerging nation in the formative years <strong>of</strong> British colonisation. "<strong>Australian</strong>a is, for us, <strong>of</strong> great fascination. Why? Well we love you; we think you're fairly crazy, but we do love you! We have this fabulous connection which goes back to the First Fleet arriving, Captain Arthur Phillip sending back samples <strong>of</strong> clay, and Josiah Wedgwood making the Sydney Cove Medallion [17891 out <strong>of</strong> that, and ever since we have been producing pieces <strong>of</strong> <strong>Australian</strong>a." Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820) sent the clay to Wedgwood, his friend and fellow member <strong>of</strong> the Royal Society, to be tested for its suitability to make pottery (which Wedgwood reported was excellent). In turn, Wedgwood asked his friend (and future relation) Erasmus Darvvin (1731-1802) to pen a verse to accompany the dark grey medallion, with its allegorical figures, made from the sample. This travelled back to Sydney on the Second Fleet1 and, as Lord Wedgwood quipped, " ... with our Darvvin connection, it's no wonder that we have, within the family, some rather odd looks." For nearly forty minutes, Wedgwood regaled the many appreciative 'Wedgwoodians', as he calls them, with his thoughts and anecdotes. After which there were even a few squalling infants produced for photo opportunities, but Lord Wedgwood remained unflappable; he signed, he chatted, he posed, he signed, he beamed, he shook countless hands, listened amiably to drawn-out reminiscences, and he signed. Indeed, he continued to sign pieces for collectors not even present during the time allocated for our interview. <strong>The</strong> opportunity to engage with the brand's loyal customer base is always foremost in Lord Wedgwood's mind. "Our designers are constantly looking at what the next trends are, what is new, what is interesting, what is edgy. We are a company that has survived on constantly changing to be relevant to today's consumer, and that is very important. It's all about 'how do we incorporate the history and the legacy <strong>of</strong> Josiah Wedgwood' into what we're doing today." Although Wedgwood prides itself on a long history <strong>of</strong> craftsmanship and aesthetic continuity, even a brand name with such a prestigious background was not immune to the economic turmoil <strong>of</strong> 2008-09. 16 THE JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS JULY <strong>2011</strong>
Wedgwood, Black Jasper Honey Pot, matte Black Jasper with strong white contrast. h.13.5cm Photo: courtesy Wedgwood Perspective
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