BRISTOL PORCELAIN. Richard Champion, of Bristol, in 1770, was producing porcelain from °Cornish stone° under Cook worthy's (see Ptvbeount) patent in the firm name of Cookworthy & Co. He purchased the patent outright in 1773. The patent expiring, he obtained an extension (after Wedgwood s contest in Parliament), but aims at art products were too ambitious for financial success. He sold out to a factory at New Hall, Staffordshire.
Bristol style tended to ward Meissen (Dresden) ideals, whereas Ply mouth leaned to Oriental taste. Biscuit almost equal to Derby (see DERBY). Figures are °thickset, lack grace, coloring poor° (Binns). Forms often warped in oven.
Tea, coffee and dessert serv ices, figures, bouquets of flowers after Vin cennes style, °cottage ornaments," vases, candle sticks. Champion's biscuit (unglazed) plaques were delicate and beautiful; decorated often with coats-of-arms and wreaths of flowers (Adams style) carefully molded in green shaded with brown and black and attached (sprigged). The figures of Franklin (his friend) and Washington appear on larger plaques.
Decoration.— Colors used were blue, green, lilac and red mostly; ground colors (rare) yellow and green. No underglaze colors. Motifs were wreaths (see above), "exotic birds° sprays of flowers in medallions.
Good and evenly distributed, but has minute holes and black specks (defects of firing). Glaze shows a °cold, white glitter.° Soft paste was used till 1770 (of unaker, American clay) in experiments, then hard paste. Surface shows spiral ridges (termed often awhorls°). Bristol cups and saucers very translucent, with yellowish tinge when held up to the light. Consult Compton, F., (London 1895) ; Trapnell, A., (Catalogue of British (Bristol 1898).
Marks.— Tin enamel (delft) plates have, sometimes, E above MB and 1760 below it. Ring's cream-color has a mark E R with 1786 beneath, at times. Another mark is °BRIS TOL° on a band with two crossed palm leaves above and scroll-work beneath. When Cham pion used the Dresden across-swords° mark (always under glaze) he added some sign, as a dot or something between the hilts and a number beneath, and overglaze + sign on this mark. Early (soft paste) experimental pieces are marked °Bristoll° impressed (rare). From 1770 a + was the mark or a letter B. Early pieces show the Cookworthy (Plymouth) alchemists' tin symbol with a cross.