307 I characteristic of this factory. Of these, some are in white, others are decorated with designs in blue under the glaze, while the finest examples are enamelled in colours. Large centre-pieces with dishes mounted upon piled- up shells are gener- ally surmounted by a dolphin. Cookworthy's blue and white porcelain was not so successful as that decorated in colours. The blue employed was of a black or greyish tint, and is generally found to be bleared in the firing. The pepper-pot is decorated with a dark slate-blue under the glaze, and with Indian red over the glaze, the design being one of Chinese origin. In these days Ply- mouth porcelain is very rare, and commands high prices, and it may be of interest to mention that this charming little specimen was picked up for a shilling from a dealer who evidently did not know the characteristics of this china. Some of the finest examples of Plymouth porcelain are those enamelled in colours and copied from Oriental designs. Still in existence, for example, is a teapot decorated in brilliant reds, greens, and yellows, in exact imitation of some of the work by that famous Japanese artist Kakiyemon. Fine large figures were manufactured at Plymouth. These were decorated in bril- liant enamel colours. They are rarely met with in private collections, but some beau- tiful specimens may be seen in the Schreiber collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Plymouth and Bristol porcelain closely resemble one another, but while the Bristol artist shows hard lines in his work, it will be noticed that the flowers upon the other are more sympathetically treated ; the style is softer and more true to nature. Also, while the gilt edge upon Bristol china is noted for its solidarity, that upon Ply- mouth is frequently size-gilding. The teapot illustrated is another example of Plymouth porcelain decorated with detached sprays, sprigs, single leaves and blossoms. The shape of the handle and narrow ring at the bottom are somewhat distinctive of this factory. The edges are lined in reddish brown. Indeed, this colour, or a chocolate brown, were almost always used as edging at Plymouth in place of gold. The third illustration shows one of a set of vases, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, which serve to demonstrate the simplicity of form and decoration adopted by Cook- worthy. The flowers are well and artistically painted, the colours are brilliant, gold is sparingly used, and the spiral ridging is A Plymouth mug. A distinguishing feature between Ply mouth and Bristol china is that upon the former flowers are treated very much more sympathetically and with greater delicacy WOMAN'S HOMfe distinctly visible on the lower part of the vase, making it, as a whole, a most charac- teristic specimen of Plymouth china. A large proportion of Plymouth porcelain is unmarked. Where, however, a mark was em- ployed by Cookworthy upon his wares it generally took the form of the alchemist's sign for tin, which resembles the combined numerals 2 and 4. It appears in a grey blue under the glaze, and a red brown over the glaze. The mark in gold is found upon some fine pieces, but these are generally believed to have been made at Bristol, as were also pieces which bear the marks of both factories. In 1770 the Plymouth works were removed to Bristol, where Cook- worthy appears to have continued to make por- celain at Castle Green, in conjunction with Richard Champion, till 1773. In that year he retired from business, and devoted his remaining years to the ministry of the Society of Friends. He died in 1780. Two rare Plymouth marks
