Description
A scarce and unusual example in fine condition of a Mid 19th Century Antique Welsh Victorian "Pontypool" Ware Japanned Tea-urn / Samovar, the lid with satyr finial, the body with satyr mask escutcheons, and "pied-de-biche" feet; the brass spigot still retaining faint traces of the original silver plate, the interior of the lid fully marked, viz. "MADE FOR J.R. COOPER & SONS LIVERPOOL BY J.S. PYRKE & SONS LONDON". Produced at Usk by / for John S. Pyrke and Sons of London and supplied to J.R. Cooper and Sons of Liverpool, the nature of this item raises the question as to whether it was perhaps subsequently either used or displayed in the famous grocery store of Cooper and Co. of Church Street, Liverpool, a remarkable department store, once regarded as the North's answer to Fortnum & Mason, and still spoken of affectionately by Liverpool shoppers, despite it being over 40 years since its closure. John Pyrke, Tea-urn Maker, {1755 - 1834}, occupied No. 51 Mount Pleasant {Formerly Dorrington Road}, Clerkenwell, London, from the end of the eighteenth century. He also took over No. 53 in the 1830s, and the firm of John S. Pyrke & Sons continued at both houses, which were converted into one, until the late nineteenth century. Notwithstanding the generic use of the term "Pontypool Ware" to describe such products, japanning at Pontypool ceased in 1822, and this Tea-urn would have been produced at Usk, where the japannery produced very fine work using black and tinned plates from the Caerleon Forge. John Pyrke was the third of the Usk japanners. See "The Allgood Family ~ Japanning at Pontypool and Usk". He came from London {where he sold Japan-ware, principally tea-urns}, to Usk in 1799, and in 1814 became owner of the japannery of Thomas Hughes (1740-1828). Pyrke popularized the chocolate-brown lacquer for which Japan from Usk became noted and also used papier-mâché as a base, before eventually selling his factory, in 1826, to Evan Jones. ~ Ref. AWVPWJTUSJSPAS-XX
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