A.G. Harley Jones, "Kang Hsi" Style, Harley Ware, Oviform Vase

Offered for sale is a lovely blue & white chinoiserie, Harley Ware, Kang Hsi style oviform vase by A.G. Harley Jones. A.G. Harley Jones were a manufacturer of earthenware and china at the Royal Vienna Art Pottery (c.1920 renamed to Wilton Pottery) in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, England. Arthur George Harley Jones was the son of William Hiram-Jones (1844–1906) and his will of 1896 describes him as an earthenware manufacturer of Stoke-on-Trent. A G Harley Jones had a brother, Thomas William Lear Jones, who was also a pottery manufacturer. A G Harley Jones set up business in around 1905 at the recently built Royal Vienna Art Pottery, Duke Street, Fenton. He was described as a "manufacturer of artistic fancy goods, Royal Vienna art pottery, and Samian pottery", it is said that his brother, Thomas William, lost all his money during the coal miners’ strike of 1912 because he would not stock up on coal. Arthur kept going because he stocked up with coal before the strike. Arthur begged Thomas to get coal in, but he did not believe a strike would happen. When it did, Thomas lost all his pottery in unfired form in his pot-bank. This was his downfall and he fell on hard times thereafter.' (source: Ian Dufour - Grandson of Arthur George) In the 1920 the pottery works were renamed to 'Wilton Pottery' and then in 1934 the business found itself in financial difficulty, it was declared bankrupt and wound up.