Catalyst and Historical Beginnings of British Porcelain Armorials

This chapter looks at the genesis of armorial porcelain in Britain. It considers the establishment of the first porcelain manufactories in the 1740s and considers why porcelain factories were not established earlier in Britain. Ponoma, Chelsea, Bow, Limehouse and Vauxhall are examined. The establishment of Worcester and the enamelling workshops of James Giles are discussed. The difficulties in establishing a commercially viable porcelain manufactory are reviewed, with reference to William Littler, William Reid, and Richard Champion as key entrepreneurs. Other manufactories are considered, including Lowestoft, Richard Chaffers, Philip Christian, the Pennington brothers, New Hall, Caughley, Pinxton Swansea and Nantgarw. Those factories that did and did not produce armorial porcelain are discussed, and the reasons for not doing so are considered.