W&R Carlton Ware and Carlton Ware

“Carlton Ware is one of the most collected, cherished and loved china in Australia.” Quote from Collector on Australia’s own ABC screened 16th June 2006.

Everybody knows Carlton Ware; I hale from New Zealand and it is as popular across the Tasman as it is here in Aussie, but it does not stop there. I have sold Carlton Ware to collectors in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Lebanon, Azores, Canada, USA and South Africa. Its’ world wide popularity is matched only by its incredible range. From novelties and crested  ware, to salad ware and the embossed patterns like Foxglove, Buttercup, Oak and Hydrangea and then on to the hand painted and lustre patterns like the Chinoiserie School of patterns and Tutankhamen, Crested Bird, Spiders Web and New Stork.

Wiltshaw &Robinson or W&R Carlton Ware was formed in 1890 by a partnership between J.A. & W.H. Robinson and James Fredrick Wiltshaw. In 1911 the Robinson brothers and James Wiltshaw parted company and Wiltshaw took control of W&R Carlton Ware. James was joined by his son Cuthbert Wiltshaw. During WWI Cuthbert was actively involved in the war effort. In 1918 he rejoined the company, shortly after this James Wiltshaw was killed in a freak train accident. Cuthbert Wiltshaw spent the next 48 years directing and coaxing the artistic legacy that we are fortunate enough to have today.

 W&R and Carlton Ware Fact File Layout

Some of W&R and Carlton Ware hand painted motifs have many different pattern number’s attributed to the same motif, a different pattern number for every colour-way. I have listed the first number attributed to each pattern in order to fix a date when the pattern was first produced. This is the ~ four digit number that follows the pattern name in the title. The date in (brackets) beside the pattern number is the approximate year the number was issued. Every item pictured has the pattern number written below it. Generally I will list the pattern numbers of all patterns which I have photographed. 

If production of a pattern began during the Wiltshire & Robinson era all the subsequent pattern numbers will appear under W&R heading even if they where produced during the era of the Carlton Ware script mark. All pattern and items listed as W&R in the title mean they have a W&R mark, this is the same with Carlton Ware, Handcraft and the four Royale marks. It is the stock from period 1916 to 1965 that I generally specialize in. This can be split into two style, the higher end hand painted and lustre patterns (decorative) and the embossed patterns (kitchen ware).  

Carlton Ware Embossed Pattern List

My passion for the Lustre and hand painted patterns is limited to the patterns that came into production circa 1915. Production from this period is marked with the W&R Carlton Ware maker’s mark, which was in use up to and including 1927. This W&R (short for Wiltshaw & Robinson) mark was in use from 1894. Below are the 2 most  common variations on the W&R mark.

W&R Blushware Pattern List

 The special marks are: Kang He mark (taken from a vase decorated with Rockery and Pheasant pattern), Kang Hsi, the Persian mark, the Cloisonne` Ware Mark, the Chinaland mark, the Armand mark and the Tutankhamen mark.

 

W&R Chinoiserie Pattern List 

I have given the Chinoiserie school of motifs a separate page, as there are so many pattern numbers and variations associated with these patterns. The Chinoiserie school takes in 10 motifs, most of which began production under the W&R mark, but many of which also went on to produced under the Carlton Ware mark as well. The pattern’s Mikado and New Mikado where both produced right up until the mid 60’s; they are the longest lived of all the W&R Carlton Ware patterns.

In 1925 a new Carlton Ware mark was brought into use, NOTE: both the W&R and the new Carlton Ware mark where in use together between 1925 and 1927. The new Carlton Ware mark was in use, with several minor variations, up until 1975.

Carlton Ware Lustre & Hand Painted Pattern List

Due to war time restriction, from 1940 most pottery production was halted, except some utilitarian ware. After WWII production of the lustre patterns began again in earnest. A new series of marks was produced circa 1951, these are the Hand Painted and the Royale marks which where in use until 1961.

The most common is the Rouge Royale, then the Bleu Royale, the Vert Royale and the rarest is the Noire Royale Mark.

In 1928 the Handcraft mark was issued, it was in use until circa 1937.  The handcraft range of patterns are generally hand painted patterns with a matt finish, but this is not a hard and fast rule as there are about 6 lustre handcraft patterns. The Handcraft school of patterns are classic Art Deco; I would go so far as to call them High Deco. To date I have identifyed 73 Handcraft patterns and colour-way veriations, 70 of which I have photograped and documented in the Handcraft Pattern list.

Handcraft Pattern List

I am always on the look out for more information to add to the pattern lists. If you have a collection and live in Victoria I would love to photograph your items so that I can extend this fact file. What I am looking for are patterns and colour-ways I do not already have examples of. The items must have a pattern number written on the base so they can be clearly identified. In most cases the Royale’s do not have a hand written pattern number, but on occasions they will have a paper applied factory label on which the pattern number is written, these are particularly helpful.

Please understand this is not a complete list of all the patterns available, but listed are patterns that I have had the priviledge of handling. These pages are a work in process, so over the months and years the files will grow.