Historical information

Josiah Wedgwood (1730–95), came from an established family of potters and trained with his elder brother. He was in partnership with the leading potter Thomas Whieldon from 1754 until 1759 when a new green ceramic glaze he had developed encouraged him to start a new business on his own. Relatives leased him the Ivy House in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, and his marriage to Sarah Wedgwood, a distant cousin with a sizeable dowry, helped him launch his new venture.
After an extensive and systematic program of experiment Wedgwood in 1765 created a new variety of creamware, a fine glazed earthenware, which was the main body used for his table wares thereafter. After he supplied Queen Charlotte with a tea set for twelve the same year, she gave official permission to call it "Queen's Ware" (from 1767). This new form, perfected as white pearlware (from 1780), sold extremely well across Europe, and to America. It had the additional advantage of being relatively light, saving on transport costs and import tariffs in foreign markets. Wedgwood developed several further industrial innovations for his company, notably a way of measuring kiln temperatures accurately, and several new ceramic bodies including the "dry-body" Stoneware, "black basalt" (by 1769), cane ware, and jasperware (the 1770s), all designed to be sold unglazed, like "biscuit porcelain".
In the later 19th century the company returned to being a leader in the design and technical innovation, as well as continuing to make many of the older styles. Despite increasing local competition in its export markets, the business continued to flourish in the 19th and early 20th centuries, remaining in the hands of the Wedgwood family, but after World War II it began to contract, along with the rest of the English pottery industry.
After buying several other Staffordshire ceramics companies, in 1987 Wedgwood merged with Waterford Crystal to create Waterford Wedgwood plc, an Ireland-based luxury brands group. After a 2009 purchase by KPS Capital Partners, a New York-based private equity firm.

Significance

Wedgwood has always been associated with fine china, porcelain, and luxury accessories, the entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood rapidly became successful and was soon one of the largest manufacturers of Staffordshire pottery. Wedgwood is a significant pottery manufacturer as the company is especially associated with the "dry-bodied" (unglazed) stoneware Jasperware in contrasting colours, and in particular that in "Wedgwood blue" and white that has become a trademark.

Physical description

Teapot and lid, Wedgwood blue Jasperware with white pattern

Inscriptions & markings

Impressed name Wedgewood and date letter "S" = 1890