- Style/technique: Pictorial print
- Manufacturer: Mintons China Works
- Dimensions: 6" x 6"
- Date: circa 1890
One of a series of built landscapes dating from around
1885, a view entitled 'Edinburgh Castle from the
Grassmarket'. Signed W Wise in the bottom left corner -
slightly curtailed due to the printing flaw. Lockett has
this scene, the eight inch version, illustrated on page
96, which he too reports is signed by William Wise. It is
a particularly finely detailed work as if he tried to
engrave every brick and tile and there are tiny figures
apparently unloading a cart in front of The Beehive
Hotel.
This was purpose made as a trivet and is presumably
not one of the very earliest as the biscuit has had the
corners and edges rounded off, the first examples were
very square edged and corners like tiles. Sharp edges
were of course liable to damage in use as a pot stand so
the chamfering was done by hand before decorating so that
the softened corners would be less likely to get damaged.
Extremely rare to find in such excellent condition, even
the little feet have the only tiny marks from where the
it stood on pegs in the kiln.
Mintons China Works did various series of landscapes,
this appears to be from a series of tourist sites, there
are several Edinburgh scenes and some from Stratford upon
Avon/Warwickshire area and the Derbyshire Peak District.
The ruined abbey tiles may also be part of the series
although it may not be a series as such as they may have
been made primarily for their specific markets in
souvenir shops which would tie in with their being often
found on pot stands.
