• Style/technique: Pictorial print
• Manufacturer: Campbell Brick & Tile Co
• Pattern number: 1409*
• Dimensions: 6" x 6"
• Date: circa 1878

 

A good and rare example of this series of nude water nymphs frollicking with sea life under the waves. Nicely printed in black on a buff body which is slightly thicker than usual. This is one of the least often found series perhaps due to Victorian sensibilities, one of a series of twelve 'Water Nymphs'. First produced around 1873 at the same time as the most popular Shakespeare series (which is pattern number 1408) we see hundreds of the Shakespeare tiles for each one of these Water Nymphs.

The series is widely attributed to Moyr Smith but this is questioned by the author of a book on his works Annamarie Stapleton who says there is no evidence that Smith did these but there is evidence for C O Murray who was a colleague of Smith's. Her book includes two pictures on page 47 of two stained glass panels designed by Moyr Smith and these are very similar in style to the Spirits of the Flowers and Water Nymphs tile series. I think it matters little who designed the tiles, having myself collected art nouveau tiles many of which the manufacturer was unknown let alone the designer, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and should not be constrained by received wisdom of who is a great artist and who is not.

Colin Campbell was a nephew of Herbert Minton and owned both Mintons China Works and (maybe in part only) Campbell (Brick &) Tile Co - they dropped 'brick &' from their name after a few years so this tile can be dated quite precisely being between 1875 and 1882. Presumably the Minton factory ran out of blanks and got some from Campbells or perhaps this was a special order in as much as Campbells made floor tiles and hence used this thicker quality buff clay body to a greater extent.

*Pattern number 1409 in a light blue, Mintons usually applied different pattern number to different standard colourways.

Verso is clean with 'The Campbell Brick & Tile Co Stoke upon Trent' and the company's compass badge.

Condition: Excellent
Price: £200 (approx $395)
Ref: 02344

Chip on the left top corner, another on the bottom edge and four other tiny/very tiny edge chips. Some light rubbing on the black border near some of the edges and other very light surface marks. A clean and bright tile.

The image is full size at 72 dpi (about 430 pixels wide) in maximum quality JPEG format. A larger 120 dpi image also in maximum quality JPEG format can be forwarded by email if required.

The image is a little oversize rather than cropped close to the edges so that the edges can easily be seen and any chips etc can be quickly spotted. Other marks described are usually not visible at all when the tile is viewed straight as one normally sees it and can only be seen with a critical eye when the tile is tilted to catch imperfections in reflected light. For more details of how we describe marks see Condition.

To see current dollar price and convert price to other currencies try this Universal Currency Converter.