Our ‘Minton’ manuscript mega-thread round-up reaches its 20th instalment this week – not something we necessarily expected to be writing when we began tweeting under the #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton hashtag back in April! However, there’s been so much to glean from Philip & Zillah Wadsworth’s account of the history of the Minton firm that we’ve been truly engrossed, and this latest collection from @MintonArchive is no exception…
"The most remarkable feature of Minton's display in 1871 was undoubtedly Marc Louis Solon's pâte-sur-pâte. This particular form of decoration had not been done in England before & in France it had only been used on hard paste porcelain." [242/] #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton
— The Minton Archive (@MintonArchive) August 12, 2020
Given that Solon came to England after the outbreak of war – appearing in Minton's wages book in October 1870 – his success in adapting his methods to Minton's parian body & executing a number of pieces in time for the exhibition is remarkable. [243/] #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton
— The Minton Archive (@MintonArchive) August 12, 2020
"In the wake of London & Paris Vienna took up the challenge & in 1873 an ambitious international exhibition was staged there. Minton's display was particularly brilliant & received the acclaim of French, American & German visitors". [244/] #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton
— The Minton Archive (@MintonArchive) August 13, 2020
One of the judges of the Vienna exhibition, referring to the late Herbert Minton, described him as "'cet incomparable potier'" & praised the elegant shapes, bold decorations, & richness of colour of the company's majolica pieces. [245/] #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton
— The Minton Archive (@MintonArchive) August 13, 2020
Minton's decorative tiles for walls & hearths attracted notice too, though naturally they were not the only "Minton" tile maker in attendance: both Minton Hollins & Co. & Robert Minton Taylor had their own displays at the exhibition as well! [246/] #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton
— The Minton Archive (@MintonArchive) August 13, 2020
The Vienna exhibition was another great success for Minton both in prestige & in trading: of the 549 pieces sent to Vienna only 64 – a smidgen over 10% – were returned to the London warehouse at the end of the exhibition. [247/] #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton
— The Minton Archive (@MintonArchive) August 14, 2020
(In the company's account book its noted that item no. 118 – a ewer & basin with a Greek honeysuckle pattern – was, at the close of the exhibition, given to the policeman who had been on duty at the door. How lovely is that?!) [248/] #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton
— The Minton Archive (@MintonArchive) August 14, 2020
In 1876 the United States promoted its own international exhibition in Philadelphia (marking a century since independence) & though Minton did attend it confined its display to tiles. As a result the firm was not one of the larger exhibitors. [249/] #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton
— The Minton Archive (@MintonArchive) August 15, 2020
Once again Minton Hollins & the (recently formed) Campbell Brick & Tile Co. exhibited independently, the former with "tiles of all kinds" & the latter with "'tiles encaustic, geometric, majolica, & all kinds of glazed tiles & mosiacs'" [250/] #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton
— The Minton Archive (@MintonArchive) August 15, 2020
Though Minton's own stand seemed not to include their table & ornamental wares it could still be found on the stands of retailers such as Goode & Co. & R.B. & A.B. Daniell, who had placed large orders with the firm before the exhibition. [251/] #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton
— The Minton Archive (@MintonArchive) August 16, 2020
"In fact, Minton's trade with the U.S. expanded rapidly during the latter part of the century as growing American prosperity provided ever-increasing markets, [leading] Colin Minton Campbell […] to undertake an extensive tour [of the country]." [252/] #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton
— The Minton Archive (@MintonArchive) August 16, 2020
Next came the Paris Exhibition of 1878. This aroused much more interest than 1867's exhibition, in part because people were eager to see how France had recovered from the Franco-Prussian war & in particular how Paris looked after the siege. [253/] #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton
— The Minton Archive (@MintonArchive) August 17, 2020
Once again Minton was praised for its display with the Prince of Wales, the Grand Duke Constantine of Russia, Prince Demidov, the Duke of Aosta, the Duke of Westminster, & Baron Rothschild amongst those who purchased examples of their work. [254/] #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton
— The Minton Archive (@MintonArchive) August 17, 2020
The Paris Exhibition was also a personal triumph for Colin Minton Campbell & for Léon Arnoux, who were both named Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur in recognition of their distinguished services to the industry & to the Exhibition. [255/] #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton
— The Minton Archive (@MintonArchive) August 18, 2020
As for Minton itself, this exhibition represented the highest peak of its achievement: the firm now employed around 2000 people, "could call on a glittering galaxy of artists & designers" & enjoyed an unrivalled reputation. [256/] #WadsworthsHistoryofMinton
— The Minton Archive (@MintonArchive) August 18, 2020