A superb arts & crafts tile from
the greatest art tile specialists of the late
19th and early 20th centuries. Entirely
hand-made with plastic clay body and impasto
barbotine decoration, featuring a nature study
design of flowers and foliage. Decorated with
warm earth tone colours and finished with a most
brilliant glaze.
More arts & crafts than tiles by the arts
& crafts mass producers William de Morgan
& Co. and Morris & Co, closer to wares
by potters Martin Bros. and Burmantofts. Most of
William de Morgan's tiles were painted to traced
outlines (painting by numbers), this was copied
from the pattern book by hand.
It should be noted that there are three types
of barbotine decorated tiles by Sherwin &
Cotton with mostly similar nature study floral
designs. Whilst not being mentioned in the
literature or indeed by anyone I have been in
contact with indeed no expert appears to have
even noted the difference despite the pattern
numbers giving a very strong clue by having
different prefixes. Later types of barbotine
tile were decorated in slips but upon embossed
clay the pattern and relief already determined
by the mould. There are apparently few which are
impasto - freehand decorated on a flat surface
the relief built upon in slip the process
requiring great skill to produce the best
effect.
Verso clean, some smoke stain, Sherwin's
trade mark embossed, incised pattern number.