China Manufacturers G to M The Famous Potters Guide To Fine China and Antique China
China Manufacturers G to M .......
For the other two sections go to: A - F | OR | N - Z
Porcelain and Fine China Makers G to M listed alphabetically:
Gardner
The first Russian Porcelain maker, founded by Englishman Francis Gardner in 1765. They produced high quality wares and figures. It remained in the Gardner family until 1891, when it was purchased by Kusnetzoff. The factory is still in production today.
Gien is a quality china manufacturer that specializes in earthenware. Founded in 1821 by Thomas Hall who was an Englishman with a mission to introduce fine English earthenware techniques to France, the home of hard-paste porcelain.
Gien presented exceptional earthenware exhibitions pieces from 1855 to 1900. In the 20th Century, despite wars and other crisis, Gien is the no. 1 producer of quality earthenware in France, and one of the best selling brands worldwide. See also Limoges (below).
Gorham was founded in 1831 in California, USA by Jabez Gorham.
Initially, Gorham manufactured only eathenware. In 1970 Gorham purchased the Flintridge China Company and in Pasadena, California began to make fine china dinnerware.
Gorham also began producing their own china designs many of which were made to coordinate with their sterling silver patterns. In 1984, Gorham ceased manufacturing its own china and began importing it from Japan.
In the early 1990s, Lenox (see below) purchased Gorham and continues to make various Gorham China patterns today.
Beautiful figurines are one of the things the Hutschenreuther porcelain company are famous for. Founded in 1814 by Carolus Magnus Hutschenreuther in Hohenberg an der Eger, Bavaria, Germany.
Hutschenreuther acquired sculptors and skilled laborers then began working with the Selb Technical School of Porcelain. Selb is also the home of Rosenthal.
Today, Hutschenreuther is part of the Rosenthal Group, who, in turn have been acquired by the Wedgwood group.
Jackfield in Shrophire, not far from the site of the original Coalport works, was long known as a centre of the early pottery industry, and had developed its own distinctive style of pottery manufacture by the early 1700’s - black Jackfield glaze .
Not a factory but a type of pottery ‘Jackfield Black’. Jackfield ware would have competed against majolica for the Victorian table.
Porcelain has been made in Limoges, France since the mid 1800’s. Kaolin was discovered in c.1760, close to Limoges and gave rise to the industry. See the porcelain china section for more information.
The first porcelain factory in Limoges was in 1765. Within a few years, the Limoges porcelain became a branch of the royal manufacturer at Sevres producing porcelain blanks for final decoration at Sevres (for more information on Sevres see listed under "S" below).
Famous factories (now vintage Limoge)emerged including
Haviland
, Ahrenfeldt, Guerin, Pouyat, Elite, and others.
Bernardaud, Jean Louis Coquet, Gien, Raynaud and Philippe Deshoulieres are all high quality makers of today. Whilst English makers perfected fine bone china, the French and other Europeans concentrated on hard-paste or ‘real’ porcelain.
Porcelain is grayer in appearance, more prone to chipping and less translucent than fine bone china. For more information see the bone china ware page.
If you want a price guide to the value of a specific Limoge maker you can just conveniently click on one of the Limoges manufacturer auction links below (which will be specific to your area if you are in the US, UK, CA or Aus. Otherwise, you will get US Dollar prices).
Limoges Manufacturers Online Auction Value Price Guide Links
In 1953 three brothers Juan, José and Vicente Lladró made their first ceramic creations in their home in Almàssera (Valencia) Spain.
They had acquired a Moorish furnace and, while their day job was at a local crockery factory, at home they developed their artistic interests. With the use of their furnace they began to produce figurines influenced by Meissen, Sèvres and Capodimonte.
By 1958 they had given up the day job and moved to an old nearby warehouse. With much experimentation they developed innovative techniques such as the one-layer firing process which created their distinctive crystalline finish and pastel tones.
Like Franz (see above) a modern model of ingenuity, artistry and acumen. Top marks to the Lladro brothers - to thrive and succeed in a time period where so many other china manufacturers have failed.
Founded by James Meakin in 1845, Staffordshire, England, Meakins were predominantly earthenware manufacturers of domestic tableware. They were not luxury producers, but set their stall out to be utilitarian makers of strong durable products.
Meakin had three sons. James and George took over the business in 1852 when their father died (the firm was renamed J & G Meakin).
The third son, Alfred started a break away business around 1874. Collectors need to be aware of these two different trade-marks. From 1908 Alfed Meakin was amalgamated into family off-shoot business
Johnson Brothers (click here for more information)
and were most known for producing tea-leaf design for the export market.
In the 19th century the J & G Meakin was well-known for its white granite (undecorated ironstone) – a take on European, particularly French porcelain of the period.
Prior to 1945 they specialized in competitively priced export tablewares, particularly for the American market, and South America. A family off-shoot resulted in the formation of Johnson Brothers Johnson Brothers China.
By the 1950s about 80% of production was for export markets which by now also included Australia, New Zealand, the Far East and Scandinavia.
During the 20th century the firm was known for its "Sol" wares produced between 1912 and 1963 for both home and hotel use. To give an idea of the size of the firm, in the early 50’s around a million pieces of Sol were manufactured per week.
Post war expansion in the home market for domestic tableware resulted in a wide range of traditional and fashionable shapes and patterns being produced between the boom years of 1945-1975. For example, there was the Habitant Studio Ware in raspberry red, daffodil yellow, bottle green and grey.
Meakins merged with Midwinters in 1968. Midwinter, a now defunct name (see below) has subsequently become very collectible. Midwinter had bought A J Wilkinsons in the mid 60's - the firm often using the trade name 'Royal Staffordshire' and inexorably linked with Clarice Cliff - see listed under 'R' below. In 1970 Midwinter/Meakin were taken over by Wedgwood Group and corralled into their 'Creative Tableware' stable.
The earliest deposits of the mineral required to make porcelain were discovered near Meissen, Germany during the 1600’s.
With the skill of alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger, Meissen won the race to emulate Chinese hard-paste or ‘real’ porcelain in 1710.
The artistry of Johann Kandler, employed at the factory from 1731, enabled Meissen to take advantage of their discovery.
Meissen still produce today, for example the stunning and original White Waves tableware.
It strikes me as a blessing, particularly considering the devastation wreaked on Dresden during WW11, that the originators of European Porcelain, and makers of stunning figurines like the figure of the girl shown opposite (made nearly 200 years ago), are still able to show such fine china to the world.
Midwinter is now a highly collectible pottery having closed in 1987 after an unsuccessful marriage with the Wedgwood Group.
They were committed to design innovation, something they kept to for more than 30 years. At one point they owned the rights to the Clarice Cliff name.
Midwinters had bought Clarice’s firm A. J. Wilkinson (Royal Staffordshire - see under 'R' below) in 1964. They then merged with 'Sol' makers J & G Meakin in 1968. In 1970 Midwinter was taken over by Wedgwood Group.
The 'Astral' pattern shown opposite seems to be influenced by American firm Franciscan 1950's 'Starburst' pattern. See Franciscan Pottery.
Picture © China Manufacturers G to M 2008
Picture © China Manufacturers G to M 2008
Picture © China Manufacturers G to M 2008
Picture © China Manufacturers G to M 2008
Picture © China Manufacturers G to M 2008
Picture © China Manufacturers G to M 2008
Picture © China Manufacturers G to M 2008
Meissen Pictures © China Manufacturers G to M 2008
Picture © China Manufacturers G to M 2008
