c. 1800–1899
impressed · glass
This impressed stamp dates to the early nineteenth century.
impressed · glass · England, United Kingdom
impressed stamp (early 19th Century)
Glass
Whitefriars pontil mark
On glass from England, United Kingdom, Whitefriars pontil mark carries “Whitefriars hand-made crystal”. The mark period is 1963–1979.
- Active years
- 1834–1980
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Products
- Stained glass, Scientific and industrial glass, Drinking glasses and tableware, Coloured art glass and textured vases
- Marks
- 16
Powell ownership from 1834 to factory closure in 1980. The earlier glasshouse is traditionally dated to 1680; that is a predecessor date, not the founding date of James Powell & Sons.
What to look for
- Examine surviving paper or foil labels for the complete wording, shape and friar figure. The initials JP&S(W)Ltd refer to James Powell & Sons (Whitefriars) Ltd. Blue-and-silver, black-and-white and late gold labels have different designs; colour alone does not identify a label period.
- On Baxter textured vases, compare the exact shape, dimensions, texture and colour with the factory catalogue. A carefully polished concave pontil is a construction feature, not a Whitefriars signature.
- Check for an artificial moulded depression or a large off-centre well on copies. Compare casing and texture details too: imitations can have uneven casing concentrated at the base.
- A small numerical label is a pattern number. A Design Centre selection sticker records selection for that organisation and does not name the maker.
Marks & lettering
16 marks
c. 1930–1939
JP&S(W)Ltd, Made in England
label · black and white · glass · England
Paper label for James Powell & Sons (Whitefriars) Ltd.
c. 1940–1963
WHITEFRIARS ENGLAND
label · blue on silver · glass · England, United Kingdom
Metallic label.
c. 1963–1979
Whitefriars, Full Lead Crystal, Made in England
label · black and white · glass · United Kingdom
c. 1978–1980
Whitefriars Full Lead Crystal, Handmade in England
label · gold · lead crystal · United Kingdom
Undated
As selected for The Design Centre, London
label · black and white · glass · United Kingdom
Paper label found on some Whitefriars .
About Whitefriars
James Powell bought an established glassworks in the Whitefriars district of London in 1834. The works stood between Fleet Street and the Thames, on a site with a glassmaking history extending into the seventeenth century. Under the Powell family it produced stained glass, scientific and industrial glass, and decorative vessels. Its stained-glass windows were supplied to churches and public buildings, while its table glass developed a separate reputation for hand craftsmanship and distinctive shapes.
Harry James Powell joined the business in 1875 and became an important designer. Later designers included Marriott Powell, Barnaby Powell and James Hogan. The business adopted the Powell & Sons (Whitefriars) Ltd name in 1919 and moved to a new factory at Wealdstone in 1923. G. H. Zeal acquired it in 1952; the company became Whitefriars Glass Ltd in 1962.
Geoffrey Baxter joined the design team in 1954. His textured range, launched in 1967, included bark, Banjo and Drunken Bricklayer vases. These sculptural coloured pieces were a major departure from earlier tableware. The glassworks closed in October 1980, ending production at Wealdstone.
Also known as: James Powell & Sons · Powell & Sons (Whitefriars) Ltd · Whitefriars Glass Ltd · Whitefriars Glassworks · James Powell & Sons (Whitefriars)