
From Switzerland to Stoke: Crown Devon's European Import
You might not immediately associate three upmarket manufacturers of Swiss musical movements with one of Stoke-on-Trent's better known potteries, but in 1930, Fielding's Crown Devon began just such a relationship, introducing high quality, home-produced musical novelties to the UK market.
For more than thirty years Swiss companies Thorens SA, Reuge & Co., and Adrian Lador were the exclusive suppliers to Crown Devon of musical movements - many of which remain fully functional today, in a testament to their quality and to Fielding's choice of supplier. (Impressively, both Thorens and Reuge & Co. are still in business today, producing high-end record players and luxury music boxes respectively.)
Direct descendents of the musical steins and jugs of central Europe, Crown Devon's musical wares took their inspiration from English folklore, contemporary events and notable personalities of the day, with figures such as John Peel, Sir Harry Lauder and King George VI featuring at various times.
The first musical pieces to be introduced were the John Peel range, in 1930. Comprising a half-pint tankard, a pint tankard and a jug, they proved extremely successful and a cigarette box, whisky flagon and salad bowl were later added to the range.
1935 saw the addition of three more folklore-themed ranges - Widdicombe Fair, Auld Lang Syne and Daisy Bell were all produced in a similar range of shapes, and the events of 1936 and 1937 enabled Crown Devon to add both the Edward VIII and George VI coronation wares to their commemorative range.
While George VI pieces are fairly rare - a George VI musical cigarette box recently sold for over £500 - Edward VIII pieces are considerably rarer, especially those including Edward's abdication date as well as the coronation date. The large Crown Devon Edward VIII Coronation Superjug pictured below is perhaps one of the rarest of all the musical wares, particularly as this piece is marked with the abdication date.
Fieldings enjoyed strong export sales, and these relationships were no doubt bolstered by the many overseas tours undertaken by Reginald Fielding. The factory would often produce special editions to mark these foreign visits, and today these pieces are amongst the most collectable - pieces such as the South African Sarie Marias jug are keenly sought-after and fairly rare in the UK today.
The global success of Fielding's musical wares led to a wide range of accolades - including such diverse characters as Sir Harry Lauder, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary and General Smuts, the then Prime Minister of South Africa, who was highly impressed by the Sarie Marias jug.
Special editions pieces, based on the Auld Lang Syne design, were made to appeal to the alumni of Oxford, Cambridge and Queens University, Belfast, and the Eton Boating Song range remains one of the most desirable of all the musical novelties.
Crown Devon's musical novelties have a steady following amongst collectors today, and for the most part have aged quite well. It is still possible to find many pieces in undamaged condition and with working musical movements, and more common pieces, such as John Peel and Widdicombe Fair, are available at very reasonable prices.
The wide range of shapes and designs means that collectors are unlikely ever to complete a set, and similar shapes were often made in multiple designs, presenting an opportunity for "single-shape" collecting across different ranges.
That's all for this month! As always, if you have any questions or suggestions for us, we would like to hear from you.
Best wishes,
Perfect Pieces
Newsletters
Here you'll find a list of our past newsletters. They feature information on different potteries, some of our featured stock and information on antique fairs and general news from the antique and collectors world!
Happy reading!
- Happy Christmas from Perfect Pieces!
- Christmas Offers & New Stock!
- Late Summer Offers & New Stock Updates...
- A Visit To York & More Special Offers!
- Summer Is Here! Summer Antique Fairs, Special Offers & More!
- Summer Is Approaching - Antique Fairs, New Stock & A Special Offer!
- Springtime & Bunnies - Antique Fairs & New Stock!
- Special Offers, Antique Fairs & New Stock!
- Spring Antique Fairs & Rabbits Galore!
- Happy New Year!
- Merry Christmas From Perfect Pieces!
- Unique & Collectable Christmas Gift Ideas!
- Will The Sunshine Hold For September?! Antique Fairs & PenDelfin Rabbits
- Summer Continues...Retired PenDelfin & Troika Pottery Galore
- Summer Sunshine At A Norfolk Antique Fair
- Summer Sunshine & Cornish Treats!
- PenDelfin Rabbits Galore!
- Troika Pottery, PenDelfin Rabbits & Puzzling Pottery Marks!
- Are We Going To Have Snow This Easter?!
- Happy Valentine's Day!
- Welcome To 2013!
- Happy Christmas From Perfect Pieces!
- Countdown To Christmas!
- Troika Pottery - A Popular Cornish Collectable!
- Denby Pottery
- Antique Fairs, New Stock & More Rain!
- Antique Fairs, Diamond Jubilee Celebrations, New Stock & Lots Of Rain!
- Summertime News & More Pottery Marks!
- Happy Easter from Perfect Pieces!
- Spring Fairs & Mothering Sunday - It's March!
- February News - Antique Fairs, New Stock & PenDelfin Rabbits!
- Happy New Year - Welcome To 2012!
- Merry Christmas From Perfect Pieces!
- Make This Year A Collectable Christmas With Perfect Pieces!
- Happy Halloween - Halloween Treats From Perfect Pieces!
- Perfect Pieces On The TV!
- Summer Holiday Reads - Antique & Collectable Book Reviews!
- Antiques Worldwide This Summer!
- Sunshine & Gales Calls For Blustery Antique Fairs!
- Royal Weddings & Easter Eggs!
- Steaming Around York
- Bruges: Chocolates & Curiosities
- Welcome to 2011. Doesn’t time seem to fly?!
- Merry Christmas From Perfect Pieces
- Burra Bears - A Unique Piece Of Shetland
- Lord Nelson Memorabilia And Collectables
- Steaming Into Autumn
- Antiques In The Summertime
- Pottering Around Antique Centres
- Father's Day Gift Ideas 2010
- A Flying Visit To Limoges
- Spring Is Here - Time To Get Out More!
- West Country Potteries
- February, Fairs & Valentine's Day
- Only Two Weeks Until Christmas...
- Collectables Don’t Have To Be Clutter
- Seeing Double? Not Necessarily...
- Errington Reay: A Real, Live, British Pottery
- Books, Books & More Books...
- Identifying Pottery Marks - Where to Start?
- Learning About Antiques & Collectables
- Happy New Year and welcome to 2009!
- Perfect Pieces Christmas Sale & Shipping Dates
- Thanks, Jean: A Look Back At 51 Years of PenDelfin
- A Visit to Newark International Antiques Fair
- Antique & Collectors Fairs: Are They Worth Visiting?
- Carlton Ware at the NEC
- A Potted History: Charlotte Rhead
- Troika Pottery: Stronger Today than 25 Years Ago?
- Springtime from a Tyneside pottery
- Poole Pottery: Phoenix from the Ashes?
- Daytime TV, Retro Glass & Bamboo...
- Merry Christmas from Perfect Pieces!
- The Enduring Appeal of the Supernatural - Still Popular Today?
- Understanding Pottery Marks
- Three Techniques: Many Styles - A look at three important decorating techniques
- Children's Wares For Grown-Up Collectors
- A Tale From The Lakes
- The Cornish Effect
- From Buyouts To Bunnies...
- From Switzerland to Stoke: Crown Devon's European Import
- Pottery Marks Guide and Pottery Valuation & Appraisal Service
- A Lustre Alternative - Matt Glazed Wares, Art Deco Style
- Truda Carter - Poole Pottery's Greatest Art Deco Designer?
- Odd Ones Out - Three unusual pieces from Wedgwood, Pendelfin and Troika
- Antique Pottery Price Guide Goes Live, and a look at three contrasting 1930s pieces.
- Focus on Carlton Ware - One Shape, Many Patterns
- Wedgwood: The legacy of Keith Murray
- Wonderful Wedgwood Lustre, and a couple of true British Collectables
- A rare Crown Devon Musical, some 1930s Maling lustre, and an early Poole Jug
- A look at the enduring appeal of Poole Pottery's 1950s Freeform Range