Wedgwood’s Genius

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1025, 16 July 1930, Page 6

Wedgwood’s Genius

COPIED THE PORTLAND VASE Remembered in Melbourne IN an article on the famous Wedgwood ware, a writer in the “Australian Home Beautiful” deals at length with the copies of the exquisite Portland Vase, which Wedgwood made. July is the month of Wedgwood’s birth and Melbourne is honouring his memory by a display in the National Gallerv.

Wedgwood copies ot the Portland vase are produced still trom the original moulds, states the writer. The first batch consisted o£ 50, and these earliest copies are rare and worth more than twice as much as modern “Portlands” —maybe 100 guineas. I have no record of a recent sale. But nearly 50 guiueas has been paid tor one of the late copies. In 1910 the Barberini or Portland Vase was deposited on loan in the British Museum, and there it remained until early last year, when it was auctioned at Christie’s. Sir William Hamilton, husband of the beautiful Emma, bought the vase when he was British Minister at Naples. He is almost forgotten now, except as a dim figure, while Lady Hamilton lives for ever in great paintings, and the story of Nelson. But Sir William was not a nonentity. He deserves to be remembered as a connoisseur and collector of old beautiful things. The vase, before it came into Sir William’s possession, was owned by the Barberini family. ’ It was next sold to the Dowager Duchess of Portland, who had a notable museum—thousands of antiques and other objects, at her house, in Whitehall. She was an ardent and omnivorous collector. In 1786, after the death of the Duchess, the collection was dispersed at auction —4,156 lots are detailed in the catalogue, and the now world-famous vase was lot 4,155. It was purchased for 980 guineas, possibly passed in. though Wedgwood himself is said to have been a rival bidder against the then Duke of Portland, whose property it became. He ceased bidding, the story goes, when the Duke agreed to loan the vase to him that he might have a copy made. Certainly the Portland Vase was entrusted to Josiab for at least a year, and he made his masterpiece—a perfect replica of the glorious relic of antiquity. The vase was broken by a madman about, that time Though brokon into numerous fragments it was repaired by craftsmen with such skill that the breaks are said to be invisible.

The National Museum copy of the vase is labelled 18i>0—modelled by Webber from the original. It is a noble piece. Wedgwood was a self-made man, and the story of his life is inspiring. His father bequeathed him a “score pounds,” and when Josiah the Potter died he left, not only extensive landed estates, factories and hbuses to his family, but also £30,000 to each of his sons, and £25,000 to each daughter. A fortune gained worthily, the fruit of his own industry, allied to skill and originality.

Our annals are rich, but no British worthy deserves remembrance more than Josiah Wedgwood. His life story is told in “The Wedgwoods,” by Llewellynn Jewitt, a book published in'lßGs, which has become scarce and is increasing in value, though still only a minor item at the auction sales. My copy was picked up in Melbourne, being the second only I have seen in recent years. It is worth buying at a guinea, if you see a copy of “The Wedgwoods.” The author is a heroworshipper and sincerity shines from his pages. He loved the memory of the pioneer potter, and wrote his biography with delight in the work, not at all for gain, t imagine.

“Josiah Wedgwood, whose life 1 have thus attempted to trace,” says our author in his closing chapter, “was, without exception, one of the most wonderful of all the ‘self-made’ men which our nation of great and noble geniuses lias ever produced. Not only did he stand out as a elehr statue from the men of his own time, but in high and bold relief from (hose of every time and every age.” lie was upright a.nd truly religious. “Josiah Wedgwood hewed out for himself a path through the world-jungle which surrounded him, that led him to the highest point of worldly prosperity and earned for him a name which has been, and always will be, received with honour.” Two hundred years hgo the great potter was horn; in 1795 he died. His fame has been undimmed by time. Will it grow brighter? Surely the name of Josiah Wedgwood is immortal as the art ot pottery itself!