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| Large fragments of Derbyshire Stoneware Ink Bottle 1833-1850 |
The Bourne company was set up in 1806 by William Bourne, a local entrepreneur, who heard about the exceptional clay found during construction of a Derbyshire road. He purchased some of the land and started production in 1809. He appointed his son Joseph to run the pottery. The "J. Bourne & Son" mark was not
used until about 1850.
The clay used in making the stoneware bottles was a coarse, sandy and heat-resistant quality. When fired at a high temperature it became very hard, dense and non-absorbent. These bottles are referred to as salt-glazed pottery; salt glazing was a popular method of decorating stoneware in the mid 1800's. Common salt was thrown onto the kiln fires when the embers were at their hottest. The salt vapor combined with the surface of the pot to produce a shiny brown surface coating. The process for producing these salt-glazed wares was patented as noted by the stamp at the base of the bottle below the J. Bourne & Son company name.
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| The complete Ink Bottle from Museum of London |
Enjoyed this a lot, these random finds tell their own vibrant story of london. My son and I have been mudlarking by St Paul's a good number of times - we often drop in on St Stephen Walbrooks on the way. We've been shown Roman stone marbles in one spot by a fellow mudlarker, our favourite find so far is a complete wild boar jawbone now on display in the nipper's bedroom.
ReplyDeleteLove the earthenware ink bottle - just found a complete one rather nearer to home - in my garden, where we're building a writing studio!
I've heard of people finding wild boar teeth, but a whole one! quite a find. Julia
ReplyDeleteI am so pleased to have happened upon this posting. Among some bottles I inherited from my grandparents is a small but heavy stoneware bottle remarkable similar to the one pictured but with the J. Bourne & Son mark. It is nice to know something about it.
ReplyDeleteC in Sacramento, CA
wow congrats on the find, while doing deconstruction of a home i have found 2 of these bottles one with identical writing as the one in the right hand pic and another without any markings at all
ReplyDeleteWow that is amazing, I have the exact same bottle with the same markings on it. What a piece of history
ReplyDeleteI just purchased an auction with 7 stoneware bottles and one bottle is the same as the one shown in your photo on the right. It had the cork so I drilled it out to find the inside was like a woody dark brown muck. It took an hour to clean the bottle inside. Maybe I should have left it as is. Is the bottle worth anything??
ReplyDeleteHi can anyone help me out here I just found one of these bottles but it only has a little oval engraving with Bourne denby that's all any info is much appreciated
ReplyDeleteI found half a glazed clay bottle trying to get more info anyone able to help cheers
ReplyDeleteI found a whole bottle in pretty perfect condition if you want to see the picture drop your email in the reply box and I'll get back to you
ReplyDeleteI have one of the earlier bottles without "sons" stamped on it. It is in very good condition. It is in Ontario, Canada.
ReplyDeleteI found a part of one of these bottles in mousehole penzance ! With writing on
ReplyDeleteWe were walking the dog up behind the church where James brindley is buried in newchapel stoke on trent and saw my missus favourite old dead oak tree had fell after the storm. Always fascinated that old stuff can accumulate around old trees I went have a look where the tree had fell and tore the old ground up beneath it... and found one of these pots, broken but definitely the same. Coincidentally I heard there used to be a Victorian school nearby now demolished. Maybe I found the site or close too as I metal detected a few lead and brass spin tops from close by last year.
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