Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre: The Work of Daisy Makei

by Una Des Fontaines

The ware least resembling the traditional idea of the product of the famous Wedgwood Pottery is probably the range of decorative china lustres created by a remarkable designer, Daisy Makeig-Jones, during the second and third decades of this century at the firm's old Etrusria Works in Staffordshire. These fanciful, highly colored and lustrous wares with decorations of dragons, butterflies, fish, humming birds and, above all, the startling Fairyland designs, have been eagerly sought by collectors in recent years.The main body of the book is devoted to the life and work of Daisy Makeig-Jones, with a comprehensive description of all her designs, their classification and the system of factory pattern numbering. The book, however, covers a wider field. It presents a concise history of the evolution of ceramic lustre decoration from its origins in the Middle East, the gradual spread into Europe, and the significant contribution of the Staffordshire potters in the early nineteenth century leading to the development of modern commercial lustres. Technical and decorating processes involved in the production of lustre ware are also described in detail.

287 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975