Maling

English Ceramic,
Period c1792-1963
Manufactured in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England.

Maling (C.T.Maling & Sons)

First established near Sunderland, England in 1792, in 1815 moved to Newcastle-upon-Tyne and successfully manufactured earthenware pottery for nearly 200 years.

Made their money in supply of cheap earthenware food containers for preserves, fish pastes, cream, etc etc.

This base enabled the prestige items to be produced, mainly to show like Henry Doulton, with his sewer pipes, that they had some culture. A Victorian nouveau-riche thing.

All Lustre pieces underwent four firings; (1) biscuite, (2) hardening-on of print and underglaze colours, (3) glost firing after dipping, and a final (4) firing for lustre and gilt.

This always made them expensive to produce, quality standards were set very high.

By 1900 glass was becoming the predominant food container, by 1930 all food container production ceased with exception of contract for supply of Tea Caddy's for Rington's, these were produced right up to 1962.

Most designs we deal with now were by father/son both named Lucien Boullemier. Lucien senior who had first worked for Minton's was at Maling from early 1920's to 1936 when the position was taken over by his son who worked through until the closure of Maling in 1963.

Exports accounted for 50% of "fancy" production, U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand were major markets.

Strong competition from Japanese in 1950's accounted for the loss of successive markets until final blow with the loss of Australia & New Zealand in 1961. Factory closed 1963.

The "swirl" in most patterns is commonly referred to as "Thumb-Print", eg pink thumbprint, blue thumbprint, but correct term is "waved".

Good pattern records enable solid date attribution. New patterns coming out right to the end, although in less numbers. Major break in date at 6523 designed 1936, and 6524 designed 1950. (WW2 and post-war rationing main culprit).

Recommended Reading: Introduction to Maling Ware, by Douglas K.Gray