Wedgwood NEW ENGLAND INDUSTRIES Plates

by Clare Leighton

In 1952, Wedgwood commissioned a series of 12 wood engravings by the well-known artist Clare Leighton. These engravings were meant to represent the traditional industries for which New England was famous, including Whaling (Massachusetts, especially Nantucket), Marble Quarrying (a Vermont specialty), Lobstering (associated with Maine), Tobacco Growing (Connecticut), Maple Sugaring (Vermont and New Hampshire), Cranberrying (Massachusetts), as well as a variety of  traditional activities found in all New England States, and many other northern or coastal States, including Ship Building, Logging, Farming, Cod Fishing, Grist Milling and Ice Cutting.  The original twelve wood engravings themselves were produced in a limited edition of 50 sets, individually numbered and signed by the artist.  Wedgwood then adapted these engravings and transfer printed them onto 10.5 inch dinner plates. Clare Leighton had a wonderful style all her own, but the strong lines and sharp contrasts of her work are reminiscent of other master wood block engravers of the first half of the twentieth century, and her work is often compared to that of Rockwell Kent.

On the back, the plates are signed WEDGWOOD, have an impressed date code for 1952, and bear a facsimile signature of Clare Leighton.  Each also has a brief description of the activity depicted on the plate. At the bottom of each engraving, Clare Leighton has depicted a collections of tools associated with that particular Industry -- lobster traps, whale harpoons, cranberry scoops, and the like.

All of the plates below are in EXCELLENT CONDITION (no chips, cracks, repairs, or other significant damage).  None have significant or distracting crazing (tiny lines in the glaze itself), although it is difficult to find earthenware plates over 65 years old that don't have a little crazing somewhere.

I buy and sell plates in this series more often than I update this webpage, so please inquire about any plates that you want. If I do not have it at the time, I will keep your request on file and let you know when I get the plate(s) that you want.

I am always interested in buying plates in this series and would like to buy any of the original limited edition engravings. (I have one in stock; please inquire.)

You can click on any picture below to enlarge it; hit the BACK button to return to this page.  All plates in this series are priced at $95 each.

Wedgwood New England Industries Plates 10.5"
Cod Fishing  $95	Farming  (Sold)	Ice Cutting  (Sold)
Lobstering  (Sold)	Logging   $95	Marble Quarrying  $95
Ship Building  (Sold)	Tobacco Growing  $95	Whaling  $95
Cranberrying  $95	Grist Milling  (Sold)	Maple Sugaring  $95

E-mail me at stan@tillotson.com  or  Return to Stan's Porcelain Home Page

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