Amongst papers relating to the Della Robbia Pottery, held at Birkenhead Reference Library, is a red pencil crayon rubbing of what appears to be a hybrid Salopian Della Robbia mark – Salopian and the Della Robbia ship mark together (top image, seen here). Unfortunately, there is no supporting documentary information to account for this rubbing.
The rubbing is clearly the source of the mark reproduced in “Della Robbia Pottery, Birkenhead, 1894–1906: an interim report” (Williamson Art Gallery and Museum, 1980). However, the report only reproduces the Salopian part of the mark, with the DR and ship being cropped out (lower image, seen here).
The rubbing appears to have been taken from the base of a Salopian Rhodian vase or charger. It is unlike the examples seen on actual pieces of Salopian Rhodian, where the word “Salopian" appears within the sail of the ship.
On the evidence of this tantalising rubbing, the Salopian Della Robbia hybrid mark is considered to exist in this alternative form, though on what piece or pieces it was used is unknown.
If you can shed any light on this rubbing, or on the hybrid Salopian Della Robbia mark,
salopianartpottery.co.uk would be very interested to hear from you.
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Source of image: This image is reproduced with kind permission of Birkenhead Reference Library