Mudlark Finds - French Backstamp Ceramic Fragment

I found this small fragment of china at the weekend on the River Thames foreshore with a French backstamp. Although I have not been able to trace the design I was able to track down some interesting details from the backstamp.

Emile Bourgeois (1832-1926) was the owner of the Grand Depot at 21 rue Drouot in Paris which was a department store selling ceramics. Shops at other locations included the one at 33 rue St-Ferreol in Marseille which can be seen on the backstamp of my fragment of china beneath the Paris address. 

Emile spent time in England between 1856-1860 studying commerce and after trade agreements were signed he became the main representative of British ceramic manufactures in France. He was also responsible for initiating the Grand Depot magazine/catalogue displaying the china he was selling to encourage customers to place orders or choose their items before visiting the shop. 

If you look at the shopfront (on the left and above the entrance) you will see advertisements for English Iron Stone, English Majolica and the words ‘Stoke on Trent’.

Mudlark Finds - china fragments, dolls leg and sharks tooth.

Early morning mudlark to catch the tide on the River Thames yesterday. Plagued by midges and a film of mud but here are a few of my finds.

Left - Right 

Black transferware pottery fragment depicting buildings (I will try and research the design), ceramic Victorian jointed dolls leg (love the painted shoe which still has it's heel and if you look closely she has a white knitted sock too), fragment of china cup with bird design (looks hand-painted but I think it is transferware and probably modern), partial sharks tooth (probably somewhere in the region of 55 million years old I've been informed).

Blue and Turquoise.

Photographed yesterday walking past an industrial area by the River Thames. 

Blue, turquoise, rust and peeling paint. What a beautiful combination!

Tea, Cake and a Walk along the Thames

I walked along the River Thames path last week with a friend stopping at the Plough Way Cafe, Surrey Docks for refreshments.

 We sat outside as it was so warm but the interior was very attractive with gold mosaic on the back wall, a lovely old style station clock and an eclectic mix of tables, chairs and light shades.

HMS Bulwark was moored up on the Thames at Greenwich after commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Jutland.

Manze's traditional pie and mash shop in Deptford.

View towards the city of London from the disused lock at Surrey Docks.

Foot tunnel entrance under the River Thames at Greenwich.

Managed about 8 miles in total so think I used up the calories from eating the cake....hopefully.

Dendritic Monoprint

A monoprint I did recently inspired by a lovely fragment of Mochaware I found on the Thames foreshore. The design technique on ceramics is called Mocha diffusion and this fragment is an example of the red seaweed design.