Match Striker
Gallery 
Match Striker
Gallery
Manufactures
(click to view match strikers and company history)
Charles Allerton &
Sons
Arkinstall & Sons Ltd (Arcadian China) Beswick Birks, Rawlins & Co W.T. Copeland & Sons Ltd (Spode) Doulton & Co Ltd Dudson Empire Porcelain Co (Ltd) Fieldings & Co Grimwades Ltd (Royal Winton) F. & W. Goebel Co Gouda Ralph Hammersley & Son  Edward Jones & Co Ltd Lister Lovatt & Lovatt James MacIntyre & Co Manor Ware Mintons Olivant Potteries Ltd F. & R. Pratt & Co (Ltd) Price, Bristol Prinknash Abby Pottery A.G. Richardson & Co Ltd (Crown Ducal) Salopian Art Pottery Co "Victoria" Schmidt & Co (GEMMA) Shelley Potteries Ltd Soho Pottery Ltd Taylor, Tunnicliff & Co Unknown Makers Watcombe Wedgwood Wiltshaw & Robinson (Carlton Ware) (1) Wiltshaw & Robinson (Carlton Ware) (2) W. Wood & Co Composite Section
(brings together information on types of match striker from elsewhere on the site) Advertising Match Strikers Crested Match Strikers |
Company History
This begins in 1860 when the Willeman family, owners of the Foley works, Longton, Staffordshire opened a second pottery to make fine china. In 1864 Henry Wileman died leaving his two sons Charles and James running the firm. In 1870 , James died, and in 1872 Charles added James Shelley as partner. In 1881 James Shelley brought his son Percy into the business, and he later took sole charge when James died in 1896. The firm concentrated on producing quality china. The Shelley trade name was introduced around 1911, and when the firm became involved in legal action over it's use of the Foley trade name (after it's works) it was decided to rename it Shelley Potteries Ltd began in 1925. In 1932 Percy's sons Norman and Vincent Shelley took over the running of the business. The firm was finally sold to Allied Potteries in 1966 who continued sales of existing stock briefly before renaming the it Royal Albert Ltd. Marks This is a typical Shelley mark, probably dating to 1925-1940. Note "Late Foley", referring to the firms old trade name which dates this mark between 1910 and 1916.  Advertising Match Strikers
The first two match striker advertises Jewsbury & Brown Mineral Waters. Both have suffered bad discoloration from years of being buried underground. The lettering on the second example has been restored, and although the colour of the red portion is clear the precise shade of the original may have been different.   The third is the same basic shape as the first pair but this advertises Groves & Whitnall's (Famous 50 Years) Ales & Stouts. I've had to restore the lettering on this example which had almost been lost from being buried in the ground, and am uncertain whether the shade of red used is accurate.  The next pair, advertise
White Horse
Whiskey. The first in the shape of a horseshoe has a good luck
motto and the second in a more traditional shape has raised 'White
Horse Whiskey' lettering around the side (I have seen one of this
second type without the raised lettering, but it is not clear if this
was by design or due to the loss of the lettering with heavy use). Both
have the same registered design number (RD NO. 384295) dating the design to 1901 or 1902.
   The fifth advertises Dunville's VR Irish whisky, which was so called in honor of Queen Victoria. This example also carries a retailers mark for Richard Patterson & Co, Belfast. This example is somewhat unusual as most also carry the name Dunville's around the top of the striker, which is absent in this example (there is no trace of it having been worn away). This could indicate an alternative design, or possibly an unfinished example.  |
