Pair of Art Nouveau Hand Painted Vases

Code: 11431

A Pair of Hand Painted Art Nouveau Vases Signed by (DEAN) Roger Dean, whose works where seen at the paris Expo 1900, with makers mark of Thomas Forester and sons.

Height 36 cm and Handle to Handle 17 cm

Thomas Forester was born in 1832. His father was a warehouse-man at Mintons china factory and Thomas was apprenticed there as a presser.

In 1856 Thomas was engaged as manager at the Victoria Works, Shelton, for Lockett, Baguley %26 Cooper. After a few years he joined Mrs. Wardle (wardle and co) as a majolica manufacturer.

He was invited to take charge of the works of Messrs. Peterinck %26 Son at Tournai in Belgium.

Thomas Forester returned to England and in 1877 started business at a small works in the High Street, Longton and he soon took additional premises in Church Street – the Church Street Majolica Works.

He demolished the Church Street Works and built the Phoenix Works which he completed in 1879.

In the beginning of 1883 he took his sons Herbert and Victor into partnership and the title of the business became '%26 Sons'

Incorporated as a Limited Company in 1891.

By 1893 the business was recorded as employing 520 people at the "Imperial and Phoenix Works" and by 1900 they employed over 700 people.

In 1941, under the Wartime Concentration Scheme, the business of Collingwood Bros operated with that of Thomas Forester %26 Sons at the Imperial Works, Longton.

The business closed in June 1959.

Condition : Very Good
Origin : Chinese, Oriental, Asian
Manufacture Date : c1920