Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-21
"C|LP|N'S MILLS" PLATE.
BRINGS Sl5AT AUCTION
Historic Brandywine "Old Blue"
Disposed Of at Sale In
New York.


A "Gilpin's Mills, on the Brandywinc
Creek plate was sold at auction IN
New York City recently, nj sale of
Staffordshire "old blue that was re-,
mnrkable in it's offerings Of historical
earthenware and its large number OF Dr'
Syntax pieces. The plate went Tor $40,
low price, as 1t was particularly me
specimen. in practically perfect condi-
ton, by Enoch Wood d Sons, with their
very characteristic shell border and |
curved brim 1t should have been pur,,
chased. many believe, for the Historical |
Society of Delaware, or better still
for the museum of the University of |
Delaware, or for museum Tor Delaware
| University il our State college does not !
I possess one.
There was in the same collection two
! Captain Macdonough' Victory" plates,
/ (the quotations enclose the exact word
ing on the back of the plates, one q =
inches in diameter, going for S21 80,
and another s 4 inches, selling for $40.
These we're also by Wood, had his shell
border, and were in fine condition.
All three Of these pieces of early nine
teenth century earthenware would have
very appropriately found place ms a
permanent collection in the State ol
! Delaware. They are valuable because ol
the historic scenes they portray. and
because they are rare specimens repre-
scntng the few that have been saved
from many thousands of pieces brought
to this country from England IN the lirst
quarter OF the nineteenth century, when
English pottcrs were only too pleased to
cater to the patriotic spirit OF young
America.
The old Stanordshirc potters would
turn in their graves" could they learn
that single pieces of their wares now
bring higher price at auction than an
entire dinner service sold for at the time
it was made Literally speaking, boat
loads of this ware were imported then,
but porcelains being breakable, the
, many pieces survive.
At the same sale were a number of
Philadelphia pieces OF interest IN this
vicinity too, and several Of them went for
low prices. New York scenes went for
the highest prices. due of course TO there
, being natives of that state present, while
, there were probably few there from
, Philadelphia or Wilmington. or II there
were, their purses could not stand the
strain.
There were two plates Of the Dam
/, and Water Works. Philadelphia, with
queer looking stern-wheel craft in the
foreground, both nine-inch plates. The
maker is unknown They sold for $40
, and $3.50 respectively. Two nine
inch plates, Upper Ferry Bridge Over
River SchuylkiG," by Joseph Stubs,
. brought $3.50 and SIS, and another
, pate by Stubs OF the same size, Bank
of the United States, Philadelphia, 3"
! sold for $3.50. A six-inch plate by the
! same maker, Woodlands, near Phila-
delphia," sold for $3.50, and his Far
mount, Philadelphia" went for $40.
Joseph Stubs inclined toward Phlla-
y delphia scenes evidently, or, rather,
courted the patronage of the Quaker
: City, using number of scenes in his
9 flowing blue that appealed 10 resi-
!, dents OF that city and vicinity. One
a of his most attractive landscapes was
"Mendenhall Ferry" which, 1T is stated
in Mr.. Barbour's book, is on the Schuyl-
, kill above the city. In the scene the
h river curves past Pennsylvania farm
house of stone, of the typical gable end
type. substantial and hospital looking
- bespeaklng the character OF its owners
4 with trees and cows in the foreground
This very fine piece, u 10 = inch platter
sold for $40.
o An eleven-inch plate of Penn's treaty
=, with the Indians. by Thomas Green
N sold for $50, while a soup plate,
a Omitted States Hotel, Philadelphia,
: with foliage border by ). Tanis and Co
m brought $50.
N Landing of the Pilgrims is always
favorite subject, and two plates b.
Enoch Wood, 10 inches in diameter
s. went for s25 each, while a 6 "a inch plat
n of the same subject went for So, 81
~ Lafayettes Handing in 1924 is anothe
subject that never fails to appeal, and
cream ever and cup plate depictin
this event brought $3.50 and 81
n respectively.
Cup plates brought very high price
" a Landing of the Pilgrims by Woo
ay going for $50, the American Museum
IS New York" going for sos, the "Stat
n House. Boston" for S55, and Franklin
tai Tomb" for S25.