With decent pieces starting at £20 it's ideal entry-level collecting, but increasingly some of the factory's finest productions are being recognised by far more substantial bids at auction. For example, alongside the many pretty but pedestrian transfer printed pottery wares Fieldings knocked out in the late 19th/early 20th century was a series of hand-decorated porcelains in the style pioneered by the Stinton and the Davis families at Royal Worcester. The signature of factory artist R. Hinton was seen to the pair of porcelain plaques pictured here depicting setters chasing game that led proceedings at John Taylors (12% buyer's premium) of Louth, Lincolnshire on September 7.
Strong competition on the telephones saw the 9in x 7in (23cm x 17.5cm) plaques in period frames sell at £1520.
A third plaque with similar subject matter by R. Hinton & W. Lamondby was larger at 17in x 5in (42.5cm x 12.5cm) but was cracked in half. Nevertheless, it made £650.
Back on July 17 the sale conducted by Patrick Cheyne (12% buyer's premium) at the St. Peter's Assembly Rooms, Hale, Altrincham had included a pair of similarly decorated 8in (20cm) stemmed urn vases, one decorated with cattle and signed C. Cox, the other with a sporting scene of pheasants and dogs signed by R. Hinton. They sold at £720.
