~ Grimwades Bairnsfather Ware “‘Ow Are The Cakes?” 10 Inch Plate ~
The plate depicts one of his World War One ‘Old Bill’ cartoons with the caption ‘ The Historical Touch: “Well Alfred ‘Ow Are The Cakes?” ‘.
The transfer picture depicts Alfred trying to cook in the trench whilst a soldier watches over his soldier. The picture is printed in sepia with a signature that reads “Bruce Bairnsfather”. The rims border is of cans, canisters and helmets going around in a repeating pattern, with grass separating them.
The reverse has been stamped:
“A Souvenier of the Great War, Commenced Aug 4th 1914, Armistice Nov 11th 1918, Peace Signed June 28th 1919”. A second stamp appears above this, a faded Bairnsfather Ware one.
~ Bruce Bairnsfather/ Bairnsfather Ware~
Captain (Charles) Bruce Bairnsfather (9 July 1887 – 29 September 1959) was a prominent British humorist and cartoonist. His best-known cartoon character is Old Bill. Bill and his pals Bert and Alf featured in Bairnsfather’s weekly “Fragments from France” cartoons published weekly in “The Bystander” magazine during the First World War.
Towards the end of 1917 the owners of The Bystander granted Leonard Grimwade permission to reproduce a limited number of ‘Fragments From France’ cartoons on items from the Grimwades range of pottery then in production.
The first piece to be made by the Staffordshire firm bearing one of Bruce Bairnsfather’s cartoons. Bairnsfather Ware was an immediate success, and for the remainder of the duration of the war, the Grimwades factory churned out thousands of pieces featuring the Fragments from France drawings.
~ Dimensions ~
The plate has a diameter of 10 inches (25.3 cm). It weighs 560 g.
~ Condition ~
The piece is of free from chips and cracks, the glaze crazed.
ML