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Learn more about Coalport
Bone China Thimbles |
Build and share your knowledge about thimbles - new topics added regularly
THERE ARE 30 "LEARN MORE ABOUT..." TOPICS
British Placenames |
British Royalty on Thimbles |
British Silversmiths |
Charles May |
Christmas |
Coalport |
Dorcas Thimble Boxes
Easter |
Gadgets |
Francesca |
Hallmarked Thimbles set |
'Mother' |
The World's Greatest Porcelain Houses |
Royal Albert |
Royal Crown Derby
Royal Worcester Handpainted Thimbles |
Royal Worcester Decal Thimbles |
S + H Foskett
Silver Advertising Thimbles |
Spode |
Stratnoid |
SylvaC |
Thimble Books
Thimble Collectors Club |
Thimble Societies |
Thimbles with Slogans |
Thimblefuls
Victorian Silver Scenic Thimbles |
Wedgwood Jasperware |
Wedgwood Bone China Thimbles
THERE ARE 22 PAGES OF THIMBLES & OTHER ITEMS TO BUY
aluminium 1 -
books 1 -
brass 1 -
china 6 -
display cases 1
gold 1 -
needlework tools 2 -
other collectables 1 -
pewter 1 -
plastic 1
silver 3 -
steel & metal 1 -
unusual materials 1 -
wood 1
Coalport China Thimbles
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I have always been attracted to good quality English china and Coalport bone china thimbles are no exception. Like Caverwall thimbles, they have a very identifiable shape. Coalport thimbles have domed apexes and rarely have gold-painted rims. The rim is flared and the china is slightly chunky, not being fine bone china. I am sure you too will recognise a Coalport thimble by its shape once you have looked at this page! Coalport China was founded in 1795 by John Rose and Edward Blakeway, tho the 1750 date appears as part of their backstamp. The Coalport China Museum in Ironbridge is the site of the Coalport pottery at Colebrookdale, Shropshire. The works was moved to Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire, known as The Potteries, in 1926. Coalport joined the Wedgwood Group in 1967 and today operates out of the Wedgwood site at Barlaston, where they have their own manufacturing unit and their own range of backstamps.
According to John von Hoelle Coalport made thimbles during the nineteenth century but they were not marked. Bridget McConnel of the Thimble Society has identified the following nineteenth century handpainted thimbles as Coalport from the painting style. The earliest modern collectable thimbles date from 1978, which coincides with the start of modern thimble collecting. They were not a prolific thimble producer and thimbles are no longer being made. Well that is until 2007, when a much thinner bone china was used that previously and their gorgeous applied flowers, are being made.
A lot of confusion has arisen over the years over the naming of Coalport thimbles. Like other china thimble manufacturers, Coalport would have followed the patterns on the rest of their range. Certain of the thimbles are named inside, but when not, the names often are on the Coalport thimble cardboard boxes. It is always useful to refer to catalogues when Coalport thimbles were in production. Coalport have thimbles with finely-made handpainted flowers attached and the series is known as "Flora Britanniae", but difficult to tell how many were in the set. Looking thru the listing of Coalports, there would have been many series, like the birds [6], butterflies [6] and Paddington Bear [6] and the signs of the zodiac [12], Chinese figures [8] but there are no other details on sets at this stage. As soon as the series become apparent, I will give this page a new look dividing by subject/series. There is a large series illustrating the flowers of the 50 American states - with a state flower affixed to each, with the state's name on the verso. I have received a few Coalport emails recently. They relate to the placement of the decals - on the flower patterns in particular. Some of you have Coalport examples where the flowers are not in the same place or they are featured upside down. Thimble decals are small and they may have inadvertently been placed in the wrong position at the time of manufacture. I don't believe it lessens them in any way. Do you agree? Maybe the ones I have in my collection or in the photos may be on the wrong way - who is to know for sure? The patterns that have been questioned are :- Chintz Rose and Samarkand. |
birds | butterflies | castles | chinese figures | christmas | commemorative | dogs | flowers | fruit
mother | paddington bear | prime ministers | scenes | USA flowers | willow pattern | zodiac | others
Birds "Bluetit" |
Birds "Chaffinch" |
Birds "Goldfinch" |
Birds "Grey wagtail" |
Birds "Robin" |
Birds "Wren" |
Butterflies "Androcles/Plain Tiger" click to see the other side |
Butterflies "Cyrrnus/Aron Brown" click to see the other side |
Butterflies "Painted Lady/White Admiral" |
Butterflies "Peacock/Grayling" click to see the other side |
Butterflies "Cyrrnus/Red Admiral" click to see the other side |
Butterflies "Clover Yellow/Long Tailed Blue" click to see the other side |
Castles "Alnwick" |
Castles "Caernarvon" |
Castles "Harlech" |
Castles "Herstmonceaux" |
Castles "Kidwelly" |
Castles "Pembroke" |
Chinese figures "Beggar" click to see the other side name on box |
Chinese figures "Flower seller" click to see the other side name on box |
Chinese figures "Housewife" click to see the other side name on box |
Chinese figures "Magician" click to see the other side name on box |
Chinese figures "Mandarin" click to see the other side name on box |
Chinese figures "Musician" click to see the other side name on box |
Chinese figures "Prince" click to see the other side name on box |
Chinese figures "Scholar" click to see the other side name on box |
Christmas "1979" |
Christmas "1980" |
Commemorative Charles and Diana "July 1981" BUY THESE THIMBLES |
Commemorative "William Wilberforce" "Abolition of slavery 1833-1983" click to see the other side |
Commemorative "Anne Princess Royal" 1987 |
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Dogs "Corgi" |
Dogs "King Charles Spaniel" |
Dogs "Scottish Collie" |
Dogs "Sealyham Terrier" |
Dogs "Weimaraner" |
Dogs "Wire Fox Terrier" |
Flowers "Albany Flowers" Thimble Collectors Club click to see the other side |
Flowers "Allegro" name on box |
Flowers "Bindweed" name on box |
Flowers "Burbeck" on two sides |
Flowers "Caughley Sprays" name on box click to see the other side |
Flowers "Chintz Rose" Thimble Collectors Club |
Flowers "Common dog violet" |
Flowers "Cressage" |
Flowers "Earth Nut Pea" |
Flowers "Golden Allegro" name on box |
Flowers "Harebells" |
Flowers "Jacobean" name on box |
Flowers "June Time" name on box see also the non-traditional shape with the identical decal click to see the other side |
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Flowers "Ming Rose" |
Flowers "Pageant" Thimble Collectors Club |
Flowers "Red Campion" name on box |
Flowers Rose on two sides |
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Flowers "Shrewsbury" Thimble Collectors Club |
Flowers "Tulip Tree" name on box |
Flowers |
Flowers |
Flowers |
Flowers Forget-me-nots |
Flowers Holly |
Flowers Roses-1 |
Flowers Roses-2 |
Flowers Roses 3 |
Flowers Roses-4 |
Flowers Roses-5 |
Flowers Roses-6 |
Flowers Snowdrop |
Flowers Thistle Flora Britannae for Scotland |
Flowers Daffodil Flora Britannae for Wales |
Flowers English rose Flora Britannae for England |
Flowers Shamrock Flora Britannae for Ireland |
Fruit Berries "Wenlock Fruit" |
mother "1978" |
Mother "1979" |
Mother "1980" |
Mother "1981" |
Paddington Bear "At the seaside" |
Paddington Bear "Bedtime" click to see the other side |
Paddington Bear "Gardening" click to see the other side |
Paddington Bear "Sweeps Up" |
Paddington Bear "Takes a Snack" click to see the other side |
Paddington Bear "Takes a Trip" |
Prime Ministers "Churchill" 1951-1955 |
Prime Ministers "Eden" 1955-1957 |
Prime Ministers "Macmillan" 1957-1963 |
Prime Ministers "Douglas-Home" 1963-1964 |
Prime Ministers "Heath" 1970-1974 |
Prime Ministers "M Thatcher" 1979-1982 |
Scenes Ironbridge |
USA Flowers Rhode island click to see the other side |
Willow pattern Thimble Collectors Club click to see the other side |
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Willow pattern Blue click to see the other side |
Willow pattern Pagoda click to see the other side |
Willow pattern Pagoda different pattern click to see the other side |
Zodiac Aquarius |
Zodiac Pisces |
Zodiac Aries |
Zodiac Taurus |
Zodiac Gemini |
Zodiac Cancer |
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Zodiac Virgo |
Zodiac Libra |
Zodiac Scorpio |
Zodiac Sagittarius |
Zodiac Capricorn |
Others Balloons Thimble Collectors Club |
Others Hallmarked Thimbles of the World Great Porcelain Houses Thimble Collectors Club [set of 50] click to see the other side |
Others Porcelain Houses of the World Franklin Mint [set of 25] 1981 |
Others one of non-traditional shape click to see the other side |
Others 2nd of non-traditional shape |
Others 3rd of non-traditional shape |
Others 4th of non-traditional shape same decal as "June Time" |
Others 5th of non-traditional shape |
Others 2007 thinner bone china |
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DO YOU KNOW ANY MORE DETAILS ABOUT COALPORT THIMBLES? YOU MAY KNOW THE MISSING NAMES, ESPECIALLY OF THE FLOWERS, OR KNOW OF OTHER COALPORT THIMBLES NOT ON THIS LIST EMAIL thimbleselect@bigpond.com TO SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE. |
References
Thimble Society of London catalogues
Coalport Museum treasures website
Contributors
Linda Brown - Vilma Buck - Sue Burt - Sue Christensen - Sue Lewis - Pat Morris - Elaine Pollard
Kate Power - Jean Taylor - George Travers - Hans Vogel - Joanna Waciorski - Mave Wiskin - Jenny Yuhas
This listing of Coalport thimbles does not purport to be complete or accurate in all aspects. Rather it invites comment and contribution to add to our knowledge of these collectable thimbles and boxes. My thanks to the other contributors
Enjoy!
© Sue Gowan
November 2004
THERE ARE 30 "LEARN MORE ABOUT..." TOPICS
British Placenames |
British Royalty on Thimbles |
British Silversmiths |
Charles May |
Christmas |
Coalport |
Dorcas Thimble Boxes
Easter |
Gadgets |
Francesca |
Hallmarked Thimbles set |
'Mother' |
The World's Greatest Porcelain Houses |
Royal Albert |
Royal Crown Derby
Royal Worcester Handpainted Thimbles |
Royal Worcester Decal Thimbles |
S + H Foskett
Silver Advertising Thimbles |
Spode |
Stratnoid |
SylvaC |
Thimble Books
Thimble Collectors Club |
Thimble Societies |
Thimbles with Slogans |
Thimblefuls
Victorian Silver Scenic Thimbles |
Wedgwood Jasperware |
Wedgwood Bone China Thimbles
THERE ARE 22 PAGES OF THIMBLES & OTHER ITEMS TO BUY
aluminium 1 -
books 1 -
brass 1 -
china 6 -
display cases 1
gold 1 -
needlework tools 2 -
other collectables 1 -
pewter 1 -
plastic 1
silver 3 -
steel & metal 1 -
unusual materials 1 -
wood 1
Any questions or comments?
thimbleselect@bigpond.com
| Last updated 2 August 2008 |