Hedgehogs in Cavan; Wolfes in Dublin: selling English ceramics in Ireland, c. 1770–1850

Abstract:Ceramics in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Ireland have generally been approached either through a few short-lived local potteries or as an aspect of luxury. This study seeks to show how between the 1760s and 1840s ceramics were imported into Ireland and sold there in increasing quantities and varieties. It suggests that everyday use and relative cheapness spread ceramics made outside Ireland more widely into Irish homes. It traces the efforts of English manufacturers, mostly from Staffordshire, to exploit the Irish market. At first they concentrated on Dublin, but soon moved into the provinces. Newspaper reports from 1821-23 allow quantification of the shipments. Innovations in technology, design and marketing generated competition between manufacturers and traders. The role of advertising in the newspapers and of display in shops are apparent. The role of women in the trade as retailers is also considered, prompting further questions about the nature of shopkeeping.