Josiah Wedgwood
 

Josiah Wedgwood, formerly in partnership with Thomas Whieldon, established his Burslem pottery in about 1759. His success and the demand for different types of wares brought about the establishment of the Etruria works in about 1769 and the Barlaston works in 1940. A wide range of pottery is produced including earthenwares, basaltes, jaspers, porcelains, parian and majolica.

 

The firm of Wedgwood first produced items of Australian interest when in the firm's infancy in the late eighteenth century amongs the series of jasper ware, portraits of 'illustrious moderns' begun in 1771, Captain James Cook, Sir Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander were featured. An even more important item was the medallion featuring 'Hope encouraging art and labour, under the influence of Peace, to pursue the employments necessary to give security and happiness to an infant settlement' which was made in 1789 from clay dug at Sydney Cove by Captain Phillip and sent back to Sir Joseph Banks as President of the Royal Society, late in 1788.

 

Unlike the Doulton Pottery, Wedgwood did not produce a large variety of wares featuring Australian motifs.