Peerage - Pearson Page Jewsbury

(c) Vin Callcut 2002-2021.

Small extracts can be used with acknowledgements to 'Oldcopper.org' website.

Helpful comments are very welcome.

John Jewsbury & Co., 71, Broad Street, Birmingham  (pre-1900).

 Pearson-Page, 10-12, Cecil Street, Birmingham (1907), Ilene Works, Sherlock Street, Birmingham, then Pearson Page Jewsbury, then Peerage, manufacturers of reproduction and original copper and brassware during 1910s-1930s. Production was intended to be good quality period reproductions and was not generally marked. This rare mark is found on some of their designs.

ppj Pearson Page Jewsbury Co Ltd., Soho Works, later Westwood Works, Westwood Road, Witton, Birmingham 6, (not to be confused with Boulton's Soho Manufactory.  Jewsbury was originally founded 1883.   The Company took over Pearson Page designs when they were liquidated in 1933. 

This photo from a patent money box supplied by Lorenzo Caira.

 

 

 Pearson, Page, Newton & Minchew Ltd. Of Ernest Street, Holloway Head, Birmingham, brassfounders.  Several good designs for brass souvenirs were identified through their design registration during the early 1900s but no examples of a maker's mark have been found. See Match Vesta Boxes.

 Peerage Brass Successor to Pearson Page brand name c1946 onwards and generally used for original designs but also on reproductions. 

 

 Trade Mark registered to Pearson Page Jewsbury, Dulverton Road, Witton, Birmingham 6.   Peerage Brass were later at Sharston Road, Wythenshaw, Manchester M22 4TH. but are possibly not trading.  Trade mark may have lapsed in 1991.

 

 

 

This 'Peerage' mark has 'Made in Ireland' added underneath.  It is found on souvenirs with emblems attached that are designed for the Irish market.

 

The name 'Peerage' is usually found on new designs.  These raised letters are on a die-cast candlestick.  The 'Peerage' name was first used during the recovery period after the end of the Second World War.

 

For special interest a selection of the reproduction candlesticks made by this firm is shown in some pages from their catalogue.

Pearson Page Co Ltd Reproduction Antique Brass and Copper Work,

 During the 1920s and 30s, the biggest source in the UK of reproduction copper and brassware was the Pearson Page factory in Sherlock Street, Birmingham.  Their products were very popular with customers wanting continued supplies of traditional Victorian and Edwardian designs rather than new ones.  The goods were well made reproductions, albeit with the sheet work being made of fairly thin copper and brass.  Items such as cast doorknockers were definitely intended for regular use and most other products were suitable for their original purpose as well as being decorative.  Items were not branded by the manufacturer since they were sold through a variety of outlets including leading department stores.  This can now lead to difficulty dating items that were good reproductions of Victorian originals.

 There was a thriving export business to the USA with sales through local agents.  In the 1930s the firm became Pearson Page Jewsbury Co Ltd with works in the Witton area of Birmingham near IMI Metals.  Representation in the USA was through S P Skinner Co., Inc. and there were other agents in New Zealand, South Africa, Holland, Spain and the Scandinavian Countries.  By 1936 the product range had increased tremendously and the catalogue was split into four sections,  

  1. Artistic Brassware
  2. Cabinet Handles of all Periods
  3. Lead Figures and Garden Ornaments
  4. Lamps, Electrical Fittings and Fireplace Equipment

 After WWII the company adopted the trade name ‘Peerage’ and this appears on some of their products.

Contents of an example of a 1920 Pearson Page Catalogue by sections, page numbers, remarks and scale of illustrations. 

The pages are 12 ¼” x 10” in size and assembled in a loose-leaf binder. 

Sec

Pages

Remarks

Scale

 

iii-iv

Alphabetical index

 

 

v-xvi

Numerical index with prices

 

1

1

Eleven box chestnut roasters and 2 warming pans

1/6

 

2

Twelve box chestnut roasters

1/6

 

3

Eight flat chestnut roasters or skimmers

1/6

 

4

-  Page missing, should be chestnut roasters

--

 

5

Ten flat chestnut roasters or skimmers

1/6

 

6

-  Page missing, should be chestnut roasters

--

2

1

Twenty-one bedroom door knockers including 14 with Shakespearean themes and 7 with American themes such as Washington, Lincoln, Harvard, Yale and the Statue of Liberty

1/3

 

2

Twenty-eight bedroom door knockers including English regional themes such as the Lincoln Imp, Cheshire and Manx Cats, Ripon Boots, Nelson, Napoleon, mermaids, lion masks and classical urn designs.

1/3

 

3

Thirty-two bedroom door knockers, more complex designs, mainly English regional souvenirs together with heads of leopard, lady and a mask.

1/3

 

4

Twenty-four bedroom door knockers, mainly regional specialities, classical and Shakespearian characters, Dickens and two French souvenirs for Rheims.

1/3

 

5

Twenty bedroom door knockers, regional designs including some cathedrals and other buildings including Brussels, Rheims, Malines and Antwerp together with an Abraham Lincoln speech.

1/3

 

6

- Page missing, should be bedroom door knockers

--

3

1

Thirteen brass candlesticks, mainly tall ones but with two 16th century and two figurative designs.

1/6

 

2

Twelve brass candlesticks, all double helix variations.

1/6

 

3

Twenty eight brass candlesticks, a variety of simple and classical designs, all also available drilled and bushed for electric fittings.

1/6

 

4

Sixteen brass candlesticks, taller models, some with classical lines and others ranging from 16th century to two including bells in the columns.

1/6

 

5

Ten brass candlesticks, 18 to 26½” high

1/6

 

6

Eighteen chamber candlesticks, a variety of Victorian and earlier designs with two to five lights.

1/6

4

1

Nine brass candelabra, elaborate designs with two to five lights, some available for electricity.

1/6

 

2

Five brass candelabra, from two to twelve lights, two with electric option.

1/6

5

1

Six brass ladles, mostly with slotted handles, 11 toasting forks with celebrity and regional themes including Burns, Scott, Shakespeare, a Scotch (sic) thistle and the Lincoln Imp.  The tines of the forks have a variations including parallel, curved and splayed out.

1/6

 

2

Sixteen brass toasting forks of which the first is an unusual five-tined fork with telescopic handle.  Others are described as: Snake, Adams, Feather, Good Luck, Lincoln Imp, Cheshire Cat, Herat and Cherub, Catholic, Dickens, Trusty Servant, Falstaff, Durham, Twist or Plain and Burmese.

1/6

6

1

Six decorated brass wall brackets and three lanterns.  If any of these lanterns are to be for electricity, the bottoms can be specified as being made of brass, mica or left open.

1/6

 

2

Twelve brass lanterns of traditional designs for candles or electricity

1/6

 

3

Six brass lanterns for candles or electricity of which three have the traditional loop handles, two are six feet high on floor stands and one has an integral wall bracket in the design of an human arm.

1/6

7

1

Five brass plaques, bright or ‘Special Old Colour’ (SOC) available in 16”, 20” and 24” sizes, two with armorial designs, one with the alphabet laid out inside the rim, and the other two titled ‘Grape Gatherers’ and ‘Adam and Eve’

1/6

 

2

Five brass plaques, bright or Special Old Colour available in 16”, 18”, 20” and 24” sizes, one armorial, one with a swirl of leaves in the centre, one showing two fishermen and the others labelled ‘Justice’ and ‘Dutch Drinking Scenes’

1/6

8

1

Five round brass jardinières, finished bright or Special Old Colour.  Each is on three feet.  They range in diameter from 7½” up to 19” and in height from 7” up to 19”.

1/6

 

2

Six round brass jardinières finished bright or Special Old Colour ranging in diameter from 9” up to 18” and in height up to 14½”.  One has claw feet but the other three have none unless specified.  Four have a swirl-petal pattern up from the base, five have lion’s head handles.

1/6

 

3

Three brass jardinières and two coal hods finished bright or Special Old Colour.  One of the coal hods is parallel sided with riveted bottom and stands on claw feet, a Japanned steel lining being available extra.  One of the jardinières is the same shape but in miniature, being available in diameters of 3 ½”, 6”, 8”, 9” 12” and 14” and also made in brass or copper.

1/6

 

4

Five brass jardinières finished bright or Special Old Colour. One stands on four claw feet., one is on a claw-footed rectangular stand 25” high and another on a circular stand of similar height.

1/6

 

5

Two milk pails, a coal scoop in brass or copper and six coal hods.  Of the coal hods, three are of ‘helmet’ design, two are parallel sided with riveted bottoms and one barrel shaped.

1/6

 

6

Four more coal hods and three rectangular brass log or slipper boxes with relief patterns of domestic scenes.

1/6

 

7

Ten circular brass jardinières finished bright or Special Old Colour, some plain and others with relief patterns.

1/6

 

8

Twelve brass jardinières, some circular and others oval of which five are on claw feet.

1/6

 

9

Six circular brass jardinières of larger size.

1/6

 

10

Two circular brass patterned jardinières and 6 fire screens embossed with domestic scenes.

--

 

11

-  Page missing - should be fern and flower pots

--

 

12

-  Page missing - should be fern and flower pots

--

9

1

Eleven door porters with long handles, finished Special Old Colour.  Designs range from classical to zoomorphic.

1/6

 

2

Eleven door porters finished Special Old Colour.  Designs include Punch and Judy, an heraldic lion rampant, and a variety of other allegorical figures.

1/6

 

3

Eight door porters finished Special Old Colour including a swan, eagle and dog, a ship, three standing figures and an art nouveau shape.

1/6

 

4

Ten door porters with long handles with a variety of classical, and zoomorphic designs together with a pineapple and a basket of grapes, all finished Special Old Colour

1/6

 

5

Nine door porters with long handles finished Special Old Colour.  Subjects include a greyhound, a deer, pair of dolphins, pigs head, cherub and allegorical designs.

1/6

 

6

-  Page missing, should be door porters

--

10

1

Four pierced brass fenders with or without feet, size to be specified

-

 

2

Four pierced brass fenders with or without feet, size to be specified

-

 

3

Four pierced brass fenders with or without feet, size to be specified

-

 

4

Four pierced brass fenders with or without feet, size to be specified

-

 

5

Three hand pierced brass kerbs, size to be specified.  Unlike fenders, the kerbs have platforms built in to each corner on which fire iron supports are mounted.

-

 

6

Five hand pierced fenders with claw feet, size to be specified

-

11

1

Ten brass hearth stands (trivets) on tripod legs.  Named designs include squirrel, ship, love birds, horse and others have similar designs or geometric patterns.

1/6

 

2

Eight brass rectangular hearth stands with various named patterns of top and legs and sizes up to 14” x 8” x 7”.  Pattern names include lion and unicorn (three versions of legs), stag hunting, and beehive.

1/6

 

3

Twelve brass hearth stands in various shapes and sizes up to 15 x 7 ½”.  Most are rectangular, two are of horseshoe shape with grate hooks and one is oval.

1/6

 

 

Twelve brass hearth stands in various shapes and sizes up to 15 ¾  x 12 ¼  x 11 ¼ ” high in round, rectangular and semi-circular shapes with unnamed designs.

1/6

12

1

Twenty brass hand bells including lady-bells and Dickens’ character sets.  The lady-bells are offered with lag clappers.

1/3

 

2

Twenty brass hand bells including Dutch designs, a windmill and a variety of lady-bells.

1/3

 

3

Fourteen brass hand bells, mostly made with ball clappers but including two lady-bells with legs.

1/3

 

4

Nine hand bells including two Dutch type, three lady bells and four with figures mounted on bells.  Also shown are six ashtrays mounted with Dickensian characters four ashtray representing the suits of cards and two other ashtrays.

1/3

 

5

Four ash trays, four match boxes of zoomorphic type including tortoise, fly, frog and a simple hinged box, four nut cracks including the ‘legs’ design. Fagin and Sykes, Lincoln Imp and Dickens characters, six Dickens’ character seals and three embossed brass trinket boxes

1/3

 

6

Eight water clocks finished Special Old Colour, knife basket, Dutch jug and snuffer and stand.

1/12

13

1

Twenty-four tea caddies and brass trinket and tobacco boxes

1/6

14

1

Thirty-three tea caddy spoons with a wide variety of designs including six Dickensian characters, many designs found on other products such as the Lincoln Imp, Shakespeare, the Cheshire Cat and St George and the dragon together with other novel designs.  Bowl shapes vary from traditional spoons through circular bowls to triangular shapes with a practical flat leading edge.

1/3

 

2

Sixteen tea caddy spoons (1/3rd scale) with a further variety of designs and nine hour glasses for timing the boiling of eggs (1/4th scale)

-

15

1

-  Page missing, should be pipe stoppers

--

 

2

Thirty-four wardrobe hooks with a good selection of traditional designs.

1/6

 

3

Nine further wardrobe hooks and fourteen hat and coat hooks with a variety of boss decoration and knob shapes.

1/6

 

4

Brass four-piece toilet set, four copper measures in sizes from a pint to a gallon and engraved with the names of old inns, four types of coal vase tongs, a cylindrical candle box, an engraved tapered jug, a griffin foot scraper, a shoe-shaped brass or copper beer warmer and brass-front bellows that can be supplied engraved or embossed.

-

 

5

-  Page missing, should be mantelshelf ornaments

--

 

6

-  Page missing, should be mantelshelf ornaments

--

16

 

Not in this edition

-

17

1

Sixteen engraved sundials, traditional designs, some with pre-dating.

1/7

 

2

Thirteen engraved sundials including three wall dials, traditional designs, some with pre-dating.

1/7

18

1

Nine brass companion stands, each complete with four fire brasses.  Top motifs range from the traditional plain urn through eagles to a windmill, armorial and three masted ship.

1/12

 

2

Nine sets antique fire brasses with variations in the simple, usable, knop design.  Most of the shovels are perforated.

1/9

19

1

Twelve brass trays, mostly with pierced edges and a bread basket.  Shapes include round, oval and rectangular, being similar to those also used for reproduction silver plate.

1/6

20

1

Eleven wall sconces and spill boxes with traditional embossed designs.

1/6

21

1

Twenty-one outside door knockers in traditional and classical designs including lion and leopard heads, Egyptian heads and Grecian themes together with the inevitable Lincoln Imp.

1/4

 

2

Fifteen outside door knockers with more lions and other figurative designs.

1/4

 

3

Twenty-five outside door knockers extending the range still further.

1/4

22

1

Nine brass fire dogs or andirons, traditional designs. 

1/6

 

2

Seven brass fire dogs or andirons, various scales, traditional dsigns

--

23

1

Eight ‘Grape carrier’ umbrella stands with classical embossed designs and one simple umbrella stand of tray column and top guide.

1/10

 

2

Six Dutch pattern brass umbrella stands.

--

24

1-3

Reproductions of old English cut glass

 

25

1-6

Reproductions of Sheffield Plate

 

26

1-19

Lead garden ornaments, vases, stone pillars, sundial pedestals, brass or steel dog grates, iron dogs and fire backs, ash pans

 

27

1-3

Reproduction mahogany furniture, electric standards

 

28

1

China tea sets

 

1936 Catalogue No 4 - Lamps, Electrical Fittings and Fireplace Equipment

Some of the items are continued from the 1920 catalogue and

many others are added. 

Pages

Topic

1-6

Cast brass electric floor standards.

7-8

Brass reading or bridge lamps.

9-12

Electric table lamps.

13-15

Fittings.

16

Cast table lamp standards with hand made lanterns.

17

Electric floor standard lanterns.

18-19

Table lamps and candelabra.

20-21

Sheet brass shades.

22-44

Electric wall brackets and electroliers and ceiling fixtures.

45-48

Brackets, wall plates and hand-made lanterns.

49-55

Cast brass andirons.

55

Firelighters and plungers.

56

Wrought iron grates and andirons.

57

Seven antique brass and two wrought iron log rollers  (a log roller is a 4 to 5ft long poker with added boat hook for log rolling).

58

Fifty-six types of brass companion stand tops.

59

Cast brass companion stands.

60

Six embossed and chased warming pans available in sizes ranging from 8” to 12” diameters.

61-63

Pierced brass kerbs (these do not have built-in stands at the end and are called ‘fenders’ in the previous catalogue.

64-70

Iron lanterns, electroliers, wall brackets and dog grates.