Charleston Loan Exhibition

46 After renovating the late-federal structure at 48 Elizabeth Street into the grand Greek-revival mansion seen today, Governor and Mrs. William Aiken, Jr. lavishly furnished their house with family heirlooms as well as high-style period objects from fashionable firms. This tureen is one of a large dinnerware set owned by Harriet Lowndes Aiken (1812–1892), which she most probably inherited from her father Thomas Lowndes (1766–1843). Pieces from the set have descended in the Aiken-Rhett family, and several examples are currently in the Historic Charleston Foundation collection. The English ceramics firm Flight Barr & Barr made intricately decorated tableware such as this tureen in the style of Japanese Imari patterns. Know for their quality wares, the firm hired the most skilled potters and decorators, and paid each worker by the hour rather than per object to ensure the highest quality of craftsmanship. Solomon Cole, a painter at the Flight Barr & Barr manufactory commented: Their business too was strictly of a private character; their orders came from the nobility and most of the distinguished families of the United Kingdom; they kept no traveler nor did they transact business with retail houses…consequently their ordinary services were expensive…Frequently, on Messrs. Martin and George Barr going round the painting-room, which was their custom twice a day, they would say to the painters engaged upon the richest services, ‘We want you to consider this as jewelry—we wish you to take all possible pains.’ 1 This Flight Barr & Barr tureen, pictured here with replaced cover finial, is identical in form to a sauce tureen with cover and stand in a dessert set, known as the Stowe service, supplied circa 1813 to Richard Temple-Grenville, second Duke of Buckingham and Chandos. Owning such fine tableware was a mark of distinction, and the large dinner service was a prized Aiken family possession. BSC 1. Henry Sandon, Flight and Barr Worcester Porcelain, 1783–1840 (Woodbridge, Suffolk: Antiques Collectors’ Club, Ltd.), 100–101. Flight Barr & Barr (1813–1840) Sauce tureen Worcester, England, ca. 1813 Porcelain and gilt H. 6 ‹/* x Diam. 7 fi/* inches Historic Charleston Foundation, Charleston, SC, gift of the heirs of Mary Green Maybank, 2000.3.30 Conservation and transportion supported by Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Applegate III