"First edition of an early account of the Staffordshire pottery industry, important for being partly based on the oral accountsof some of the leading figures. It is especially useful for its histories of the firms of Wedgewood and Spode and for details of styles and techniques. The work is dedicated to Josiah Spode, though he died as the work was in the press. Page 221 contains the stop press: "While the Printer was arranging the Types of this part, and almostof this identical page, the Author received the distressing intelligence that . Josia Spode Esq. had suddenly expired."--Abebooks website