John Marriot Blashfield
Active: 1851 - 1865
Function: Stone mason, marble mason, stone merchant, marble merchant, terra cotta works
History or description: 'Among the many examples of works in Terra-Cotta none will receive more marked attention than those of Mr. Blashfield, of Mill Wall, Poplar. They are of rare excellence, both in design and in execution, while the clay is remarkably fine in quality and colour. We are compelled to limit our remarks, at present, to a few lines, but we shall hereafter visit and describe Mr. Blashfield's establishment, which we understand is the most extensive in England. Our selections speak for themselves, they exhibit a large variety of objects...comprising vases of several kinds, flower-pots of all sorts and sizes, columns, pedestals, figures and busts of remarkably refined character, together with those articles, which have given of late years so much improvement to our houses and public buildings: friezes, chimney-shafts, terminal ornaments,& co' (The Dublin Art Industry Catalogue of 1853, p. 56).
The Dublin Builder of June 1st,1865:
'John M. Blashfield has greatly improved and economised the manufacture of Terra Cotta and fine Stoneware for architectural purposes. He is able to make it of various new colours, so as to harmonize with marble, portland and other stones, and equal in hardness to granite. A medal at the international exhibition was awarded, in class 10, Section C, Architectural Objects, for 'Perfection in manufacture and beauty of form'. A medal was also awarded for 'Terra Cotta'....specimens of the above ware are to be seen at the Dublin Exhibition, Class E'.
Above advertisement placed in The Dublin Builder of June 1st, 1865 [during the Art Industry exhibition held in Dublin in 1865].
Products & Services
products in Terra-Cotta: vases, flower-pots, columns, pedestals, figures, busts, ornamental friezes.
Locations
Address 3 New London Street Fenchurch Street London England | View on map
1851 (Circa)
Business located at Mill Wall Poplar London England | View on map
1851 (Circa) - 1865 (Circa)
Terra-cotta works, also masonry and mercantile activity at this address
Business located at Waterloo Dock Wharf Commercial Road London England | View on map
1851 (Circa)
Location of masonry activity
Business located at 2 Praed Street Paddington London England | View on map
1851 (Circa)
Location of both masonry and mercantile activity
Business located at Bangor Wharf Commercial Road London England | View on map
1851 (Circa)
Business located at Wharf Road Stamford England | View on map
1865 (Circa)
Exhibitions, Courses, Meetings and other Events
Exhibited at The Exhibition of Art-Industry in Dublin, 1853
p. 56, illustrated
Exhibited at International Exhibition of Arts and Manufactures, Dublin, 1865
Section XXVII, p. 29, no. 761:
'Vases executed for Her Majesty the Queen, copies of the Warwick, Townley and other vases; tazza and fountains; statuettes, busts, & c.; architectural cornices, capitals, tracery, & c..'.
Also same section, no. 773:' Greek and Etruscan stone wares; Greek and Etruscan vases'.
Associated People
Trade name of John Marriot Blashfield
Worked with John Bell
1853 (Circa) - 1854 (Circa)
Bell modelled four colossal terracotta statues for Crystal Palace, Sydenham which were cast in Blashfield's innovative muffle kilns: 'Australia', 'California', 'Birmingham' and 'Sheffield'
Descriptions of Business or Institution
Listed under Stone Masons Post Office London Directory, 1851 Post Office/Kelly London Directories
1851
p.1384
Listed as 'Stone and Marble Mason;' 'Stone and Marble Merchant'
Publications
Advertised in The Dublin Builder, 1865-1866 Illustrated Record of Art, Science, Industry and Manufacture
1 June 1865: 'Terra-Cotta and Fine Stoneware'
Sources
Illustrated Catalogue of the Exhibition of Art Industry in Dublin, 1853.
1853
p. 56, illustrations and text.
Official Catalogue of Dublin International Exhibition of Arts and Manufactures 1865
1865
Section XXVII: Manufacturers in mineral substances, used for building or decoration, p. 27, no. 761 .
Post Office London Directory, 1851 Post Office/Kelly London Directories
1851
p.1384
The Dublin Builder, 1865-1866 Illustrated Record of Art, Science, Industry and Manufacture
1866
1 June 1865
Citing this record
'John Marriot Blashfield', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/organization.php?id=msib3_1214996280, accessed 29 Sep 2023]
