Josiah was chosen to design dinnerware for Royal Families and Heads of State, beginning with Queen Charlotte, great-great-great-grandmother of Queen Elizabeth. He was granted permission to be called the “Potter to Her Majesty.” The stoneware is created with high standards of quality control. Apprentices must train for 10 years before they are named Master Craftspeople. The Grahams saw the process first-hand when they visited the Wedgwood factory in Barlaston, England.
“It’s a delicate process. One out of every five vases exploded,” Linda said. “If a piece wasn’t perfect, it would be destroyed.” THE GRAHAMS’ STORY Charles’ mother collected Blue Wedgwood, so it was only a matter of time before he bought his bride, Linda, her first Wedgwood piece: a green egg. Linda is more partial to green, although their collection also includes blue, yellow and other specialty pieces.
PIECES of the PAST Charles and Linda Graham have a spacious cottage at the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown — the perfect size to house their extensive collection of Wedgwood Jasperware in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Every piece offers an equally varied history. Each plate, vase, tile, tea set or other dishware tells a story: of the piece itself and of how it came into the Grahams’ possession. The oldest dates back to the 1700s. Several are limited edition, with 50 or fewer made.
THE STORY BEHIND WEDGWOOD Josiah Wedgwood started as an independent potter in 1759 in Burslem, England. He was only 29, a young age to be on his own as a tradesman. He experimented with more than 5,000 different formulas and colors for stoneware. In 1774, Jasper, which would become the most famous of his inventions, made its public debut. The unglazed vitreous stoneware was made in blue, green, lilac, yellow, black or white. Wedgwood Blue is the brand’s most recognizable style. Bas reliefs (mostlyflat sculptures) were added to the colored stoneware prior to being fired in the kiln. Molds reproduced from the original reliefs are still used today. 14
Spring 2022 Issue
The rest is history. The little green egg has turned into a collection with hundreds of unique items. Their collection is mostly complete, and they only make new purchases if it’s something rare or special. Linda tracks a few items from her wish list on eBay and other auction sites.
“We used to go to all the antique fairs,” Linda said. “We really loved the hunt. You can’t have it all, though.” They have a number of pieces from Wedgwood’s Egyptian Collection, featuring black stoneware and 24K gold. Some of the pieces are reproductions of original Egyptian designs Josiah Wedgwood created for Napoleon. They also have several items from the Greek Revival Collection, which are classical and symmetrical in design. Two pieces, which at first glance appear to be cake pedestals, are cheese domes, used to store soft cheese and keep mice out. Another rectangular piece was used to cook meat pies, a popular item during meat and flour rations in the past. Linda and Charles are Philadelphia natives, living in the city prior to moving to Masonic Village. One specialty piece is a ceramic bowl made in honor of the city’s bicentennial in 1987 and handed out by the mayor to dignitaries. Featuring more than just Wedgwood, their home is a museum of collections from their travels and interests.
