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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: flying free on October 23, 2014, 12:51:19 PM

Title: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: flying free on October 23, 2014, 12:51:19 PM
See this thread for information on the company of Stevens & Williams
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,58263.msg330146.html#msg330146
where it is established that:
'- whether or not a product was made under a product range that Stevens & Williams had denoted as the range 'Royal Brierley Crystal' is irrelevant for the purposes of correctly identifying their wares from 1846 until 28th May 1985
as
- all products produced by Stevens and Williams from 1846 up until 28th May 1985 can legitimately be referred to as:

      'A Stevens & Williams (insert range name or just insert item name if range name not known)' .'



There is an outstanding question on that thread  -
'- at what date they decided to call their products 'Royal Brierley Crystal' is still to be determined'

According to this information from source - English Heritage:
http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-488295-royal-brierley-crystal-works-

it states within that information  that
 'The patent for "Royal Brierley Crystal" was taken out in 1926 and subsequently became the company's brand name.'
So we have a date that they took out the patent for the brand name. 
However it doesn't give information as to what date that brand name started being used.

'HISTORY: During the late 19th century, Stevens and Williams became renowned for the quality of their engraving, in particular intaglio work, on crystal ware. In 1919 the company were awarded a Royal Warrant by King George V, and the works were visited by the Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, in June 1925. The patent for "Royal Brierley Crystal" was taken out in 1926 and subsequently became the company's brand name.'

This is irrelevant in many ways because it is about a brand name not a maker, and so doesn't affect the legitimate naming of a product produced by Stevens & Williams during the period from 1846 up until 28th May 1985 being called 'Stevens & Williams'.
However it is interesting (to me at least) because there has been so much speculation about what to call certain 'ranges'.
m
Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: Lustrousstone on October 23, 2014, 12:59:07 PM
According to the Intellectual Property Office, ROYAL BRIERLEY CRYSTAL was trademarked in 1967 and was owned by Royal Brierley Crystal Limited

(Royal Brierley CRYSTAL was trademarked in 1988 by Dartington Crystal (Torrington) Limited who also trademarked ROYAL BRiERLEY in 2006)
Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: flying free on October 23, 2014, 01:13:33 PM
Thank you Christine :)
So that trademark registration is much later than English Heritage say Stevens & Williams Ltd  patented the name (1926 - no source given) and much later than the advert link below which shows them using the name for a brand (December 1949 Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review) 

 see this link here (you need to scroll down to find their advertisement)
http://www.glass-study.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102:pggtr-1949-december-part-1-adverts&catid=26&Itemid=25
 from the Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review December 1949

it shows an advert for Stevens & Williams Ltd products and has a bold heading over a photograph of some cut crystal pieces headed
'Royal Brierley Crystal'

(the bottom line of the advertisement says
'Stevens & Williams Ltd, Brierley Hill Glassworks, Staffs')

So what we have so far as the earliest date in use, is an advertisement showing Stevens & Williams Ltd using the brand name Royal Brierley Crystal  for a transparent non-coloured cut glass product in a design called 'Gloria Rose' and a possible patent of that brand name in 1926 (need to check the source for that)?
But with the trademark name Royal Brierley Crystal not registered until 1967.

Re the company name (rather than the brand name)
- interesting  that Royal Brierley Crystal Ltd was already established as a company name in 1967. Stevens & Williams Ltd did not become Royal Brierley Crystal Ltd until 1985 some 18 years later.

m
Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: Lustrousstone on October 23, 2014, 02:40:54 PM
I think the patent you are referring to is a Royal letters patent granting the right to use the word Royal, so nothing like a trademark really
Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: flying free on October 23, 2014, 02:51:39 PM
Right, but how does that tie in with Anne saying that a Royal Warrant was not a right to use the word Royal.
But if you are right about the patent,  then we can discount the source I gave of English Heritage, as being a patent for the brand name Royal Brierley Crystal.

So to try again, on earliest dates the brand Royal Brierley Crystal was in use:

1) what we have so far as the earliest date in use on this thread, is an advertisement showing Stevens & Williams Ltd using the brand name Royal Brierley Crystal  for a transparent non-coloured cut glass product in a design called 'Gloria Rose'.
but
2) I have now also found a piece that dates to 1937 that is apparently marked on the base Royal Brierley Crystal (can't link it at the moment, and haven't seen with my own eyes that it really is signed Royal Brierley Crystal)
This is good that I've found this because all the Keith Murray signed pieces I've found from the 1930s (wasn't sure what else to try and search for that would be 'branded' from that period on) so far are signed Keith Murray and then S& W and then BRIERLEY.


However if the trademark name Royal Brierley Crystal was not registered until 1967, then, on current evidence on this thread, does that mean they were using a 'brand' that hadn't been registered in effect?  Dangerous ground I'd have thought. 

m
Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: Lustrousstone on October 23, 2014, 03:01:01 PM
Most brands are unregistered...

and isn't a Royal Warrant the right to say By appointment to...
Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: flying free on October 23, 2014, 03:04:48 PM
ok thank you :)

m
Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: flying free on October 23, 2014, 04:14:49 PM
Source for the following: 20th Century British Glass - Charles Hajdamach
Most of what I've been reading is from page 136 to 160.  Most of the glass covered seems to be from the 1920s on. Apart from the odd exception the company is referred to as Stevens and Williams all the way through that section and the pattern books are referred to as Stevens and Williams pattern books

The exceptions I've found so far -
 
Page 151 Plate 305 caption -  three 'Vases by Stevens and Williams engraved by E.E. Rowley. Blue cased engraved .... Green glass vase with horizontal internal ring moulding reminiscent of contemporary Orrefors vases, engraved with seagulls over the sea, unsigned but marked 'ROYAL BRIERLEY CRYSTAL' ...'
I think from reading page 150, that E.E. Rowley was there from 1940.

Page 151 - further on in that caption from above,
'The brand name 'Royal Brierley Crystal' was adopted by Stevens and Williams in the 1920s who saw their glass as a royal product.'

Page 65 a cover from the POttery Gazette and Glass Trade Review dated April 1942 showing Navel souvenirs with the name ROYAL BRIERLEY CRYSTAL on the top right of the advert (cover page) and Stevens & Williams Ltd along the bottom

This bit is not Royal Brierley Crystal but interesting branding nonetheless
page 153
'In 1964 the firm decided to re-brand their lighting products as 'Brierley Lighting' and appointed George Elliot, who had graduated from the Royal College...'

page 154
Advert from Pottery Gazette April 1947 showing a cut see through clear vase with the words Royal Brierley Crystal in script above the bottom of the advert and Stevens and Williams Ltd along the bottom - plate 311 captioned ' Flights of Fantasy vase was designed by Deanne Meanley for Stevens and Williams, 1947. ...'

so far the April 1942 Pottery Gazette showing the Navel Souvenirs is now the earliest dated use of the brand name Royal Brierley Crystal by Stevens & Williams.   But I need to check out that piece I've found that is apparently signed Royal Brierley Crystal and dates I think to 1937.

I'll add more if I find more later.
m

Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: flying free on October 23, 2014, 06:51:35 PM
following on from above, a couple of comments to add to this point

'Page 151 - further on in that caption from above,
'The brand name 'Royal Brierley Crystal' was adopted by Stevens and Williams in the 1920s who saw their glass as a royal product.'

1) There is a vase in CH British Glass page 109 Plate 214 that is an Abbey Glass crackle vase.  Abbey Glass was introduced in March 1928 and followed quickly in April 1928 with the crackled version.  The piece in plate 214 is marked with ...
'a fleur-de-lys and S&W/Abbey/H.Nicholl'

So either they  were not actually using the brand name at that late point in the 1920s or they did not use it for this particular range.

2) In the book The Crystal Years by R.S.Williams-Thomas dated 1983 he says on page 9
'Stevens & Williams was used as the product name until the 1930s.   S. & W. astride a fleur-de lys was used as the trade-mark.  When brand names became a simple method for customer recognition, Stevens & Williams adopted the word Brierley - it's own location name to be used with "Royal" to significy it's possession of the appointment as the Royal British Glassmakers.'

The earliest piece I've found that is apparently (not seen the marking myself but think it's probably rightly stated) marked Royal Brierley Crystal, is a commemorative piece for the coronation of George VI to the throne (1937).

This part now is supposition - it seems to me from all my reading that this is probably one of the earliest dates the 'brand name' Royal Brierley Crystal was used for Stevens & Williams made products.  This seems a likely supposition to me supported by the advert found re the Naval commemorative products that dates to 1942.  This also appears to be supported by the fact that the Keith Murray pieces were produced in the 1930s (I have a date that goes up to 1939 - page 149 CH British Glass caption for plate 303) and as far as I can see did not carry the words Royal Brierley Crystal (open to correction).  I have come across one that is signed Keith Murray, then has  S& W then BRIERLEY on the base.  I will try and find it and attach a link.

I have attached a link here to the commemorative piece that is signed Royal Brierley Crystal according to the seller.

http://www.belowstairs.co.uk/acatalog/Antique%20Commemorative%20Three%20Dates%20Decanter%20CC75.jpg

I have attached a photograph of the S&W astride a fleur-de-lys that R.S. Williams-Thomas references as the trade-mark for Stevens & William.
If anyone finds an advert or piece dated earlier than 1937 and carrying the Royal Brierley Crystal strapline or mark please do add :)
If anyone finds a piece marked Royal Brierley Crystal and can attach a photo of the mark and the piece, that would be great.

All open to correction in due course if further information comes to light.

m

Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: flying free on January 16, 2016, 10:41:44 PM
'Royal Brierley Crystal' used as a mark on a vase dated c.1927

source:  Charles Hajdamach, 20th Century British Glass, page 117 plate 227

'Left: Opalescent glass overlaid in caramel, transfer printed in resist with a leaf pattern, painted all over with a silver stain and fired, then transfer printed in black and fired again, c.1927, etch mark 'Royal Brierley Crystal' within and oval cartouche with fleur-de-lys above. Height 7 1/8in. (20cm).'

This is now the earliest date I've come across of using the mark 'Royal Brierley Crystal'.

m
Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: David E on January 17, 2016, 01:32:52 PM
Very interesting - I missed this first time around. So it looks as though English Heritage (1926) is right?

There are several potteries with 'Royal' prefixing a company or brand-name. A company name prefixed Royal is prohibited under the Company, Limited Liability Partnerships and Business Names (Sensitive Words and Expressions) Regulations 2014 and would need a Royal warrant (or whatever). Other prohibited names are; King, Queen, Prince, Princess, Duke, Duchess, His/Her Majesty, and Windsor and "... you must seek permission from the Cabinet Office in London, the Scottish Government in Edinburgh, or the Welsh Assembly Government in Cardiff, depending in which UK jurisdiction your business is registered."1

Dang, there goes 'Royal Cortex Design'...  ;D

1 Source: https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/blog/sensitive-words-and-expressions-in-company-names/
Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: flying free on January 17, 2016, 02:02:33 PM
Yes, the English Heritage information appears to be correct, as does the comment in CH 20th Century British Glass (both quotes shown below for completion). 
And we now have an example of c.1927 for the date the brand name Royal Brierley Crystal was used on a vase (etched on to vase).



As quoted at the beginning of this thread:
'According to this information from source - English Heritage:
http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-488295-royal-brierley-crystal-works-

it states within that information  that
 'The patent for "Royal Brierley Crystal" was taken out in 1926 and subsequently became the company's brand name.'
So we have a date that they took out the patent for the brand name. 
However it doesn't give information as to what date that brand name started being used.

'HISTORY: During the late 19th century, Stevens and Williams became renowned for the quality of their engraving, in particular intaglio work, on crystal ware. In 1919 the company were awarded a Royal Warrant by King George V, and the works were visited by the Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, in June 1925. The patent for "Royal Brierley Crystal" was taken out in 1926 and subsequently became the company's brand name.''

And from CH 20th Century British Glass as quoted previously in this thread:
'Page 151 ...
'The brand name 'Royal Brierley Crystal' was adopted by Stevens and Williams in the 1920s who saw their glass as a royal product.'




Not that it matters but I'm idly wondering if these trademarks as commented by Christine earlier in the thread (see quote below), were trademarked for the use of capital letters for the name as well as just using capitals at the beginning of each word?  otherwise someone else might appropriate the name using all capital letters.  Is that how these things work?

'According to the Intellectual Property Office, ROYAL BRIERLEY CRYSTAL was trademarked in 1967 and was owned by Royal Brierley Crystal Limited

(Royal Brierley CRYSTAL was trademarked in 1988 by Dartington Crystal (Torrington) Limited who also trademarked ROYAL BRiERLEY in 2006)'
Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: David E on January 17, 2016, 02:09:03 PM
However, this is termed 'brand-name' and not the company name, so S&W should be used until the name was changed to RBC. 1967 as per Christine's post, or 1985 as per the original post?
Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: flying free on January 17, 2016, 02:14:32 PM
Stevens and Williams (Stevens and Williams Ltd to be exact and to avoid confusion with the earlier period where the name of the company was Stevens and Williams) should be used until 28 May 1985. 

(The use of the S&W name whether with or without the Ltd on the end, would depend on when the product was made.  However there is a period between January 1903 and January 1920 where the name changed from Stevens and Williams to Stevens and Williams Ltd. and that date has not been established on this other thread yet).

http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,58263.msg330146.html#msg330146
m

Edited to add information from previous thread :

'In summary I believe this is the chain of events and correct names for the company by date so far:



1740              - Brierley Hill Glass Works      - a glassworks founded in c1740
1846              - Stevens & Williams                   - Were a partnership formed who owned the glassworks
                                                                           called Brierley Hill Glass Works               
1903              - Stevens & Williams                  - We know this was still the company name at the point of 30th January 1903
                 

1903-1920    - Stevens & Williams/      - At some date between 30 January 1903 and 2nd January 1920 the Stevens & Williams company
             Stevens & Williams Ltd                  became Stevens & Williams Ltd
                                                                    - Date still to be determined   
                                       
1920-1930    - Stevens & Williams Ltd   - The company was called this between 2nd January 1920 and 1930 (Source – London Gazette )
               
1931              - Stevens & Williams Ltd  - We know the company was called this on 11 September 1931 
                                                                On 11 September 1931 that company trading as Stevens & Williams Ltd was formally wound up
               
1931-1985    - Stevens & Williams Ltd   - The company was registered as this name between 18 September 1931 and 28 May 1985
                                                                        (note - this is not an error, the company was wound up and renamed as the same name)
                                                                 
1985-2000    - Royal Brierley Crystal Limited - Between 28 May 1985 and 11 Dec 2000 the company was renamed Royal Brierley Crystal
                                                              Limited
2000-2008    - Rbc Realisations Limited        - Between 11 Dec 2000 and 19 February 2008 the Company was renamed Rbc Realisations
                                                                          Limited
                       

Therefore:                     
- whether or not a product was made under a product range that Stevens & Williams had denoted as the range 'Royal Brierley Crystal' is irrelevant for the purposes of correctly identifying their wares from 1846 until 28th May 1985
as
- all products produced by Stevens and Williams from 1846 up until 28th May 1985 can legitimately be referred to as:

      'A Stevens & Williams (insert range name or just insert item name if range name not known)' .'

m
Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: keith on January 17, 2016, 05:52:18 PM
Thought I'd add a little of what I picked up recently, 'Epsom Enterprises' ran RBC from around 1999 then went into receivership 1999-2000 and re started in 2002 by Tim Westbrook and associates until they sold out to Dartington in 2005, info' from Tim Westbrook, two years research, think I've enough for a book yet ? ::) ;D ;D
Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: Anne on January 18, 2016, 01:09:28 AM
I don't know if it helps or not, but there is a bit more info from the London Gazette:

7th June 1918 Supplement 30730, page 6713 (King's Birthday Honours List)
Joseph Silvers Williams-Thomas, Esq., J.P.; Chairman, British Flint Glass Manufacturers' Association, Limited; Chairman, Messrs. Stevens & Williams, Limited.

This entry states Stevens and Williams Limited and pre-dates M's previously earliest 1920 Limited status evidence.

And to take it back even further, in the Kelly's PO Directory for London 1914 (page 1658) is the following entry under Glass Manufacturers:
Stevens and Williams Limited, 57 Holborn Viaduct, EC

This will be their London showroom, but the fact that it has the Limited name is helpful!

I'll keep rummaging in my reference materials and see what else I can turn up for you...   :D






Title: Re: Stevens & Williams - the Royal Brierley Crystal brand name
Post by: flying free on January 18, 2016, 08:37:36 AM
Thank you Anne  :D

If we narrow that date down, it completes that list.

I've become quite frustrated at the lack of documentation of S&W products in the public domain. 

Thank you Keith.  At some point once we have a final date on this part, it would be good to tie the two threads together with a link so that both parts of the information you have added are on both :)

m