Nantgarw and Swansea Porcelains

Howell Edwards, M.A., B.Sc., D.Phil., C.Chem., FRSC, is Emeritus Professor of Molecular Spectroscopy at the University of Bradford. He studied Chemistry at Jesus College, Oxford, and completed his doctorate there followed by a Research Fellowship at Jesus College, Cambridge. He then joined the University of Bradford as Lecturer in Structural and Inorganic Chemistry. In 2003, he received the Sir Harold Thompson Award from Elsevier Science for his international contributions to vibrational spectroscopy. He is the recipient of the Emanuel Boricky Medal for 2008/2009 from Charles University, Prague, for distinguished international contributions to analytical geochemistry and mineralogical analysis. He was awarded the Charles Mann Award from the US Federation of Analytical Chemical Spectroscopic Societies in 2011 for distinguished international work on the analytical applications of Raman spectroscopy. In his research career he has published over 1260 papers on Raman spectroscopy and itsapplications and is the co-editor of six books on Raman spectroscopy and its applications to archaeology, art and forensic analysis. He has had a lifelong interest in the works of William Billingsley, especially porcelains from the Derby, Swansea and Nantgarw factories, and has published a book in sole authorship with Springer Publishing, Dordrecht, the Netherlands, on “Swansea and Nantgarw Porcelains: A Scientific Reappraisal” which appeared in 2017. In addition, he has published four monographs on William Billingsley and his porcelains, entitled: William Billingsley: The Enigmatic Porcelain Artist, Decorator and Manufacturer; Nantgarw Porcelain: The Pursuit of Perfection; Swansea Porcelain: The Translucent Vision of Lewis Dillwyn: and Derby Porcelain: The Golden Years, 1780-1830.  He is Honorary Scientific Adviser to the de Brecy Trust for the scientific evaluation of artworks and paintings.

• Preface.- Foreword.- List of Tables.- List of Figures.- 1. Introduction:  The Dawn of European Porcelain and the Rise of the Swansea and Nantgarw China Factories.- 2. Porcelain in the 18th Century and its Standing in Georgian and Regency Society.- 3. Analytical Results and Correlation with Recipes and Formulations.- 4. Components of Porcelain Manufacture.- 5. Molecular Composition of Porcelain Bodies form Modern Microanalytical Studies.- 6. Raman Spectroscopic Studies of Swansea and Nantgarw Porcelains.- 7. Reflections on the Holistic Approach to the Analysis of Nantgarw and Swansea Porcelains.- 8. Critical Evaluation of Dillwyn’s Recipes and Formulations.- Subject Index.- Glossary of terms.