| It's rare enough to find three sisters who share | | | | Like her sister, Florence also attended the |
| the same talent for ceramic artistry. But what | | | | Lambeth School of Art and joined Hannah at |
| are the odds against finding three who could work | | | | Doulton in 1873. However, despite being a |
| together in the same studio and often on the | | | | competent exponent of the sgraffito technique, |
| same object? | | | | Florence's forte was ceramic painting. |
| It's also pretty rare to find a pot bearing proof | | | | She used a technique known as pâte sur pâte, |
| that all three have each played their part in | | | | literally body on body, which involved building up |
| producing. But, fortunately for collectors of | | | | layer after layer of translucent slip to achieve a |
| Doulton stoneware ceramics by Hannah, Florence | | | | decoration that stands in relief from the surface |
| and Lucy Barlow, they turn up occasionally and | | | | of the object. |
| the joy of discovery hooks another victim like the | | | | Supreme patience and delicacy of brushwork was |
| owner of the pieces illustrated here. | | | | needed to obtain the desired result, but Florence |
| More common are vases which bear the | | | | was probably Doulton's finest master of the |
| monogram signatures of two out of the three | | | | technique. She was particularly successful at using |
| Barlows. Most usually it's Hannah, noted for her | | | | various coloured bodies to obtain light and shade in |
| incised animals, and Florence, who was particularly | | | | her painting, a technique well suited to birds in |
| successful at painting birds and foliage. | | | | flight. Florence retired in 1909. |
| In truth, both artists were adept at decorating | | | | Lucy Barlow is perhaps the least well known of |
| Doulton stoneware with animals and birds, but | | | | the three sisters, having worked at Lambeth for |
| such was their contentment at working together, | | | | only three years from 1882 to 1885. Little has |
| they made a pact to stick to their respective | | | | been published about her role in her sisters' studio, |
| subjects. And together they drew the accolades | | | | and her more unkind critics described her as |
| from an adoring public. | | | | having had only a minor talent. |
| Hannah Barlow was the first woman artist to be | | | | However, examples of stoneware exist that bear |
| employed by Henry Doulton, joining the | | | | the monogram marks of all three, from which it |
| company's Lambeth studios in South London in | | | | can be deduced that Lucy was kept busy applying |
| 1871. Like many of her fellows, she was a former | | | | the fancy ribbed and lobed borders inside which |
| pupil of John Sparkes, the principal of Lambeth | | | | Hannah and Florence practised their skills. |
| School of Art and a close friend of Doulton, who | | | | Once seen and identified, the Barlow monograms |
| helped her obtain the job. | | | | are easily recognisable. Hannah's looks like two |
| It was probably her talent for drawing animals | | | | letter 'B's back to back; Florence's spells 'FEB' and |
| that got her noticed. It was a talent that was well | | | | Lucy's has 'A' and 'B' joined by the upright of an |
| suited to the ceramic medium. | | | | elongated letter 'L'. |
| She used a technique known as sgraffito, a term | | | | Visit an auction sale that issues a catalogue telling |
| derived from the Italian for "scratched", which | | | | you what's what or a reputable dealer who |
| involved applying incised designs with a needle-like | | | | knows the difference. In either case the goods |
| tool. The area was then brushed with a coloured | | | | can be handled and you'll soon find you're able to |
| stain, usually blue, which found its way into the | | | | tell one from the others. |
| cuts and, after firing, made the shapes stand out | | | | But don't think it was only the Barlow girls who |
| more obviously. | | | | could decorate pots. Brother Arthur was at least |
| Inspiration for her animal studies came from | | | | as important as his sisters, but ill-health cut short |
| regular visits to London zoological gardens and her | | | | his Doulton career to a mere eight years when he |
| own private zoo at her country home which was | | | | died in 1879. Consequently, examples of his work |
| said to be home for 100 animals. | | | | - they bear a monogram that looks like a capital |
| In 1876, five years after joining Doulton, she lost | | | | 'A' in a spin - are extremely rare and sought after. |
| the use of her right hand, some reports blaming | | | | Unlike his sisters, he concentrated on depicting |
| the constant handling of wet clay. However, | | | | flowers and foliage in highly naturalistic form, using |
| undaunted, she set about learning to decorate | | | | a combination of carving, incising and modelling. He |
| with her left hand and became just as competent | | | | was a mere 34 when he died. |
| as before. She retired in 1913. | | | | |