Josiah Wedgwood, portrayed below in a medallion of his own jasper ware by William Hackwood, became the foremost potter of eighteenth century England.
What made Wedgwood famous was the development of such desirable new wares as green glaze, Queen’s Ware, and the classically inspired jasper, to name the most celebrated. But even more important to the course of the industrial revolution was his genius for anticipating the techniques of mass production: division of labor, creation of demand through clever salesmanship, constant improvement of the methods of distribution, development of cost accounting, and the application of scientific discoveries to practical problems.
ADDENDUM:
(see link at end)…Wedgwood’s outstanding wares included his invention of a very fine stone ware, which he perfected around 1775 and called Jasper after the original mineral mined in ancient times to make among other things, vases.
Ir was to be the material that made his fortune. Wedgwood Jasper vases have proved a fabulous investment for their owners with their enigmatic mythological scenes produced in high relief, in a pottery technique that his factory perfected.
Jasper ware was produced when a passion for the antique had really reached fever pitch. A dense, hard stoneware he coloured it with metallic oxides. He then applied the classical ornament, usually in white so that it stood out in relief.
The earlier the vase by Wedgwood, the more outstanding are the relief sculptures, which is one way of dating them.Read More:http://www.thecultureconcept.com/circle/josiah-wedgwood-tradesman-tycoon-firing-up-the-modern-age