Thomas Otley & Sons, a Chinaman and Teapot.

[Kalfred]

Hello, there was one Thomas Otley, who had a brother Robert, who is very well reference on our Forum as a 19th century Chartist who worked for social change. Thomas is not well represented here but Thomas and Robert Otley were involved in a Britannia metal manufacturing company at Union Place, in 1833 (Whites History & Directory of Sheffield - 1833).
By 1837 their address was Truro Place, Trafalgar Street and with a slightly different type of manufactured item, "Britannia metal ware manufacturers" (Whites Directory of Sheffield & Rotherham - 1837).
Very shortly after that entry the firm was bankrupt and Richard became a tea dealer & tobacconist. Thomas Otley re-established a firm  "& Sons" and in 1871 and the firm was at 33 Meadow Street (Nowill's Yard) as Electro-platedware Manufrs (White's Sheffield & Dist. Directory - 1871).
I knew little about "Thomas Otley" or the "& Sons" until a Chinaman with a teapot on his head, marked on the base of a metal teapot, insisted I did some research.

 

Newington Causeway looked like London address and possibly F.E.Spiller (see end of post) was a London retailer but whose "Trade Mark" was the Chinaman? Checking figural electroplate trade marks on the "silvercollection.it" (a very useful site for electroplate reference), there he was, the trademark of Thomas Otley & Sons of Sheffield.

You will see under the Thomas Otley & Sons  some written trade marking used by the firm. There is TO over &S in a shield, a styled "S", probably for "Sheffield made" and EPBM for the type of material the item was made in. This was ElectroPlated Britannia Metal (Note on Britannia metal at end of post). The Hawley's web site "Name on a Knife Blade"  suggests that the "Chinaman" mark was use on Otley's "Britannia ware". They also say another trade mark "Benvenuto Cellini" was used (presumably on other) electroplate. [The Hawley's web site has a lot of other information on Thomas Otley & Sons, regarding history. personnel and finances.]

Despite periodic financial woes the firm made it to the 20th century as Thomas Otley & Sons Ltd, shown in the Whites Directory of Sheffield & Rotherham for 1905.
Otley, Thomas & Sons (, silversmiths, electro-plate & brit.metal goods manuftrs.).
                                  Address: Meadow works, Meadow street, Sheffield

The business closed in the 3rd decade of the 20th century. Otleys seem to have been greatly associated with teapots/coffee pots and on one of their 20th century adverts their address for Cables (for the young, I.T. in the early 20th century,) was, "Teapots". That same ad stated Thomas Otley & Sons was established 1842.

I have a couple more images to show. A composite of 2 written trade marks and the last image I am hoping for some extra information on from the Forum. 
 

  Note the upper mark in the above composite is for ElectroPlated Nickel Silver.

Does this image show Otleys have made work for another retailer/maker. There appears to be a con-joined possible "HBP" mark. It looks familiar , does any one know the mark please?

I have seen another image showing Otley's Chinaman  with "Thoms. Ellin & Co" marked underneath. 

Note about the metal alloy "pewter" and Britannia metal. The oldest form of pewter was a mix of about 70-90% tin and up to 30% lead and possibly contaminated with small amounts of other metals. At the beginning of the industrial age, getting rid of the lead, and changing the "mix" to about 92% tin, 6–7% antimony, and 1–2% copper and sometimes with bismuth produced a much more versatile and useful alloy. This original 92/6/2 mix was called “Vickers White Metal” after its Sheffield developer “John (James) Vickers” and has come to known as “Britannia Metal”.  It was an excellent metal for electroplating on and the resulting product was known as “Britannia Plate”. There is stuff on John Vickers on the Forum.

Francis Edward Spiller may have been involved in retailing silverplate items but, had London trade directory entries as a cutler in 1891, 1864 & 1884 and as "platers"/electroplaters in 1882 & 1864. For 1880 there was a reference concerning bicycle parts for him.

Kalfred
 

[Ponytail]

Looking towards Howard Street and Eyre Lane from Howard Street (Dinner Hour) Club for Working Women and Girls (left), former premises of Thomas Otley and Sons, Britannia Metal Manufacturers, left. 1963.

s15501  Photographer: P Fletcher

 

[tozzin]

Further to your request: