Pontypool japanware mosaic

Image: © Jaggery Taken: 1 Jun 2011

Located on the wall alongside a pedestrian underpass beneath the A4043, between the southern end of Crane Street and the Tesco superstore. The explanatory text on the wall states PONTYPOOL JAPANWARE 1732-1817 In the 16th century, Japanese lacquered furniture became fashionable. In Pontypool, locally produced tin plate was decorated in the 'Japan way'. At John Hanbury's works, Thomas Allgood discovered a material which created a brilliant hard lacquer on the metal. By 1732, the first small-scale production of japanware had begun. Candlesticks, tea trays, butter dishes, powder boxes and small domestic items were produced, decorated in imitation tortoiseshell with gilded Chinese landscapes, figures or floral designs. Pontypool wares were expensive, being of high quality and time-consuming to produce, but were popular all over the world. This mural was produced in 1993 to commemorate this famous local product.

Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0