Hodgetts Richardson & Son
Joseph Locke
Benjamin Richardson was keeping an eye on John Northwood’s cameo work and seeing the potential in this “new” art, enlisted the services of a French medalist and engraver Alphonse Lechevrel to produce similar cameo work. Lechevrel arrived at Richardson’s in 1877, at about the same time as Joseph Locke, who had previously been working at Guest Bros.
Paris Exposition of 1878
At this time, like other glass manufacturers in the area, Richardson’s attention was towards the preparation of work for the Paris Exposition of 1878. Benjamin had decided that they would put on a display of cameo glass and that they too would produce a reproduction of the Portland vase. This task was to be carried out by Joseph Locke under the tuition of Alphonse Lechevrel. They were unable to complete the work in time and it was exhibited unfinished; never the less it received great praise and Locke was awarded a silver medal.
The Hodgetts, Richardson & Son stand at the exposition was impressive, having more cameo on display than any other representative of Stourbridge glass.
The official catalogue of the British Section describes the cameo glass as follows:
Hodgetts Richardson & Son, Flint Glass Manufacturers and Inventors, Wordsley Flint Glass Works, Stourbridge, Worcestershire.
Sculptured glass being basso relievo subjects carved in white glass on a coloured background comprising amongst other the following:
A large vase subject “Hercules restoring Alcestis to her Husband (Lechevrel)
A pair of two handled vases, subjects Venus (Lechevrel)
A pair of small jars, subjects Cupids and Panthers
A pair of two handled vases, subjects Happy and Unhappy Childhood (Locke)
A large vase “Raising of Bacchus” (Lechevrel)
A small vase “Innocence”
A large two handled vase, a correct copy of the Portland Vase in the British Museum (Locke)
Paris Exhibition 1878 Photographs
Although no photograph has been found of the Hodgetts, Richardson & Son stand at the Paris Exposition 1878, they did produce photographs of the exhibits at their factory. These comprise a group photograph and individual or group photos of the cameo pieces.
The group photograph contains more cameo vases than described in the Official Catalogue of the British Section, but does not show the Lechevrel vase “Raising an Alter to Bacchus“. Fortunately by comparing the group photograph with the individual photographs the missing catalogue pieces can be identified.
Detail of cameo glass exhibited by Hodgetts, Richardson & Son, at the Paris Exhibition 1878. Original Richardson photograph.