Milestones and work
1853. Oscar Pierre Erard was born in Passy, near Paris Seine.
There is no 1881 census record for Erard but from the 1891 census record we can see that Erard must have arrived in the area during 1881/2, since his second son, Maurice, was born in Wollaston in 1882 and their second daughter Blanche in 1885.
Erard appears to have arrived in England with his wife Augustin, their daughter Euguine and son Emile. The census records show that he used the name Oscar in preference to Pierre, his second name. Pierre is used in the book on Stevens and Williams entitled “The Crystal Years” and hence in subsequent literal references he is referred to as Pierre Erard. In this book it is stated that Erard arrived (at Stevens & Williams) in circa 1885 “..with his French influence, was to fire the starting gun for the enamelling and gilding shop at Moor Lane Glass Works”.
The Erard first pattern in the records is pattern number 9404, Book 08, dated 1/11/1884. It is the first in a series of cabinet vases labelled has having an enamelled Arabian, Chinese and Japanese design. Only the first vase indicates in a rudimentary way the nature of the design, however they were expensive selling at around £10 each. Each vase has the Erard design number along side it starting at No.1.
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