Wedgwood
Handmade:
By Royal AppointmentEpisode 1 of 4
Film which follows the making of a Wedgwood vase. The culmination of over 250 years of expertise and heritage, the panther vase is handcrafted by artisan potters using the same techniques pioneered by Josiah Wedgwood in the 18th century. But the Wedgwood factory in Stoke is now a very different place. Under new, foreign ownership, it's a gleaming, modern operation, and as we follow the vase slowly taking shape, the film also takes a gentle look at how this quintessentially British company is reinventing itself for the 21st century.
Suppliers having
a royal warrant charge for the goods and services supplied; a royal warrant
does not imply that suppliers provide goods or services free of charge. Royal
warrants are typically advertised on company hoardings, letter-heads and
products by displaying the coat of arms or the heraldic badge of the royal
personage issuing the royal warrant. Warrants granted by members of the British
royal family usually include the phrase "By Appointment to…" followed
by the title and name of the royal customer, and then what goods are provided;
no other details of what is supplied may be given.
Royal
Warrants of Appointment have been issued since the 15th century to those who
supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The
warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the
royal family, thereby lending prestige to the brand and/or supplier. In the
United Kingdom, grants are currently made by the three most senior members of
the British royal family to companies or tradespeople who supply goods and
services to individuals in the family.
Suppliers
continue to charge for their goods and services – a warrant does not imply that
they provide goods and services free of charge. The warrant is typically
advertised on billboards or company hoardings in British English, letter-heads
and products by displaying the coat of arms or the heraldic badge of the royal
personage as appropriate. Underneath the coat of arms will usually appear the
phrase "By Appointment to..." followed by the title and name of the
royal customer, and then what goods are provided. No other details of what is
supplied may be given.
The
granting of royal patronage or royal charter was practised across Europe from
the early Medieval period. Initially, however, royal patronage was mainly
granted to those working in the arts. Royal charters began to replace royal
patronage in around the 12th century. The earliest charters were granted to the
trade guilds, with the first recorded British royal charter being granted to
the Weavers' Company in 1155 by Henry II of England.
By the 15th
century, the Royal Warrant of Appointment replaced the Royal Charter in England,
providing a more formalised system of recognition. Under a Royal Warrant, the
Lord Chamberlain appointed tradespeople as suppliers to the Royal household. The printer William Caxton was one of the
first recipients of a Royal Warrant when he became the King's printer in 1476.One
of the early monarchs to grant a warrant was King Charles II of England.
A royal
warrant sent a strong public signal that the holder supplied goods of a quality
acceptable for use in the Royal household, and by inference, inspired the
confidence of the general public. At a time when product quality was a public
issue, a royal warrant imbued suppliers with an independent sign of value. By
the 18th century, mass market manufacturers such as Josiah Wedgwood and Matthew
Boulton, recognised the value of supplying royalty, often at prices well below
cost, for the sake of the publicity and kudos it generated. Royal warrants
became keenly sought after and manufacturers began actively displaying the
royal arms on their premises, packaging and labelling. By 1840, the rules
surrounding the display of royal arms were tightened to prevent fraudulent
claims. By the early 19th century, during the reign of Queen Victoria, the
number of royal warrants granted rose rapidly with the granting of 2,000
warrants. Since 1885, an annual list of warrant holders has been published in
the London Gazette.
Food and
drink manufacturers have been some of the most important warrant holder
suppliers to the palace. High profile food and beverage suppliers with a royal
warrant include Cadbury; Twinings of London; Bollinger; Fortnum & Mason;
Heinz; Tanqueray Gordon & Co and Schweppes. Non-food suppliers with royal
warrants include: Aston Martin; Land Rover; Jaguar cars; Boots; Axminster
Carpets; Paragon China; The Irish Linen Company and Yardley of London.
Warrants
are currently granted by the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of
Wales. Warrants issued by the Queen Mother automatically expired no later than
2007, five years after her death.
Royal
Warrants are only awarded to tradesmen, such as carpenters, engravers, cabinet
makers, dry-cleaners, even chimney sweeps. Some are well-known companies; many
are not. The professions, employment agencies, party planners, the media,
government departments, and "places of refreshment or entertainment"
(such as pubs and theatres) do not qualify. Today, some 850 individuals and
companies, including a few non-UK companies, hold more than 1,100 warrants to
the British Royal Family.
The Royal
Warrant signifies there is a satisfactory trade relation in place between the
grantor and the company and that the goods nominated are suitable for supply to
the Royal household. Within the company, there is a nominated person called the
grantee. That person is in all respects responsible for all aspects of the
Royal Warrant.
It takes at
least five years of supplying goods or services to the member of the Royal
Family before a company is eligible to have its application considered for
recommendation. That application is then presented to the Royal Household and
goes to the buyer who makes its recommendation for inclusion. It then goes in
front of the Royal Household Warrants Committee, which is chaired by the Lord
Chamberlain, which decides whether to accept the recommendation. It then goes
to the grantor, who personally signs it. The grantor is empowered to reverse
the Committee's decision, and therefore the final decision to accept or
withhold a grant is a very personal one.
Some Royal
Warrants have been held for more than a hundred years. Goods need not be for
the use of the grantor. For example, cigarettes were only bought for the use of
guests of the Royal Family, but these warrants were cancelled in 1999 as a
matter of public policy.
For
business, the granting of a Royal Warrant is a huge boost, because royal
approval may be displayed in public with the coat of royal arms of the grantor,
implying that their services or products are of high quality.
Most
warrant holders are members of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, which
liaises closely with the palace.
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