# Frederick Alfred Rhead

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**Frederick Alfred Rhead** (1856–1933) was a potter working in North Staffordshire, England. He is not to be confused with his son [Frederick Hurten Rhead](/source/Frederick_Hurten_Rhead) (1880–1942) who was also a potter, and who worked mainly in the USA. His other children included the pottery designer [Charlotte Rhead](/source/Charlotte_Rhead).

Rhead's father, G.W. Rhead, worked in the pottery industry, and young Frederick was apprenticed at [Mintons Ltd](/source/Mintons_Ltd). He was one of a number of apprentices who in the 1870s learnt the art of *[pâte-sur-pâte](/source/P%C3%A2te-sur-p%C3%A2te)* decoration from [Marc-Louis Solon](/source/Marc-Louis_Solon), a French émigré who was the leading exponent of this ceramic technique.[1] Rhead continued to work in *pâte-sur-pâte* after leaving Minton. He joined [Wedgwood](/source/Wedgwood) and went on to work at a number of potteries including a failed venture of his own. His most famous piece of ceramics is the "Gladstone Vase" which was presented to [William Ewart Gladstone](/source/William_Ewart_Gladstone) by the [Liberals](/source/Liberal_Party_(UK)) of [Burslem](/source/Burslem) in 1888. The vase is on public view, having been loaned to the [Gladstone Pottery Museum](/source/Gladstone_Pottery_Museum) in [Longton, Staffordshire](/source/Longton,_Staffordshire).

Besides working in three dimensions as a ceramic designer, Rhead worked in two dimensions as a graphic designer, although in the latter field he was somewhat overshadowed by his brother [Louis Rhead](/source/Louis_Rhead) who pursued a successful career in the USA. The three brothers Frederick, Louis and George Woolliscroft Rhead Jr collaborated on book illustration projects, for example an edition of *[The Pilgrim's Progress](/source/The_Pilgrim's_Progress)*.

## Bibliography

- Bumpus, Bernard *Collecting Rhead Pottery: Charlotte, Frederick, Frederick Hurten*, 1999

Bernard Bumpus (1921–2004) was the leading authority on the Rhead family. In 1986 Bumpus curated an exhibition at the [Geffrye Museum](/source/Geffrye_Museum) in London. This exhibition, *Rhead Artists and Potters*, toured several UK museums including the [Potteries Museum & Art Gallery](/source/Potteries_Museum_%26_Art_Gallery) in [Stoke-on-Trent](/source/Stoke-on-Trent). Bumpus hoped to take a version of the exhibition to the US, but, despite American interest in the Rhead family, this project foundered.[2]

- [Bunyan, John](/source/John_Bunyan); foreword by Haweis, H.R. Rev. *Pilgrim's Progress-from this world to that which is to come*, Embellished with over one hundred and twenty designs done by three brothers: George Woolliscroft Rhead, Frederick Rhead, [Louis Rhead](/source/Louis_Rhead), publisher [The Century Co](/source/The_Century_Co), [New York](/source/New_York_City), 1912.[3]
- [Defoe, Daniel](/source/Daniel_Defoe), [*The Life and Strange Adventures of Robinson Crusoe*](/source/Robinson_Crusoe), illustrated by Frederick and [Louis Rhead](/source/Louis_Rhead), publisher R. H. Russell, New York, 1900.
- G W and F A Rhead, *Staffordshire Pots and Potters*, [Hutchinson and Co.](/source/Hutchinson_(publisher)), 1906.

## Notes

1. ["Remarkable Rheads come back into focus at auction in Exeter"](http://www.antiquestradegazette.com/news/2014/jan/30/remarkable-rheads-come-back-into-focus-at-auction-in-exeter/). *Antiques Trade Gazette*. 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2015.

1. [obituary, *The Times*, London](https://web.archive.org/web/20110815231546/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article498562.ece) October 25, 2004

1. [on-line book](https://archive.org/details/pilgrimsprogress00buny3) *The pilgrim's progress from this world to that which is to come*

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