Gallery: William Billingsley

Ceramics decorated by William Billingsley

held in the collection of Mansfield Museum

The pieces in our collection are here arranged by the porcelain works which produced them. You can click on any image or museum number to be taken to the online catalogue record for that item.

All photographs are currently in a low resolution to help the website run smoothly; however, high resolution images can be requested from the museum by emailing

mansfieldmuseum@mansfield.gov.uk

The same email address can be used to request a research visit to view the ceramics.

Derby China Works

William Billingsley started his career at the factory in Derby. He worked here between 1774 and 1796.

Museum number: MASMG1975-13

Derby plate from the Duke of Newcastle's dinner service

Museum number: MASMG1975-14

Derby dessert plate, c.1790

Museum number: MASMG1975-17

Derby dessert plate decorated by Billingsley and Boreman, c.1780

Museum number: MASMG1977-23

Derby plate in the style of Billingsley, c.1790

Museum number: MASMG1982-6

Derby plate, probably decorated by Billingsley

Museum number: MASMG1984-20.4/1

Derby floral dessert plate

Museum number: MASMG1984-20.4/2

Derby floral dessert plate

Museum number: MASMG1984-20.5

Derby plate with Monsonia flower, attributed to Billingsley

Museum number: MASMG1984-21

Derby coffee can with gilt stars and panels of roses

Museum number: MASMG1985-41

Derby ice pail

Pinxton Porcelain Works

Billingsley moved from Derby to start a new business at Pinxton, partnered with John Coke. He worked here between 1796 and 1799.

Pinxton landscape trio

Museum number: MASMG1972-11.1

Saucer

Museum number: MASMG1972-11.2

Teacup

Museum number: MASMG1972-11.3

Saucer dish

Museum number: MASMG1973-12

Pinxton landscape tankard mug

Pair of Pinxton gilt coffee cans

Museum number: MASMG1975-15

Museum number: MASMG1975-16

Pinxton teacup and saucer

Museum number: MASMG1976-19.1

Teacup

Museum number: MASMG1976-19.2

Saucer

Museum number: MASMG1977-20

Pinxton tankard mug probably depicting John Coke and his wife

Pinxton coffee can and saucer

Museum number: MASMG1977-24.1

Coffee can

Museum number: MASMG1977-24.2

Saucer

Pinxton breakfast cup and saucer

Museum number: MASMG1982-27.1

Cup

Museum number: MASMG1982-27.2

Saucer

Pinxton landscape trio

Museum number: MASMG1983-56.1

Teacup

Museum number: MASMG1983-56.2

Coffee can

Museum number: MASMG1983-56.3

Saucer

Museum number: MASMG1983-61

Pinxton landscape sucrier

Pinxton tea bowl and saucer

Museum number: MASMG1983-76.1

Tea bowl

Museum number: MASMG1983-76.2

Saucer

Pinxton landscape trio

Museum number: MASMG1984-20.2/1

Teacup

Museum number: MASMG1984-20.2/2

Coffee can

Museum number: MASMG1984-20.2/3

Saucer

Mansfield Porcelain Decoration

Following his time at Pinxton, Billingsley relocated to Mansfield, where he started a business buying porcelain items from other manufacturers to decorate and sell on. He worked in Mansfield between 1799 and 1802.

Museum number: MASMG1982-30

Mansfield sucrier with lid

Museum number: MASMG1985-43

Mansfield slop basin

Mansfield landscape trio

Museum number: MASMG1988-194.1

Coffee can

Museum number: MASMG1988-194.2

Teacup

Museum number: MASMG1988-194.3

Saucer

Torksey Porcelain Manufacture

In 1802 Billingsley opened a new porcelain factory at Brampton-in-Torksey, although this venture quickly closed.

Museum number: MASMG1987-30

Torksey (or possibly Mansfield) teapot

Royal Worcester Porcelain Works

After some years searching for a position, Billingsley was taken on by Barr, Flight, and Barr at the Royal Worcester factory. He worked here between 1808 and 1813. Billingsley's work in Worcester seems to have been mostly advisory, so there are not many items decorated by him in this period.

Museum number: MASMG1985-21.1

Worcester beaker

Pair of Worcester dessert plates

Museum number: MASMG1985-21.2

Plate with dog roses

Museum number: MASMG1985-21.3

Plate with sunflower

Nantgarw Porcelain Works

Billingsley's next venture was a new porcelain works in Nantgarw, in South Wales. He opened the factory in 1813, and worked there for a year before moving to the Swansea works. He came back to Nantgarw again between 1817 and 1820.

Museum number: MASMG1976-18

Nantgarw pheasant saucer

Nantgarw roses trio

Museum number: MASMG1982-28.1

Teacup

Museum number: MASMG1982-28.2

Coffee can

Museum number: MASMG1982-28.3

Saucer

Nantgarw urns trio

Museum number: MASMG1982-29.1

Teacup

Museum number: MASMG1982-29.2

Coffee can

Museum number: MASMG1982-29.3

Saucer

Museum number: MASMG1984-20.7

Nantgarw plate, c.1813

Coalport China Works

Billingsley's final position was at John Rose's china works in Coalport, Shropshire. He worked here between 1820 and 1828. Again, his position was mostly advisory, so little of his work from this period survives. The only confirmed Billingsley Coalport item we hold is a platter bought and decorated by Billingsley while he was working in Mansfield at the turn of the 19th century. Another related piece is a pedestal dish which was made at Coalport in the period when Billingsley was there, and was created using a mould from the factory at Nantgarw, although it doesn't seem to have been worked on by him personally.

Museum number: MASMG1984-26

Coalport pedestal centre dish, 1820-1830

Museum number: MASMG2021-130

Coalport platter, decorated by Billingsley while working in Mansfield