William (Billy) Yale (British, b. 1843), Two Large Painted Porcelain Plaques of English Pastorals

Late 19th century, both after sketches by Frederick Willam Hulme (English, 1816-84), finely painted on a large porcelain tile in colored enamels, both presented in uniform antique gilt frames, the first signed "W. Yale" to the lower left corner, the first inscribed on the verso "An English Pastoral / after a sketch / by F. W. Hulme" and stamped "COPELAND / U [or D] / 82."
The second signed "W. Yale" to lower right, inscribed on the verso "The Waning Year / From a Sketch / by F. W. Hulme."

Tile size 12 x 19 7/8 in.; frame 19 3/4 x 27 in.

William Yale was born in Newport, Shropshire in 1843. He was employed by the Copelands factory from 1869 to around 1895, where he was known for painting bird scenes and latterly finely painted landscapes and cityscapes. After he left Copelands, he set up his own studio in Stoke-on-Trent, where he advertised himself as 'a Tile and Slab Decorator.' During this time, he began decorating plaques which he acquired from other potteries and fired in a kiln attached to his premises.

Good estate condition; no signs of restoration under UV light; "The Waning Year" with small firing hairline at upper right perimeter, and small areas of paint loss to tree in left foreground; both frames with area of chipping, losses, and later gilt.