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Vintage Pottery Triangular Mining Crucibles
Two pairs of very unusual old mining crucibles used in Perak for tin mining, usually used in assaying the quality of tin found in prospecting. Triangular at the mouth and round at the bottom, these are marked "Battersea Triangle, Made in England". The larger one with a maximum measurement across the top of 10.5cm is marked "S". The small one measures 8.5cm across the mouth and is marked "U". Both are made from some form of clay or pottery and are quite rough to the touch.
These old mining crucibles could possibly date back to at least as early as the year 1885 as the tin mining industry in Malaya was well underway by then. These triangular shaped crucibles were made by The Morgan Crucible Company plc, the origins of the company date back to 1850's London where the Morgans, five brothers ran a hardware and druggist store and these crucibles were among the items the brothers sold.
Acting on their belief that the American crucible was superior to those that England imported from Germany at the time, the brothers arranged to become Joseph Dixon's exclusive British importers. Initial success prompted the Morgan brothers to buy manufacturing rights to the American crucible in 1856. A tiny factory was purchased in Battersea, powered by a solitary horse for grinding clay and consisting of a small brick kiln, mill, house, and dilapidated out-buildings.
Read more: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/55/The-Morgan-Crucible-Company-plc.html#ixzz3WmHZitQs
With reference to the short excerpt above taken from www.referenceforbusiness.com on the tiny factory purchased in Battersea is the reason to we think to why it was marked the Battersea Triangle.