Moorcroft Pottery

Pottery Giftware

The first pieces of Moorcroft Pottery were designed by William Moorcroft shortly after he was employed as designer by James Macintyre & Co. Limited at the Washington Works, Burslem in 1897. Fine design work and the consummate skills of Macintyre`s tube-liners and decorators not only launched the Moorcroft name to an enthusiastic public worldwide but also started a Moorcroft tradition of gold medals, awards and even two Royal Appointments.

It was in 1904 that the Moorcroft name first appeared in gold at the St. Louis International Exhibition with others following in 1910 (Brussels) and 1925 (Paris) The Moorcroft appetite continued unabated and in 1996 its present head of the Moorcroft Design Studio, Rachel Bishop, won for Moorcroft the Gold Award for excellence at the International Light Show, Earls Court in London against powerful international competition, followed by a Silver Medal in 1997. the pottery`s centenary year.

The method of production originated by William Moorcroft is almost exactly the same today. Most pieces are still turned on the lathe to perfect the shape. The designs are applied by Tubelining or Sliptrailing, a process by which the raised outline is applied to the pot in the form of a fine extrusion of liquified clay or slip squeezed through a glass tube from a bag held in the hand. The colours are based on metallic oxides and are applied entirely by hand. One colour being gently washed over another to enable them to blend together at high temperature firstly with the clay pot then the transparent glaze. It is this second firing which produces the brilliance of colour which has become the unique hallmark of Moorcroft Pottery.

A studio of six world class designers, led by Rachel Bishop, still follow the example of their predecessors and together keep Moorcroft design moving forward to maintain the art pottery`s tradition of design excellence. At Roberts of Rhyl you can find in our shop (and on the collectibles page) examples including:

Anemone Tribute Collection by Emma Bossons, Anna Lily Collection by Nicola Slaney including Anna Lily Lamps, and the Queens Choice Collection by Emma Bossons together with Queens Choice Lamps.

Are you looking for a particular piece of pottery for your collection or a gift for a special occasion ?

Then why not contact us direct and we can search our stock for you.

If you are looking specifically for pottery gifts then we can also recommend: Masons Ironstone, Pool and Portmeirion Pottery as fine examplars of this craft.