Moorcroft
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| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Pottery |
| Founded | 1913 |
| Founder | William Moorcroft |
| Headquarters | , England |
| Products | Art pottery |
| Owners | Hugh and Maureen Edwards |
Number of employees | 120 |
| Website | www |
W. Moorcroft Limited (
History
In 1897,
In due course, the extent to which his success had overshadowed Macintyre's other manufacturing activities resulted in resentment on the part of his employers, culminating in their decision in 1912 to close down his studio. He then set up his own company, and the following year, production of his pottery was transferred to a brand new factory nearby.
The Moorcroft factory produced an extensive array of moderately-priced domestic tableware items in addition to its famous
Between its founding and its leadership under Walter Moorcroft, the company had been financed in collaboration with the famous London store, Liberty. The Liberty store's interest was bought out by Moorcroft in 1962.
Rising fuel and labour costs brought Moorcroft, with its highly labour-intensive techniques, into financial difficulties and in an attempt to mass-produce Moorcroft pottery, part of the company was sold to the Roper Brothers in 1984. This attempt was unsuccessful, and in 1986 Roper Brothers' share was resold to business partners Hugh Edwards and Richard Dennis. In 1992 Dennis and his pottery designer wife, Sally Tuffin, left the company, leaving the Edwards family as sole owners (remaining so in 2008).
Walter Moorcroft retired as the director of design in 1987, but continued to contribute until his last design, 'Rock of Ages', was launched in 1999. In 1993, 24-year-old Rachel Bishop joined the company as its senior designer. By claiming the original establishment of the Macintyre studio under William Moorcroft in 1897 as its own founding date, in 1997 Moorcroft celebrated its centenary. During 1998 it established a new Moorcroft Design Studio and employed several designers to extend the range of its products.
Moorcroft Pottery
Early in his employment at Macintyre's, William Moorcroft created designs for the company's Aurelian Ware range of high-Victorian pottery, which had transfer-printed and enamelled decoration in bold red, blue and gold colours. Introduced very soon afterwards, his
Later Walter Moorcroft designs reflect the simpler appearance preferred during his era. Moorcroft Design Studio patterns show strong influences from the founding days of William Moorcroft coupled with the advances in colouring techniques of more recent years. Aimed at the luxury end of the collector and gift markets, they are generally in the form of such products as display plates, vases, pin dishes, lamp-bases and jars of varying shape and size.
Gallery
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A group of William Moorcroft wares, 1913-1930s. In the centre is a tall "Florian" vase of the type first produced under Macintyre, with the later "Pomegranate" pattern on two plates and a mug. -
A William Moorcroft vase with fish and 'flambe' glaze, 1930s. -
Moorcroft ginger jar, in 'Clematis' design. -
Moorcroft shallow dish, in 'Clematis' design. -
1990s Moorcroft vase
See also
References
- Atterbury, P. Moorcroft, B. (1993) Moorcroft: A Guide to Moorcroft Pottery 1897–1993., Richard Dennis. ISBN 0-903685-33-7
- Street, Fraser 'Moorcroft: A New Dawn' (2006). W M Publications. ISBN 0-9528913-3-6
- ^ https://www.moorcroft.com/faqs
- ^ https://www.lyonandturnbull.com/news/article/a-private-collection-of-moorcroft-pottery/
- ^ "Three things to remember when buying Moorcroft pottery". www.the-saleroom.com. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
- ^ [Moorcroft - The Phoenix Years' F. Street. WM Publications. 2000]
External links
