Over the last century, individual potters and decorators have produced unique, sculptural ceramics that stand apart from mass-produced pieces.

The term ‘Art Pottery‘ has been used since the second half of the 19thC century, often interchangeably with the similar ‘studio pottery‘. Both refer to one-off, individually designed and decorated pieces produced in a workshop run by a craftsman or craft group. The term also encompasses the work of artists who finished individually signed pieces in studios set up by firms such as Doulton and Minton. (more…)

Mark of Craftsman

The style was essentially nostalgic, much of its detail and ornament inspired by the Medieval -for example, the large metal hinges fitted on the outside of cabinet doors. The products looked handmade: wood was often left unpolished; beaten metal showed hammer marks; dowels were often left conspicuously visible. Glass was simply blown - cutting was disparaged as an industrial technique - so that the natural beauty of the material itself could be seen, unobscured by ornament. (more…)

Love of the Artistic Life

The late loth century was a time when people were fascinated by the lives and lifestyles of artists. Many modelled their own homes on an artist’s studio and the relaxed atmosphere of an artist’s house with its comfortable chairs, collections of paintings and etchings hung in tiers from a picture rail or perhaps standing on an easel, a scattering of rugs and furs, potted plants and dried flowers, collections of interesting objects, including Oriental ceramics and furniture, and antiques. (more…)

Beauty with usefulness was the aim of the Arts and Crafts movement’s followers, and their homes made a striking contrast with the crowded rooms of the same time furnished in mainstream taste. Although seen as progressive in its day, the Arts and Crafts style, developed largely by William Morris, showed a nostalgic yearning for the simple pre-industrial cottage. This living room combines dining and sitting room, echoing cottage life. Progressive people were furnishing their rooms like this as early as the 1870s but, as more designers worked in Arts and Crafts style, similar rooms were more common in the 1880s and 90s, and the momentum continued into Edwardian days. (more…)