Moorcroft Pottery Making Headlines

Moorcroft Pottery Back in the Family…

Trained at the Royal College of Art in London, William Moorcroft launched his own line of pottery in 1897 whilst working at James Macintyre & Co. His hand-crafted and innovative designs were soon in demand, with retailers including Liberty of London, Harrods and Tiffany & Co. showcasing the exquisite creations.

It was Liberty that provided Moorcroft with the funding to open premises at Burslem in Stoke-on-Trent in 1913. Moorcroft pottery has been produced in Stoke-on-Trent ever since, with the Burslem factory, a museum and shop forming the Moorcroft Heritage Centre. You can read more about the history of Moorcroft in The Beautiful World of Moorcroft Pottery.

On 30 April the company announced its closure, citing accelerating costs as well as redundancies for the 57 staff. On 14 June however, the BBC reported that Will Moorcroft, the grandson of William Moorcroft and son of Walter Moorcroft (the design head from 1945 to 1987), had purchased the company. Elated to have it back in the family, he hopes to retain as many of the staff as possible, ensuring a seamless continuation of Moorcroft Pottery production.

Pictured: A William Moorcroft for Liberty & Co Hazleden Vase, c.1903-13 | Sold $4,000 Including Buyers Premium (IBP)

… and Breaking Records at Auction

Moorcroft pottery has been coveted for over a century, with buyers and collectors drawn to the organic shapes, rich colours and eye catching motifs – including flowers, landscapes, geometric patterns, birds and animals.

As Amelia Scott, Head of Decorative Arts at Theodore Bruce explains, the early and rare designs are often the most sought after.

“The pieces that tend to get the most interest are signed examples produced by William, or his son, Walter. Many buyers seek out the very early Moorcroft for Liberty & Co vases for instance, while others collect particular sets, such as the Poppy designs from the Florian range. Local buyers also quite like items featuring Australian wildflowers, such as the Wattle range produced in the 1930s.”

The pottery that achieved the world-record sale on 18 June was a William Moorcroft ‘Flambe Carp’ vase, crafted when he was at James Macintyre & Co. The stunning red ovoid vessel with images of three swimming carp fish also featured an impressed Burslem mark and a painted green Moorcroft signature. It soared past the estimate of £6,000 – £10,000 to reach £31,500 IBP.

Other sales have also highlighted the appeal of early and rare Moorcroft. In 2010, The Richard Wright Collection of Moorcroft Pottery sold at auction in London for £348,000, while in 2020, a UK collector paid £15,400 for a rare William Moorcroft silver overlaid ‘Pomegranate’ pattern tea set.

In an auction in November 2023, Theodore Bruce sold several Moorcroft pieces from the collection of an antique dealer. They included the beautiful William Moorcroft for Liberty & Co Hazeldene Vase pictured at top, and a Pair of William Moorcroft Wisteria Tall Vases, c.1907 ($4,500 IBP), both exceeding pre-sale estimates.

Pictured: William Moorcroft ‘Pomegranate’ Exhibition Display Plaque, circa 1913

An Exciting Collection of Moorcroft Pottery Coming Soon

Theodore Bruce is delighted to soon bring to auction The Collection of a South Coast Gentleman, a single vendor decorative arts auction featuring Lalique, Val St Lambert, Royal Copenhagen, Meissen, Herend – and an exciting selection of Moorcroft Pottery.

Among the items on offer will be a William Moorcroft Orchids on Blue Vase and limited edition designs from the 1990’s, including a Penguin Pattern Stem Vase and a Tasmanian Blue Gum Pottery Ovid Vase.

To stay informed, please keep an eye on our Upcoming Auctions page, follow us on Instagram, or join our mailing list via the link below.

Pictured: A Moorcroft, England ‘Penguin Pattern’ Pottery Stem Vase, 1990, J. Moorcroft signature to base, limited edition 225/350 with original box