| The Moorcroft Pottery was established in 1913 in | | | | from this period is a straight sided vase |
| Burslem, Stoke on Trent by William Moorcroft | | | | decorated with dark blue Damsons on a light |
| (born 1872). He had previously been the designer | | | | green ground, this is the only example known with |
| in the new art pottery department at the James | | | | this design, and is still owned by the Moorcroft |
| Macintyre & Co factory at Stoke-on-Trent. It | | | | family. |
| was whilst working at James Macintyre's that | | | | William Moorcroft had the idea to reintroduce his |
| William designed the now famous Florian Ware line, | | | | earlier Landscape designs back into production in |
| in mainly light and dark blue colours with beautiful | | | | the early 1920's, calling the two main designs |
| white slip trail lines. Most of the early Florian ware | | | | Moonlit Blue and Eventide. Both these designs |
| designs consisted of different types of flowers, | | | | proved to be very popular with the general public |
| being mainly poppy, tulips and cornflowers. Some | | | | throughout the 1920's. William Moorcroft died in |
| of Williams rarest designs included Daffodil, | | | | 1945 leaving his secrets on producing Flambe |
| Peacock Feathers, Daisies and the rarest of them | | | | glaze ware to his son Walter Moorcroft, who took |
| all, the Japanese style Koi-Carp design of c1902. | | | | over his father's factory and the secrets of |
| Between 1902 and 1913 William Moorcroft made | | | | making Flambe. Walters designs and flambe were |
| many pieces, especially for the large London store | | | | very good, but he never attained the wonderful |
| of Liberty's, the most famous being the | | | | skill of his father in design or decoration. |
| wonderful Landscape Tree range in dark blue, pale | | | | One of the reasons why the Moorcroft Pottery |
| blue, green and yellow colours. In the August of | | | | became so famous between 1920 and 1940 was |
| 1913 William Moorcroft and some of his staff | | | | for Williams love of developing his interest in high |
| moved from the Macintyre factory to his new | | | | fired Oriental glazes, most people know this as |
| pottery in Cobridge, Burslem. In the years | | | | Flambe ware. A special kiln was built buy William |
| between 1913 and the second world war, Williams | | | | Moorcroft in 1921, during the next 10 years he |
| most popular design was by far the Pomegranate | | | | became a true master in the art of high fired |
| with its warm ingeniously balanced colours and | | | | glazes. What made his pieces so special, beside his |
| delicate soft slip trailing. | | | | great skill was the fact that he let nature take a |
| Just after the first world war in 1918 William | | | | hand, he never tried to standardise the process, |
| Moorcroft introduced some very rare designs in | | | | making every piece he produced completely |
| very limited numbers, in some cases just one | | | | unique. |
| piece was produced. Some of these designs | | | | Values for Moorcroft pottery are continually rising |
| include a beautiful Stick Orchid vase, dated 1919. | | | | and contemporary pieces have been described as |
| Height 12 3/4 inches. A wonderful round vase | | | | the 'antiques of the future'. this is not difficult to |
| decorated with bright yellow Narcissus on a | | | | understand when you see the work that goes |
| mottled dark green ground, probably the nicest | | | | into each piece, all having to be individually slip |
| Moorcroft vase I have ever had the pleasure to | | | | trailed and painted by hand. |
| own, if only for a few months. Another rarity | | | | |