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Extremely Rare William Moorcroft Flambé Bowl – Spanish Pattern (c. 1910–1916)

This exceptionally rare flambé bowl is a remarkable example of William Moorcroft’s artistry and experimental mastery during the early Burslem period. Measuring 23cm in diameter and 7cm in height, the bowl is decorated in the highly desirable Spanish pattern, one of Moorcroft’s most striking floral designs, introduced around 1910 and produced only for a short period.

The interior reveals the hallmark tubelined decoration, with three large Spanish flowers at the centre and four medium blooms gracefully arranged around the upper edges. The exterior continues this flowing design, displaying three further large flowers evenly distributed around the circumference. The entire piece glows with a rich, iridescent pinkish-red flambé glaze, a finish Moorcroft frequently undertook personally in his kiln experiments. On this example, subtle overfiring to one side provides both visual depth and a tangible reminder of its experimental origins.

The underside is especially striking, showing intense iridescence with oily rainbow hues, reminiscent of a delicate film of light across a surface—an effect unique to flambé glazes of this period. Beneath, the bowl bears no painted signature, though its authenticity is undisputed, confirmed by its important provenance as part of the Moorcroft Museum Collection, where it was catalogued and retains its original label: “Moorcroft Museum, 00461.”

The Spanish pattern itself is historically significant, reflecting William Moorcroft’s early exploration of bold, stylised floral motifs, influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement and Art Nouveau aesthetics. Produced only in the early 1910s and in relatively small numbers, Spanish pattern pieces are today exceptionally rare, with flambé-fired examples being among the most coveted of all early Moorcroft works.

This superb and rare bowl, with its museum provenance, flambé glaze, and iconic Spanish design, represents a true collector’s piece—an opportunity to acquire an object of both aesthetic beauty and considerable historical importance within the oeuvre of William Moorcroft.

Discover a beautiful piece of Victorian art pottery with this 1880 Doulton Lambeth pitcher by the renowned Mark V. Marshall. Richly decorated with relief plums and foliage in striking cobalt blue, ochre and cream glazes, it also displays design influences from Marshall’s early work with the Martin Brothers. Fully marked to the base with the Doulton Lambeth stamp, Marshall’s initials and the original factory marks. Professionally restored to the handle and priced accordingly, this is a wonderful opportunity to acquire a highly collectible example of one of Doulton’s finest artists.

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For sale is a wonderful, early Martin Brothers aquatic jug dated January 1884.

Aquatic Jug – Robert Wallace Martin

The Martin Brothers were renowned for their extraordinary skill in ceramics, known for their unique and imaginative designs. This jug, likely crafted by Robert Wallace Martin, embodies these characteristics. Robert, the eldest of the Martin brothers, was celebrated for his detailed and creative work. His pieces often drew inspiration from nature, as seen in the lifelike representations of marine life on this jug.

Condition and authenticity depiction of the skate, mackerel, and eels adds a dynamic and captivating element to the piece. These features are typical of Robert Wallace Martin’s work, known for infusing personality

In summary, this piece is beautiful, highly original  and its condition is immaculate, with no damage or restoration. The detailed skate, mackerel, and eels, set against a naturalistic background, showcase the remarkable skill and creativity of the Martin Brothers. Signed and dated January 1884, this jug is a valuable and collectible example of their early work, sure to be cherished by the discerning collector.

Antique Doulton Lambeth Jug by Florence Barlow, Dated 1874
An exceptional early work by a pioneering female artist of the Victorian ceramic movement

This distinguished Doulton Lambeth stoneware jug, dated 1874, is a rare and early example of the artistry of Florence Barlow, one of the most important female designers of the Doulton studio and sister to the renowned Hannah Barlow.

The jug features a finely detailed upper register adorned with seven sensitively modelled horse heads, each emerging from the clay in low relief and encircled above and below by delicate beaded borders. The rendering of the horses—marked by expressive line and form—is particularly notable, as Florence would soon transition to specializing exclusively in birds, leaving animal subjects like these to her sister, Hannah. This piece therefore captures a brief and significant phase in her artistic development.

The slender neck and lower body are decorated with stylized blue foliate sheaf motifs, set within zigzag and florette borders, creating an elegant interplay of texture and design across the jug’s surface. The decorative vocabulary is restrained yet dynamic, reflecting the sophisticated aesthetic typical of early Doulton Lambeth wares.

To the base, the jug bears the oval Doulton Lambeth impressed mark with the date 1874 to centre, alongside an early version of Florence Barlow’s personal monogram, confirming its authenticity and origin.

This piece stands as a rare and important example of early Doulton art pottery and of Florence Barlow’s formative work. It would make a significant addition to any collection of 19th-century British ceramics or women’s art pottery.

Dimensions: Height: 23cm ;  Width: 14cm
Condition: The jug has had an older restoration around the rim, where the blue rim border has been repainted. This has been done to a fair standard but due to the age of the repair, there is some age crackling to the restoration. Three florettes have nibbles or chips. Other than this, the vase is untouched.

William Moorcroft Pomegranate Vase (Circa mid-1920s)

Presenting a fine William Moorcroft vase in the highly sought-after Pomegranate pattern, dating to the mid-1920s. Measuring 13cm in height and 9.5cm in width, the vessel features a well-proportioned baluster form with a gently flared rim and a sweeping circular foot. The piece survives in excellent original condition, completely free from chips, cracks, or restoration.

The tube-lined decoration displays the iconic Pomegranate design, featuring a continuous frieze of both whole and open fruit revealing intricately detailed seeds. These are interspersed with lush clusters of rounded berries and trailing autumnal foliage. The vibrant ochre, russet, and deep crimson tones of the pomegranates contrast strikingly against the characteristic inky cobalt blue ground, which transitions subtly to a mottled greenish-ochre toward the upper rim. The high-gloss glaze remains rich and reflective, enhancing the depth of the metallic oxide colors.

The underside displays the impressed factory marks “MOORCROFT” and “MADE IN ENGLAND”, alongside William Moorcroft’s painted “WM” flash monogram in blue, confirming its authentic mid-1920s production period.

Martin Brothers Gnarly Olive Jug

Presenting an exceptional, historic gnarly-designed Martin Brothers art pottery jug, measuring approx. 22.5cm in height and 12.5cm in diameter. This piece from a highly sought-after potter features a robust baluster form jug, resting securely on a flared circular foot. Its gnarly silhouette is defined by a bulbous lower body that tapers into a cylindrical neck, culminating in a sweeping pouring lip and an applied, sturdy strap handle.

The jug is characterized by its tactile, heavily ribbed texture, a testament to its hand-thrown origins by eccentric brothers. A rich, dark olive-brown salt glaze dominates the meticulously textured body and handle. This deep, lustrous finish contrasts strikingly against the lighter, biscuit-toned clay left exposed at the rim, the interior, a thin defining band at the shoulder, and the foot. This earthy, two-tone palette masterfully accentuates the horizontal throwing lines that encircle the entire vessel.

Beneath the foot, the unglazed natural clay base proudly bears the authentic, hand-incised cursive signature reading “Martin” and “London”, securing its prestigious provenance. Preserved impeccably, this remarkable piece presents in excellent, original, and entirely undamaged condition, making it a museum-quality acquisition for discerning collectors of late 19th and early 20th-century British studio pottery.

For sale we have a stunning, large Doulton Lambeth bowl by artist Elizabeth Fisher, dating to 1882. The colours and designs both inside and out on this bowl are of the first order, with geometric shapes integrated into softer rounded shapes. The collour way is exquisite – we have rich blues in the centre of the designs, followed by light blue, yellow and then purple and pink to create a most striking bowl. The edge is rimmed with solid silver, made in Birmingham and is original to manufacture.

The Bowl is free from any chips, cracks or restoration. The silver rim is original. Beneath we have Eliza Fisher’s signature, together with the marks of the assistant and thrower, a code “327” and the Doulton Lambeth cog stamp with the date 1882.

Robert Wallace Martin Early Gentlemens’ Cigar Lamp

For sale is this incredibly rare Robert Wallace Martin Gentlemen’s cigar lamp. I have only ever seen this example from the Martin Brothers, so I am confident these are rarer than hen’s teeth.

Presenting as a central oil burner with wick, it has been fitted with finely worked white metal (a silver plate metal) of excellent quality. No wear to the metal to the base layer is evident and it polishes beautifully. Any dullness is a light tarnish that removes easily. Three identical “wands” rest in the protruding wand sections, and each wand and wand seat has matching numbers 1-3 for the wands to know their position.

The way the lamp worked was each of three gentlemen took a wand, and using papers from their vespa cases, would wedge the paper into their wand and be able to light their cigars from the comfort of their leather chair, whilst the lamp remained in the centre of the table. Lighting the cigar from a “clean” paper prevented the cigar’s flavour from being contaminated by the oil flame from the lamp.

Decorated with blue floral designs with a subtle green and blue banding between, the stems rise with a lovely natural green glaze to the silver tops. Set on three bulbous feet, with three layers of small shapes banding each foot, this delightful piece is quintessential late 1870s to early 1880s Martin Brothers! Whilst approximately 14.5cm tall and 9cm across, it is very solid and weighs 710g!

Beneath  the cigar lamp is the signature of Robert Wallace Martin (R.W. Martin), the figure “8” and then “Southall”.

This piece is in wonderful orginal condition that is ready to brace any serious collectors collection. Even better if you and the friends enjoy an occasional cigar, as it is a novelty that can be safely and robustly used without fear of damage as it is so well made.

For sale we have this outstanding quality Hannah Barlow biscuit barrel decorated with six cats in various states from relaxation to spats! The navy sgraffito work is some of the best we’ve seen and is a testament to her skills as a master ceramicist at Doulton Lambeth. This piece looks so good we decided to display it for a couple of years before deciding to put it up for sale. The barrel boasts one large work of a sleeping cat, two cats having a stand-off spat, and three others sitting and socialising. Such as endearing piece. The top and bottom borders are bands of mini florettes and blue rush groups repeated all the way around. Two blue lug handles finish the effect on either side.

Condition wise, there are a few things to mention here. First, and rather obviously, the lid has gone missing and this is an old replacement lid that came with the piece when we acquired it. The original lid would have been stoneware. Secondly, the top rim has two nibbles (one 5mm and the other 1mm) and the top inside rim also has two nibbles (one 8mm and the other 5mm). The base edge has one 2mm nibble. Other than this, there are no other cracks, chips or any restoration to the piece. The photos clearly show the condition. Beneath, we have Hannah Barlows “HBB” monogram together with the shape code 498 and the Doulton Lambeth cog and “England” present and correct. This places the production of the piece around the early 1890s.

If as a collector you can look past the lid and a few nibbles to the tremendous quality of this example, this is a piece that will give you a lot of enjoy.

In 1873, Arthur Barlow crafted a remarkable Doulton Lambeth ewer, a testament to his exceptional skill and artistic vision. This ewer, notable for its generous proportions, is adorned with intricate scrolling beadwork, florette roundels, and elegant foliate designs. Characteristic of Barlow’s style, it features his distinctive banding in the background, adding depth and texture to the piece. The top of the ewer is crowned with a solid sterling silver lid, which is original and was crafted in London in 1873 by the esteemed silversmiths Richards & Brown.

The condition of this ewer is impeccable; it remains in its original state with no chips, cracks, or restoration, preserving its historical and aesthetic value. Beneath the foot of the ewer, one can find Arthur Barlow’s signature alongside the Doulton Lambeth oval stamp, authenticating its origin and craftsmanship.

Double Ribbed Martin Brothers Lustre vase – June 1907

For sale is this really interesting example of Edwin and Walter Martins’ organic pottery work. The vase is of subtle bulbous form, with a multitude of thin horizontal ribs and then large pronouced vertical ribs from the waist to the top rim. The Brothers have then applied a rich deep brown / dark grey / black colour with metallic oxide to give a wonderful lustre to the piece. In the photographs, observe the different angles where we try and illustrate the effect. This is a wonderful example of their work and is a most subtle, yet highly competent execution.

Condition and Provenance

The vase is in excellent original condition, with no chips, cracks, or repairs. A couple of specks on the main body of the vase are small imperfections during the manufacture of the vase. The signature beneath is 100% consistent with period pieces and is marked “6-1907, Martin Bros, London & Southall”, again entirely consistent and authentic. See the V&A Museum picture below of a virtually identical example from the same year by Edwin.