The Best UK Decorative Pottery of the Last 100 Years

The past century has witnessed a remarkable renaissance in British decorative pottery, producing some of the world’s most influential and collectible ceramics. From pioneering studio pottery movements to iconic commercial designs, UK pottery from 1925-2025 represents a golden age of artistic innovation and craftsmanship.

The Studio Pottery Revolution

Bernard Leach – The Father of British Studio Pottery

Bernard Leach (1887-1979) stands as the towering figure who essentially created the British studio pottery movement. Working from his St Ives pottery in Cornwall from 1920, Leach revolutionised British ceramics by synthesising Eastern and Western ceramic traditions. His early slipware dishes from the 1920s and 1930s now command prices between £10,000 and £30,000, with his pieces marked ‘BL’ (indicating personal involvement by Leach) reaching £1,200 compared to standard ‘SI’ marked pieces at £40.

Leach’s influence extended far beyond his own work through his apprenticeship program, creating a generation of ‘Leach potters’ whose pieces remain highly collectible. His philosophy of celebrating the “anonymous craftsman” and embracing handcrafted irregularities fundamentally changed how pottery was perceived in Britain.

Lucie Rie – Modernist Elegance

Lucie Rie (1902-1995), the Austrian émigré who fled to London in 1938, created a sophisticated modernist alternative to Leach’s rustic aesthetic. Her elegant, urban designs featured distinctive elements like footed bowls and trumpet bottles that attracted admiration at the 1951 Festival of Britain. Rie’s iconic stoneware sets with white tin-glaze interiors and matt brown exteriors decorated with sgraffito lines have become legendary, with her sgraffito bowls commanding £30,000 to £50,000. Her use of vibrant glazes—uranium yellow, copper greens, and peacock blues—pushed artistic boundaries.

Hans Coper – Sculptural Innovation

Working alongside Lucie Rie, Hans Coper (1920-1981) created textured stoneware works that brilliantly combined sculpture with functionality. His famous seven-foot-high candlesticks commissioned for Coventry Cathedral in 1962 exemplify his monumental approach to ceramics. Coper’s work has achieved auction records, reflecting his status as one of the most important ceramic artists of the 20th century.

Art Deco and Commercial Innovation

Clarice Cliff – Bold Geometric Brilliance

Clarice Cliff (1899-1972) transformed British pottery with her revolutionary ‘Bizarre’ range launched in 1927. Her crude, bright colours and abstract geometric designs made Art Deco accessible to ordinary households. Cliff’s signature ‘Crocus’ pattern, created in 1928 with simple upward brush strokes in orange, blue, and purple, became phenomenally successful. By 1930, a dedicated decorating shop employed teams painting nothing but Crocus patterns. Her ceramics brought modernity to domestic settings and remain highly collectible worldwide.

Susie Cooper – Functional Elegance

Susie Cooper (1902-1995) bridged traditional and modern design throughout her seven-decade career. Starting at A.E. Gray & Co. in 1922, she established Susie Cooper Pottery in 1929, creating elegant functional shapes with fresh, innovative patterns. Her famous ‘Leaping Deer’ motif and Art Deco sensibilities made her pottery popular with major retailers like Harrods and Selfridges. Cooper was ahead of her time, designing for the “modern woman” with affordable yet stylish pottery that balanced beauty with practicality.

Regional Powerhouses

Moorcroft – Tube-Lined Artistry

Founded by William Moorcroft in 1897, Moorcroft Pottery revolutionised decorative ceramics with its distinctive tube-lining technique. Moorcroft’s famous ‘Florian Ware’ with flowing floral motifs established the company’s reputation, earning gold medals at international exhibitions. The company received a Royal Warrant in 1928 from King George V. Original William Moorcroft pieces, particularly from the Claremont, Poppy, and Iris series (1900-1920), remain among the most sought-after British ceramics.

Poole Pottery – Artistic Innovation

Poole Pottery, established in 1873 as Carter & Co., became renowned for hand-painted decoration and artistic excellence. Under designer Truda Carter’s influence in the 1920s-1930s, Poole embraced Art Deco with bold geometric patterns and vibrant colours. The company’s Traditional Ware range and later innovations like the Delphis range (fetching £500 at auction) demonstrate Poole’s continuous reinvention. The pottery attracted leading artists and designers throughout its history, making it highly collectible across all price ranges.

Royal Doulton – Figurine Mastery

Royal Doulton, founded in 1815, became synonymous with exceptional figurines and decorative ceramics. Under art director Charles Noke, the company launched its first porcelain figurines in 1913. Royal Doulton’s commitment to artistic excellence and craftsmanship earned it royal warrants and international recognition. The company’s figurines, character jugs, and decorative pieces remain highly prized by collectors worldwide.

Sculptural and Artistic Movements

Martin Brothers – Gothic Grotesques

The Martin Brothers (1873-1914) created the extraordinary ‘Wally Birds’—grotesque tobacco jars and vases that became icons of early British art pottery. Working from their Fulham and later Southall studios, brothers Robert Wallace, Walter Fraser, Edwin, and Charles Douglas produced unique salt-glazed stoneware pieces. Their fantastical birds, often caricaturing Victorian political figures, now sell for record prices, with a 2014 auction record of £94,800.

Troika Pottery – Cornish Modernism

Troika Pottery (1962-1983) represented a radical departure from traditional studio pottery. Founded by Leslie Illsley, Benny Sirota, and Jan Thompson in St Ives, Cornwall, Troika created innovative mould-cast wares that prioritised artistic expression over function. Their distinctive textured surfaces and modernist forms, influenced by artists like Constantin Brancusi and Paul Klee, made them successful with department stores like Heals and Liberty. Troika pieces remain highly collectible, with prices starting around £50 for simple pieces.

Technical and Artistic Excellence

Wedgwood – Enduring Innovation

Wedgwood, founded in 1759, continued its tradition of excellence throughout the 20th century with innovations in bone china, lustre decoration, and underglaze-blue printing. Despite financial challenges, the company embraced burgeoning art pottery traditions and worked with leading designers like Alfred and Louise Powell, and Daisy Makeig-Jones. Wedgwood’s Jasperware, particularly in the iconic blue and white, remained continuously popular since 1775.

The diversity and quality of British decorative pottery from the last 100 years reflects a unique period of artistic innovation, technical advancement, and creative freedom. From Bernard Leach’s philosophical approach to ceramics as art, through Clarice Cliff’s democratic Art Deco, to the sculptural innovations of contemporary artists, British pottery has consistently pushed boundaries while maintaining exceptional craftsmanship. These pieces represent not just decorative objects, but cultural artifacts that document changing tastes, social movements, and artistic evolution throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries.