58 - VASE: designed by William Moorcroft for James Macintyre & Co., Washington Works, Burslem, and made there or at Cobridge c. 1911–13

Summary

Cream porcellaneous body, the decoration outlined in slip and painted underfllaze with ‘Pomegranate’ pattern. Marks: ‘MADE FOR/LIBERTY’ printed in browm; ‘W. Moorcrojt’ signed in green; ‘1398’ impressed. Height 20 cm, diameter 20.3 cm. C.27–1983.

William Moorcroft (1872–1945) studied art in Burslem, London and Paris before joining James Macintyre & Co. in 1897 as a designer. In 1898 he was appointed manager of the Ornamental Ware department and remained there until 1913, when it closed and he set up his own factory at Cobridge, which is still in existence.

Moorcroft's pottery had curvilinear hand-thrown forms and colourful decoration. The motifs, mainly based on plant forms, were carefully placed on each pot so as to enhance its contours and give an impression of growth. Outlines in raised slip were applied first by tube-lining or slip-trailing and these were painted in with pigments derived from metallic oxides. After firing, the pots were glazed and fired again to enhance the colours. At first Moorcroft used cool shades of blue, yellow and green often on a pale ground. Then from about 1902 gradually developed deeper shades of red, blue, purple and grey underglaze colours.

‘Pomegranate’ pattern, introduced in 1910, was one of Moorcroft's most popular designs and continued in production at his own factory after 1913. Initially it had a mottled yellowish ground which gave way to darker greens and blues at Cobridge. With several other patterns, it was supplied to Liberty's, the London department store, with a special printed ‘MADE FOR LIBERTY & Co’ mark in addition to Moorcroft's signature.