bluebell pottery designs     

 
A selection of bluebell designs for pottery made by Moorcroft in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, between 1898 and 2023.
This gallery includes work by William Moorcroft, Walter Moorcroft, Sally Tuffin, Rachel Bishop, Emma Bossons FRSA, Kerry Goodwin, Paul Hilditch, Vicky Lovatt, Nicola Slaney, Sian Leeper, Philip Gibson, Anita Harris, Shirley Hayes, and Elizabeth Todd. And many highly-skilled modelers, molders, casters, turners, spongers, tracers, tube-liners, painters, glazers, and firers.
My interest is how this work illustrates the varied treatments of the same subject that can be made by the same and different artists in the same media over many years' time.

Page 3: 2017 to 2023

1898 to 20082009 to 20162017 to 2023


 
 

2017
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Rachel Bishop
BLUEBELL WOOD

• Trial


9 inch vase.


Moorcroft Bluebell Wood trial by Rachel Bishop
Moorcroft Bluebell Wood trial by Rachel Bishop


2017
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Vicky Lovatt
BABY BELL


2 inch miniature vase.


Moorcroft Baby Bell vase by Vicky Lovatt

Moorcroft Baby Bell vase by Vicky Lovatt

Baby Bell trial master dated 23-3-17.
Moorcroft Baby Bell trial master by Vicky Lovatt
Moorcroft Baby Bell trial master by Vicky Lovatt


2017
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Nicola Slaney
GRASMERE BLUEBELLS


5 inch vase, numbered and signed.

Red dot for minor flaws.

The two small lakes of Grasmere and Rydal Water are in the Lake District in Northwest England.


Moorcroft Grasmere Bluebells by Nicola Slaney

Moorcroft Grasmere Bluebells by Nicola Slaney

Moorcroft Grasmere Bluebells by Nicola Slaney


2017
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Kerry Goodwin
SONG OF SPRING

• Trial


8 inch vase.

Red dot for minor flaws.

Moorcroft Song of Spring trial by Kerry Goodwin



Moorcroft Song of Spring vase by Kerry Goodwin
The 2017 production vase, edition of 50 in the "I Am Not My Father" Collection.
W. Moorcroft Ltd photo.

Moorcroft Song of Spring trial by Kerry Goodwin


2018
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Emma Bossons
DINGLE DELL

• Trial


5 inch vase.


Moorcroft Dingle Dell trial 2018 by Emma Bossons
This trial dated 27-11-18
Moorcroft Dingle Dell trial 2018 by Emma Bossons
Moorcroft Dingle Dell trial 2018 by Emma Bossons

Moorcroft Dingle Dell trial 2019 by Emma Bossons
This trial dated 12-02-19
Moorcroft Dingle Dell trial 2019 by Emma Bossons
Moorcroft Dingle Dell trial 2019 by Emma Bossons


2018
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Emma Bossons
DINGLE DELL


5 inch vase.
One of 40 numbered and signed.

Dingle Dell is a wood near the River Derwent in the East Riding of Yorkshire.


Moorcroft Dingle Dell vase by Emma Bossons

Moorcroft Dingle Dell vase by Emma Bossons


2018
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Rachel Bishop
WOODLAND MIST


8 inch vase.
One of 30 numbered and signed.


Moorcroft Woodland Mist vase by Rachel Bishop

Moorcroft Woodland Mist vase by Rachel Bishop


2018
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Nicola Slaney
RENISHAW HALL


5 inch vase, signed and numbered.

Renishaw Hall and Gardens is a country house in the parish of Eckington in Derbyshire, the home of the Sitwell family for 400 years.


Moorcroft Renishaw Hall vase by Nicola Slaney

Moorcroft Renishaw Hall vase by Nicola Slaney


2019
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Vicky Lovatt
A CLOUD OF BELLS


7 inch vase.
One of 15 numbered and signed.


Moorcroft Cloud of Bells vase by Vicky Lovatt

Moorcroft Cloud of Bells vase by Vicky Lovatt


2019
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Nicola Slaney
DOVE COTTAGE


8 inch plaque, numbered.

Wordsworth 250 Collection


Moorcroft Dove Cottage plaque by Nicola Slaney

Moorcroft Dove Cottage plaque by Nicola Slaney


2019
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Kerry Goodwin
A SPRING WEDDING


6 inch vase.
One of 25 numbered.


Moorcroft A Spring Wedding vase by Kerry Goodwin

Moorcroft A Spring Wedding vase by Kerry Goodwin


2019
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BUTTERFLIES

• Trial


Standard teapot.

Tubeliner and painter initials, no designer monogram.

Moorcroft butterflies and bluebells teapot trial

Moorcroft butterflies and bluebells teapot trial
I include this teapot here, although this similar 2019 trial plate design I think are Columbine flowers.
Moorcroft Butterfly and Columbine trial plate
 


2019
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Vicky Lovatt
PURPLE BORDER

• Trial


8 inch plaque.


Moorcroft Purple Border plaque by Vicky Lovatt

Moorcroft Purple Border plaque by Vicky Lovatt
 


2020
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Rachel Bishop
ROYDON WOODS


8 inch vase.
One of 20 numbered and signed.

Roydon Woods is a nature reserve near Brockenhurst in Hampshire managed by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest and part of New Forest Special Area of Conservation.


Moorcroft Roydon Woods vase by Rachel Bishop


Moorcroft Roydon Woods vase trial by Rachel Bishop
Roydon Woods trial.
W. Moorcroft Ltd photo.

Moorcroft Roydon Woods vase by Rachel Bishop


2020
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Emma Bossons
BLUEBELL SONG


2 inch miniature vase.


Moorcroft Bluebell Song vase by Emma Bossons

Moorcroft Bluebell Song vase by Emma Bossons


2020
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Paul Hilditch
BLUEBELL WOOD

• Trial


9 inch vase.



 

Moorcroft Bluebell Wood trial by Paul Hilditch

8½ inch plaque.

• Trial



Moorcroft Bluebell Wood plaque trial by Paul Hilditch
Moorcroft Bluebell Wood plaque trial by Paul Hilditch


2020
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Nicola Slaney
BLUEBELL BEES


9¾ inch jug.


Moorcroft Beesbells jug by Nicola Slaney

Moorcroft Beesbells jug by Nicola Slaney

The design watercolour for this jug was the winner of the first Moorcroft watercolour design competition in June 2020, voted by 617 Moorcroft member entries.
Moorcroft Beebells design watercolour by Nicola Slaney


2020
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Kerry Goodwin
ALBINO


4 inch ginger jar.
One of 25 numbered and signed.


Moorcroft Albino ginger jar by Kerry Goodwin

Moorcroft Albino ginger jar by Kerry Goodwin

Moorcroft Albino Ginger Jar by Kerry Goodwin


2020
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Rachel Bishop
MOONLIT BLUEBELLS


10 inch vase,
One of 25 numbered and signed.


Moorcroft Moonlit Bells by Rachel Bishop

One of five designs, one by each of the five women of the Moorcroft Design Studio, in the 'Memories of the Moorcroft Design Studio — 25th Anniversary Collection' 2023, with the MDS 25-year backstamp.
"Rachel proved that a moonlit night in the New Forest can be a deeply spiritual experience within clay form."

Moorcroft Moonlit Bells by Rachel Bishop


2021
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Kerri Goodwin
BLUEBELL BOWER


4 inch egg.


Moorcroft Bluebell Bower egg by Kerri Goodwin

Moorcroft Bluebell Bower egg by Kerri Goodwin


2021
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Emma Bossons
WILDFLOWER MEDLEY BLUEBELLS


4 inch plaque.


Moorcroft Medley Bluebells plaque by Emma Bossons

Moorcroft Medley Bluebells plaque by Emma Bossons

Emma Bossons' original design watercolour.

Moorcroft bluebells original watercolour by Emma Bossons


2022
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Emma Bossons
MEDLEY

• Trial


4 inch vase.


Moorcroft Medley vase trial by Emma Bossons



Moorcroft Medley vase by Emma Bossons
The production vase.
W. Moorcroft Ltd photo.

Moorcroft Medley vase trial by Emma Bossons


2022
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Kerry Goodwin
MASEFIELD

• Trial


5½ inch vase, signed.

This design illustrates the John Masefield poem, The Bluebells:
"We stood upon the grass beside the road,
At a wood's fence, to look among the trees ..."

Moorcroft Masefield vase trial by Kerry Goodwin



Moorcroft Masefield 2 vase trial by Kerry Goodwin
The related trial vase above is Masefield 2.
W. Moorcroft Ltd photo.

Moorcroft Masefield vase trial by Kerry Goodwin


2022
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Emma Bossons
BEES BELLS

• Trial


5 inch vase.


Moorcroft Bells and Bees Trial by Emma Bossons

Moorcroft Bells and Bees Trial by Emma Bossons


2022
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Emma Bossons
SYMBOL OF KINDNESS


8 inch vase.
One of 25 numbered and signed.


Moorcroft Symbol of Kindess by Emma Bossons

Moorcroft Symbol of Kindess by Emma Bossons


2022
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Nicola Slaney
SYMPHONY IN COLOURS

• Trial


2 inch vase.

This trial dated 16.6.22.

Moorcroft Symphony in Colours trial by Nicola Slaney

Moorcroft 'Mini of the Month' for May 2023.
"In May the British hedgerow is a vibrant lime green, dappled with the white froth of hawthorn. There is vibrant colour to be found too, as along the base of the hedgerow bluebells are at their peak."

Moorcroft Symphony in Colours trial by Nicola Slaney
 


Missing designs title
 
In August 1998 W. Moorcroft Plc. acquired Kingsley Enamels Limited, a family company distinguished in decorative metal work since 1904. The name was changed to Moorcroft Enamels, and traded from 1999 to 2006.
I have not had a particular interest in the enamel work, which have included bluebell designs, but have this example.


Elizabeth Todd
WILD SPRING FLOWERS


3½ inch vase.
250 numbered and initialed.

Moorcroft Wild Spring Flowers enamel by Elizabeth Todd

Moorcroft Wild Spring Flowers enamel by Elizabeth Todd

Moorcroft Wild Spring Flowers enamel by Elizabeth Todd
Left, a Moorcroft bluebell enamel by Jayne Bishop, and right an enamel by Phillip Gibson.
Auction photos
.
Moorcroft Blue Bells enamel by Jayne Bishop
Moorcroft bluebell enamel by Phillip Gibson
 
 


Anita Harris Art Pottery
 
British pottery artist Anita Harris was a member of the design studio for Moorcroft Cobridge Stoneware and Black Ryden from 2002, until those projects were closed in 2005.
The ten years prior she was head designer at Poole Pottery; then in 2006 she founded Anita Harris Art Pottery in Stoke-on-Trent.


Anita Harris
BLUEBELL LUSTRE


9½ inch vase,
2019 trial.


The Bluebell Lustre design was produced in different shapes and sizes, also with a yellow-ochre base colour.

Anita Harris Bluebell lustre trial

Anita Harris Bluebell lustre trial


Anita Harris
BLUEBELL FOREST


8 inch vase.


The Bluebell Forest design was produced in several shapes and sizes.

Anita Harris Bluebell Forest

 alt="Anita Harris Bluebell Forest
 


Jeanne McDougall
 
Jeanne McDougall produced some worthy designs for Moorcroft when the Design Studio was founded in 1997.
McDougall was designer for Old Tupton Ware, originally in the village of Old Tupton, Derbyshire, later moving to Powys, Wales, a substantial producer.


Jeanne McDougall
BLUEBELLS


9 inch vase


The Old Tupton Ware designs were produced in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Old Tupton Ware bluebell vase
Old Tupton Ware bluebell vase
Old Tupton Ware bluebell vase
 

Missing designs title
The significant omission here for an actual example is the 2001 Emma Bossons bluebell vase. Auction photo.

Please let me know if you know of any others.
Moorcroft bluebell vase by Emma Bossons 2001
 
 
 

Moorcroft Trial Designs

This outstanding ginger jar trial by Rachel Bishop was produced in 1995.
Sold at Hansons in 2020.

 
Moorcroft bluebell trial ginger jar by Rachel Bishop
Moorcroft bluebell trial ginger jar by Rachel Bishop
Moorcroft rabbit vase trial 1997
Moorcroft possible bluebell vase trial
Moorcroft bluebell pin dish trial
Moorcroft bluebell vase trila by Sian Leeper

 
This gallery was created for recreational interest only.
I have very little experience with photography, taking these photos with a Samsung S-10+ phone camera using a white nylon sheet for a background. Brightness is low in favour of reduced glare and accurate colour.
Contact at paul@pauldavies.netwww.pauldavies.netwww.sybiltawse.info
 

TOP1898 to 20082009 to 2016