Moorcroft Pansy Comport
About the Item
- Creator:William Moorcroft (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 5.32 in (13.5 cm)Diameter: 6.5 in (16.5 cm)
- Style:Arts and Crafts (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1920
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:East Geelong, AU
- Reference Number:
William Moorcroft
William Moorcroft (1872–1945), the founder of the celebrated British art-pottery company that shares his last name, was both an aesthete and a technical innovator. Along with William de Morgan, he is regarded as one of the greatest ceramists of the Arts and Crafts movement, yet Moorcroft’s singular style is heavily inflected with the lush naturalism of the Art Nouveau school of art and design.
The son of a decorative pottery painter, Moorcroft was born in Staffordshire, the center of English ceramics-making, studied at the Wedgwood Institute and in 1897 joined the local pottery manufacturer James Macintyre & Co. as a designer. After a year, he was put in charge of the company’s art-pottery studio, and there he developed a new style of wares named “Florian,” made with a technique called tube-lining, or slip-trailing. In this method, decorative motifs are outlined with a thin, raised border produced by piping a thread of clay onto the body of a vessel — much like squeezing toothpaste from a tube.
Moorcroft, who took the unusual step of signing his ceramics, would go on to win numerous international awards. In 1913, backed by the London department store Liberty & Co., he left Macintyre to open his own workshop. Queen Mary, wife of King George V, gave Moorcroft her Royal Warrant in 1928. Shortly before he died in 1945, his son, Walter Moorcroft (1917–2002), took over as head of the firm. The pottery company is still in business in Staffordshire, with a design department headed by Rachel Bishop.
William Moorcroft’s ceramics are noted for their colorful, ebullient (and often slightly surreal) decorations depicting stylized natural forms — flowers, toadstools, fruit (pomegranate is a favorite among collectors), insects and landscapes. Most Moorcroft wares are finished with a glossy overglaze. Blue-and-white and pastel shades were generally used as underglazes on early Moorcroft pieces, and he later developed a rich, ruddy background glaze he called “flambé.”
Moorcroft art pottery has a rich, warm and inviting look — a comforting aesthetic that explains their enduring appeal.
Find antique and vintage William Moorcroft pottery, vases, serveware and more on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: East Geelong, Australia
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
- Moorcroft Teapot Cornflower DesignBy William MoorcroftLocated in East Geelong, VICThis Moorcroft teapot is decorated with the Revived Cornflower, or Brown Chrysanthemum design on a mottled green ground. This design was introduced in...Category
Vintage 1910s English Arts and Crafts Tea Sets
MaterialsEarthenware
- Moorcroft Pomegranate Design BowlBy William MoorcroftLocated in East Geelong, VICThis Moorcroft bowl is decorated with the "Pomegranate" design on a mottled green ground. This pattern was introduced in 1910 and became Moorcroft's most successful design, continuin...Category
Vintage 1920s English Arts and Crafts Decorative Bowls
MaterialsEarthenware
- Belgian Silver and Horn Salad ServersLocated in East Geelong, VICThe handles of this pair of very attractive silver and horn salad servers are decorated with neo-classical laurel wreaths atop fluted, tapering colum...Category
Antique 1890s Belgian Belle Époque Serving Pieces
MaterialsSilver
- Susie Cooper Coffee Set Cornpoppy PatternBy Susie CooperLocated in East Geelong, VICThis bone china Susie Cooper coffee set is decorated with the popular Cornpoppy pattern on the Can shape. The Cornpoppy pattern (pattern C 2176) was introduced in 1971 and became one...Category
Vintage 1970s English Serving Pieces
MaterialsPorcelain
- Pinder, Bourne & Co. Sauce Tureen on StandBy Pinder, Bourne & CoLocated in East Geelong, VICThis Pinder, Bourne & Co. sauce tureen on stand could also be listed as Doulton Burslem, as Doulton had purchased Pinder, Bourne & Co. in 1878 and this piece is dated September 1881....Category
Antique 1880s English Late Victorian Serving Pieces
MaterialsEarthenware
- Davenport Nine Piece Part Dessert SetBy Davenport PorcelainLocated in East Geelong, VICThis very attractive nine piece dessert, or fruit set, is by Davenport, and decorated with their printed pattern 1151. The decoration to the rim is a chinoiserie diaper pattern printed in a pale green with hand coloured flowers and butterflies, and the central pattern is a hand coloured Chinese vase overflowing with peonies and foliage. The base of the comport bowl features moulded acanthus leaves where it joins the stem. The plates are 230 mm (9 inches) in diameter, whilst the pierced comport stands 275 mm (10.75 inches) high and has a diameter of 323 mm (12.75 inches). Overall, the set is in very good condition, with two plates carrying small chips to the footrim. The comport carries an impressed Davenport Opaque China...Category
Antique 1860s English Chinoiserie Serving Pieces
MaterialsPorcelain
- English Hand Blown Glass ComportLocated in Wilson, NCEnglish hand blown glass comport, is celadon green and has a pie crust top edge. There is gilded decoration on the top and base.Category
Antique 1860s English Serving Pieces
MaterialsGlass
- 20th Century Italian Sterling Silver ComportBy Cesani VirginioLocated in VALENZA, ITItalian sterling silver stand made in the 80s of the last century. The structure of the object is very simple, with a smooth double-stepped base. In the stem of the base, small l...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Other Sterling Silver
MaterialsSterling Silver
- Early William Moorcroft Pottery Large Dish in Pansy Pattern, circa 1928By William MoorcroftLocated in Lincoln, LincolnshireThis is a very good early example of a large diameter dish made by William Moorcroft, of Moorcroft Pottery in the Pansy pattern and dating to circa 1928. The pattern is known as P...Category
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Decorative Bowls
MaterialsPottery
- Moorcroft Tudric Pewter Mounted Art Deco Wisteria Pattern PepperetteBy Moorcroft PotteryLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireA scarce and unusual Moorcroft Wisteria pattern pepperette with a Tudric planished pewter base dating from around 1920. The pepperette body is of simple thimble shape with tube lined...Category
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Ceramics
MaterialsPewter
- French Majolica Pansy Card Holder Clement Massier, Circa 1890By Clement MassierLocated in Austin, TXFrench Majolica pansy card or menu holder Clement Massier, Circa 1890.Category
Antique 1890s French Art Nouveau Serving Pieces
MaterialsCeramic
- French Barbotine Majolica Sarreguemines Basket of Pansies Covered TureenBy SarregueminesLocated in Philadelphia, PAA French Majolica covered tureen in the form of a handled basket brimming with colorful pansies, Sarreguemines, circa 1900-1910. Two pansy heads form the top handle, pansy blossom...Category
Early 20th Century French Aesthetic Movement Serving Pieces
MaterialsEarthenware