About the Maker

Wedgwood

The Wedgwood story began in 1759 when Josiah Wedgwood established himself as an independent potter in Burslem, Staffordshire. Material experimentation was central to his work, from improved cream-coloured earthenware to Black Basalt and Jasperware. A commission for Queen Charlotte in 1765 helped secure royal patronage, after which the creamware became known as Queen’s Ware. Jasperware, developed through extensive experiments, became another defining material, combining coloured stoneware with detailed, classically inspired decoration.

In 1860, following the commercial success of Minton & Co at the 1851 Great Exhibition, Wedgwood expanded its production into majolica ware. The factory's majolica is characterised by vibrantly coloured lead glazes applied over naturalistic, low-relief earthenware shapes. Their most notable outputs from this period feature intricate basketweave and foliage motifs, with the green majolica cabbage leaf designs remaining highly desirable among antique collectors.

The move from Etruria to Barlaston was a transition, not a single relocation completed in 1940. Wedgwood’s purpose-built Barlaston factory opened that year, with modern electrically powered facilities, while the historic Etruria factory did not close until 1950. This overlapping period is important context for understanding the company’s changing production sites and mid-century output.

During the post-war era, the heritage brand systematically adapted to shifting domestic tastes. While maintaining production of their traditional formal bone china, the company expanded heavily into casual dining. Guided by art directors such as Victor Skellern and modellers like Eric Owen, Wedgwood introduced lines of modern oven-to-table stoneware (like their well-loved 'Pennine' pattern), allowing the historic manufacturer to secure a strong foothold in the modernising 1960s and 1970s homewares market.

Read more about Wedgwood’s materials and royal patronage at the V&A here.

Read more about the Barlaston factory and its 1940 opening here.

Read more about the Etruria factory and its 1950 closure here.

You May Also Like