Spill vase

Another rare piece dating from the 1930s, a spill vase in a deco cubist style. The stepped design and sharp angles are highly stylised. It has a hand incised shape number 408 on the base and is stencilled celadon. The Poole mark is impressed.

Fan vase

An unusual Art Deco Poole vase dating from the early 1930s. This vase is shape number 457 and glazed in C55. It has the impressed Poole England mark on the base.

This was available in different sizes, this example is 7" tall.

Blue pool dish

This dish, pattern number 920 (hand incised) is glazed in the rarely seen Blue Pool glaze- stencilled on the base. It is different from many other glazes of the period as it has a high sheen gloss finish along with the mottling seen on other matt glazes. Poole England is impressed in the inside foot rim.

This item was purchased from the Christie's auction of the Poole museum and archive and formed part of a bulk lot (no. 74). It is another rare and unusual piece.

Wimborne tureen

Much less common than streamline or contour tableware this is from the Wimborne range available in the 1930s. This particular example is seagull with an ice green interior, but magnolia knop and handles. As with a lot of Poole of this period it is finely potted and has a rich glaze finish.

The Poole England mark is barely visible on the base and is printed on rather than impressed.

Rare plane ware bowl

A really very rare plane ware bowl, glazed with Sylvan glaze M24. It is stencilled 'plane ware' on the base and a hand incised 256P indicates the shape. The Poole England impressed mark has been used.

A design lacking in practicality as it is a little unstable on the rim foot which is out of proportion to the pot.

Cigarette box

A Poole pottery box designed to hold 100 cigarettes. This item featured in the Poole range in the 1930s- exhibited in 1938. This box is sprayed in an unusual hydrangea (stencilled on base) glaze and has an incised 519 on the base.

This is an early example of this shape. Examples from the 50s are seen as biscuit fired stocks of this shape were held by the factory. As a result twintone glazes dated after 1947 ( when the shape was withdrawn) are still seen.

Tea for two

The Poole pottery breakfast-in-bed set was designed around 1938. This is a particularly unusual set as it is painted with Truda Carter's 'Leaping Deer' design, renamed 'Spring' in the 1950s.  This set dates from the 1950s. Notice it still has the tab finial/knop on the teapot.

It is marked Poole England with the dolphin in between. A stamp used from 1951-1955. JY/P is painted on the bottom, the pattern code for 'Spring'. JY/G being used on the green version of the pattern.

Rowing boat ashtray

A good collection of rowing boat ashtrays, shape number 542. These are attributed to a John Adams design and assumed to be modelled by Harry Brown in the early 1930s.

From front to back glazed in C50, C54, C65, C57 and C84. All have the impressed Poole England mark and an incised 542. Most have a twintone reference code on the base.

Display plaque

This Anne Read designed plaque is a worthy centre piece of the collection. It represents so much of what Poole was about in the Fifties. A rare piece with a stunning handpainted design.

Two hole vase

A very unusual two hole vase. This one is shape number 343 and painted in pattern PT, known as Butterflies. It is a difficult shape to find and looks as stylish today as it would have done when designed in the mid 1950s.

It bears the black ink Poole England stamp with the dolphin in the centre.

Poole plane ware bowl

Glazed in a Sylvan glaze with magnolia handles, this is a nice example of plane ware. It bears the impressed Poole England mark and a stencilled M77 - the Sylvan glaze code (quite a rare one).

The bowl dates from the mid 1930s and is one of 3 in my collection. The others are glazed in M24 and M72. The shape number is 196P.

Nursery mug

This small mug is another unusual piece from my collection. It is painted with a clown and an elephant. The shape number 648 is impressed into the base.

Unusual vase

A most unusual shaped vase from my collection.  I would suggest there was a strong African influence to this design. In his early years John Adams had worked in Natal- it seems possible the design dates from this period. The vase measures 14" in height.

It has the impressed Poole England mark and the stencilled mark 'pastel grey'.

The tall bottle vase behind appears to be in a trial glaze. It is brown with a black speckle. It bears the Poole mark from 1952-55 and an impressed 694. It may well have come from the Studio factory at Poole.

QYT coffee pot and hot water jug

Exceptionally rare pieces from my collection include this black panther coffee pot and hot water jug painted with an Alfred Read design. The designs date from 1954 and this particular one is QYT. The production lifespan was short and popularity limited, hence their relative scarceness.

The bold colours work well on the matt black background. I also have a sugar bowl painted with TQU design and a coffee cup and saucer in QYT.

Candlesticks

This collection of candlesticks range from the highly decorative to the plain pure art deco form. These designs are attributed to John Adams and moulded by harry Brown. Sprayed in pastel shades, mottles or solid colours they all date from 1930s designs. The curled snail like form perhaps being representative of waves due to Poole's proximity to the sea.

The more elaborate candelabras are designed by John Adams and feature fruit moulded around the sconces.

Picotee banded dinner ware

Produced in the 1930s and characterised by sprayed bands of colour, Picotee ware is hard to find.  This is an unusual addition to my collection.  The soup bowls, stands and covers are unique to this range so the shape may have been bought in.

The bands were sprayed on to the magnolia base and represented the first use of an aerobrush technique.  The pieces bear the impressed Poole England mark.

Centre piece bowl

A fine early example of this stylish shaped bowl. It bears the impressed "Carter, Stabler, Adams Poole England" mark so dates from the very early 1930s. It is glazed in a Sylvan glaze, M24.

The bowl has a diameter of 13" and bears the hand incised shape code 847.

Pot pourri

This new addition to the collection is a very rare find. It is shape number 631, a pot pourri pot and cover. The lid and sides of the pot are pierced. It is glazed in New Forest.

The piece dates from the early 1930s and measures just 3" in height.  It bears the impressed Poole mark, stencilled New Forest and a hand incised 631.

Hand painted dessert set

This dessert set is a new addition to my collection.  It consists of a 12.5" comport and 6 8.25" dessert plates.  They are painted in MM pattern which features fruit and flowers.  Shades of pink and brown are used.  Whilst the original designs, by Truda Carter,  date from the 1930s this set was produced and painted in the mid 1950s.  At this time the patterns were redesigned, losing some of their crispness.

Goblets

A less common table ware item is the goblet. This was a shape produced at Poole from the 1950s onwards and are relatively rarely seen. They revived a design from the 30s as did so much Poole tableware.

These two are glazed in Blue Moon and marked Poole England on the inside of the foot. They are the only two I have in my collection so make an interesting addition.

Plane ware planter

This is a relatively newly acquired piece at auction.  It is from the Plane ware range produced in the early 1930s and based on existing plain pot designs.  To these pots were added wing like handles and attachments.  The attachments were often glazed in contrasting colours to produce a striking effect.

This planter is biscuit in colour.  It is marked Poole England, stencilled Plane ware and marked with pattern code 209P.  The P suffix was added to all Plane ware pieces to distinguish them from their plain counterparts.

Plane ware pieces are rare today and still present a modern, clean look.

Picotee glazed fish

This fish is from a design attributed to John Adams and modelled by Harry Brown in the early 1930s.  It is sprayed with picotee green and new blue glazes which would have been applied by air brush.  This resulted in the blended effect of the colours.
It is stamped Poole England and marked with model number 334 and the colour reference P4.

I have two other similar fish in my collection, one in magnolia white and the other mushroom.  The other shape fish currently evades the collection.  Like all collectors I have a regret story when I saw one at auction and didn't bid...

Collect It magazine

I'm featured in October's Collect It magazine.  As part of a feature on living with collections I was interviewed and photographed for an article on my obsessive habit!  It followed on from a lot of my collection being featured in a new book titled 'Poole Twintone and Tableware' by Anne Wilkinson (www.twintone.co.uk).  Many of the rarer pieces from my collection are featured in this book.

I have enjoyed the opportunity to share my collection with fellow enthusiasts of the varied wares produced by Poole pottery through its history.

Please do leave a comment if you'd like to see a picture of anything in particular or have a similar interest...

Everest collection

Poole produced Everest ware from 1932.  I like the angular details which are very art Deco in style.   The bands are raised and painted in pastel shades of pink, grey, green or brown.  The subtle colouring enhances the plain impact of these pieces.  The neutral tones ensure the pieces have remained timeless.  The high quality matt finish of the glaze adds to the quality finish of these expensive pieces.

I have several Everest pieces in my collection, but they are quite rare. Typically 'Everest' is stencilled onto the base along with a Poole backstamp.

Gazelle

This is the latest addition to my collection.  It is the larger size of the gazelle produced in the late 40s/ early 50s.  It was modelled by Marjorie Drawbell in 1948.  The glaze is sprayed producing a natural shade and light effect.  Detail is picked out in darker glazes.

It is impressed 'Poole England' and die stamped 806/2.

Commemorative hors d'oeuvres dish

The Festival of Britain hors d'oeuvres dish was designed by John Adams between 1936-1938.  The pattern was designed by Claude Smale and painted on an alpine white glaze.

Small quantities of these commemoratives were produced due to production problems resulting in pieces being quite scarce.

The collection

I have collected Poole Pottery for over 25 years now.  It is an extensive collection of over 3000 pieces.  The focus of the collection is plain Poole.  The variety of colours, finishes, shapes and sizes seems to be infinite.  My collection covers the period from the 1930s through to the sixties.  The vases produced over this period are a particular interest of mine.

I will feature individual pieces or groups of pieces and comment on them.  If you can ever help with further information please use the comment option to contact me.