Ceramics

Ceramics are among the most frequently collected antiques. Items made from earthernware (pottery) or porcelain (hard or soft paste) can serve functional roles such as tablewares, serving implements, vases and jugs or as ornaments, especially figures.

They usually have some form of decoration, either painted or transfer-printed, that is covered in transparent or coloured glaze. Ceramics are often catalogued by the name of their manufacturer or factory such as Meissen, Worcester, Doulton, Wedgwood and Sèvres.


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Doulton jug does its Nelson duty

28 August 2023

The salt-glazed portrait jug of Nelson by Doulton & Watts of Lambeth is considered the first character jug made by Doulton

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Goss Harvard rarity emerges in a group lot

28 August 2023

Forty years ago, the market for crested china was booming – the subject of specialist sales, annual price guides and an international collecting base

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‘I outgrew my china cabinet years ago – a vast army is slowly advancing towards me across the carpet’

28 August 2023

We chat to a collector whose political and royal commemorative ceramics mean he can 'survey three centuries of British history in a single glance'

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Desirable Doulton: inkwells and ashtray

28 August 2023

The most eagerly contested lot in a recent sale at Potteries Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) was a Doulton stoneware Isobath inkwell.

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Sip soup from a Minton boar’s head

28 August 2023

The boar’s head tureen with matching stand is considered the rarest of all the game tureens made by the Minton factory in its colourful majolica range.

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Mason’s shows signs of making a collecting comeback

28 August 2023

Is Mason’s ironstone going through a collecting Renaissance? Well, perhaps

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Bizarre beast catches the attention

28 August 2023

A curious pearlware pottery hybrid animal with the head of a sheep and body of a winged fish proved a popular entry at Toovey’s (24.5% buyer’s premium).

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Sale underlines stateside popularity of Wedgwood

28 August 2023

Wedgwood has long been such a popular collecting strand in the US that it is no surprise to see quantities reappear on the market at auction, either as mixed-owner consignments or single-owner collections

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Dutch lot bowls over bidders

28 August 2023

This 12in (30.5cm) diameter Dutch delft bowl was a high-flyer at Rob Michiels (30% buyer’s premium inc VAT) in Bruges.

Chelsea porcelain vase

Chelsea ‘Gold Anchor’ vase joins portrait bought by V&A

21 August 2023

The Victoria and Albert Museum has bought the only known version of a vase produced by the Chelsea porcelain factory during its ‘Gold Anchor’ period.

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Rare Royal Doulton Spook figure emerges at Hollywood sale

21 August 2023

Not to be confused with the modern limited edition toby jugs of the same name, the Royal Doulton figure Spook is among the most desirable models in all the HN series.

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Buteux ice pail carries a cool musical motif

21 August 2023

This 18th century Sèvres soft-paste porcelain ice pail (seau à glace) carries the date letter 'O' for 1767 and a tiny painter’s mark of an anchor for Charles Buteux Sr (1719-82).

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Moorcroft offers multiple charms for collectors

21 August 2023

With its long and varied production lines Moorcroft remains a stalwart of Design auctions.

Bears Grease Manufacturer pot lid

Pick of the week: Bear essential of the pot lid field

14 August 2023

A single-lot auction conducted by the sealed bids process has set a record for a transfer printed pot lid.

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Milk jug made for William Beckford’s Fonthill Abbey comes to auction

14 August 2023

Ornate creation from Gothic fantasy comes for sale as part of the Bayreuth collection

Royal Doulton bird jar

Royal Doulton bird jar stars in our pick of five auction highlights

11 August 2023

ATG’s weekly selection of items that caught bidders’ eyes includes a bird jar reminiscent of the Martin Brothers original designs but made by Royal Doulton.

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Monk has a beer – no wonder he’s merry

07 August 2023

Stand-out original among the 76 pieces from Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson’s workshops offered at Tennants’ (22% buyer’s premium) 20th Century Design auction was a carved oak monk sold with its working drawing.

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A rare Minton boar’s head tureen is among five lots to watch

24 July 2023

With estimates from £120, here are five previews of items coming up at auction this week.

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Derain design stretches to ceramics

24 July 2023

Rare works on offer in Swiss saleroom were by artist most familiar for his Fauvist fine art creations

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Meat and greet: butcher’s slabs display collecting popularity

24 July 2023

Victorian and Edwardian pottery butcher’s slabs made to display lard, butter and margarine are relatively frequent visitors to UK salerooms.

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