Lou Groves & Margaret Leach, Taena Pottery, Cotswolds

Vici at the Taena Pottery has very kindly confirmed that this lidded pot was made by Lou Groves when he potted there between 1950 and 1973. I think this was probably made in the late 60s/early 70s. Margaret Leach worked there for a while and seems to be more well known in the pottery world.

I didn't get a reply from taena when I sent my photo with the taena mark plus an st mark https://www.20thcenturyforum.com/t6754-taena-community-vase?highlight=taena

Was it 'contact@taenapottery.co.uk'? I'm sure they would help. Maybe your email went astray. I think it's worth trying again.

I will try again t hanks

Hi - this is in all probability not a Taena mark, the Taena marks are set in a circle rather than a square. The cross inside a circle is Loo Groves. There is also an older Taena mark where the cross extends through the circle. This is commonly attributed to Maragaret Leach but she joined Loo at Taena pottery and they worked side by side so looks to be a pottery specific mark than an individual. I have seen the mark with initials a few times and there are different initials on some of the pots. There is is also no recollection of anyone with these initials working as an apprentice at Taena. It's curious as the mark is similar. I would be interested if anyone finds out who made these. The lidded pot was definitley made by Loo as Vici said.

Edited to say this reply was in reference to a mark that has since been identified as being by Robert Sinclair Thomson and Florence Jamieson, and often misattributed to Taena. It has since been removed to its own thread - Ed

Thanks M, do you know if Taena use a mark nowadays? I have several moulded slip ware dishes that might be from there but cannot be sure.

Hi - yes, it's a T in circle with the ends of the T touching the circle. I will try to post a pic if i can figure it out!

https://i.servimg.com/u/f41/17/91/38/41/image11.jpg

Thanks dan hopefully that's clear

early Taena mugs bought in the 50s by my father from his friends margeret leach and lou groves

Mjcass wrote:Hi - this is in all probability not a Taena mark, the Taena marks are set in a circle rather than a square. The cross inside a circle is Loo Groves. There is also an older Taena mark where the cross extends through the circle. This is commonly attributed to Maragaret Leach but she joined Loo at Taena pottery and they worked side by side so looks to be a pottery specific mark than an individual. I have seen the mark with initials a few times and there are different initials on some of the pots. There is is also no recollection of anyone with these initials working as an apprentice at Taena. It's curious as the mark is similar. I would be interested if anyone finds out who made these. The lidded pot was definitley made by Loo as Vici said.

I see what you mean about the mark but apart from the square it is pratilly identical I bought that piece online my other pieces were bought at taena

leach or groves?

I would say Margaret. The amber glaze and style is the same as the pots she was making at Wye Valley before she joined the Taena pottery

another Taena jug (30cm) from my parents collection around 1950

another of my parents Taena pieces 1950

 

putting this here despite no mark as from the same collection , however my dad did meet Cardew once

That makes it a Michael Cardew then

tenpot wrote:  

putting this here despite no mark as from the same collection , however my dad did meet Cardew once

Why does that make it a Taena piece?

my Dad was a friend of margaret leach and lou groves( he even took my mum down to meet everyone at the taena community to get their approuval) all of their "brown pottery" was bought at Taena around 1950 this could be an exception

Doesn't seem to be the right coloured clay for Taena.

possibly fired a bit higher than normal

Too busy talk tomorrow


http://www.studiopottery.com/cgi-bin/pg.cgi?plist=3253%7CMargaret%20Leach%20bowl%5B395%7CMargaret%20Leach%20bowl%20(mark)%5B6298%7CMargaret%20Leach%20pot%5B2367%7CMargaret%20Leach%20pot%20(mark)%5B6475%7CTaena%20vase%5B2478%7CTaena%20vase%20(mark)&m=Margaret%20Leach

https://www.20thcenturyforum.com/t19352-margaret-leach?highlight=Margaret

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=margaret+leach+pottery&biw=1536&bih=792&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZ19vkva7QAhUDJ8AKHdEcCX0Q_AUICCgB

Margaret Leach's mark, according to the book. The other version must be Lou Groves'

[url=https://servimg.com/view/17516569/6910]

Seems it's Lou Groves' mark from Taena Pottery. Not Margaret's, which is a little different, as seen in the photo above.

https://www.20thcenturyforum.com/t10202-lou-groves-taena-pottery-cotswolds-uk?highlight=Taena