James Plant and Sons Art Pottery

I've had these vases for ages and always wondered who the potter was.
Anyone recognise it?
Dave

welcome to the forum Dave,
Can you post a close up of the mark please?

thanks for the welcome Dan. Yes I'll do a close up but it won't be until Saturday as I've had to come down to London this week.
Dave

James plant, gouda copy

bistoboy wrote:James plant, gouda copy

Although there were a number of potteries in the Stoke area that had Plant in their title, there seems to be only two recorded mentions of a James Plant.

The first of these is James Plant (Jnr) & Son in 1880. They were listed as stone and earthenware manufacturers at the Brewery Street works, off Hope Street in Hanley. It appears to have been only a short-lived operation.

Of course it might be the same James, who was involved in the J & R Plant manufacturers, who operated from the Stoke Pottery in Stoke itself from 1889 until 1893. In that year the name was changed to James Plant & Co., which is the second mention, and it retain that name until it was taken over by Grimwades in 1900.

There are suggestions on the internet that these Gouda style vases were produced in the 20th century (1914 - 1938) but nothing to back that up. In fact there is an image of a vase of this type with a James Plant & Son Hanley mark, which suggests the early short-lived operation of 1880.

Do you know anything else, Bisto?

It's James Plant and Sons Art pottery, Brook Street Art pottery Hanley. (1920-33).
Later James Plant and Sons Ltd (1934-37).

Thes were made in the 1920s as a copy of the Gouda wares that were imported by
Liberty & Co. before the supply was disrupted by WW1.
They were designed by a Mr Thorley.

It's interesting that there is no mention of such a company in Goddens or on thepotteries.org website, where I looked last night.

However, another one of those old fashion things (books) has revealed information about the company after your comment, DD.

It seems that James Plant & Son started out making tiles in Brook Street around 1914 and then in 1919 advertised " a range of art wares of a type that is quite unique so far as English wares go..."

The idea of making things other than tiles seems to have been the idea of F. Plant, described as a junior member of the firm. Besides these Gouda style pots, other "Plant Ware" included miniature vases and statuettes in mottled, marbled and imitation flambe glazes.

I also found a reference to a Thomas Thorley as the designer of the Gouda style pots and also to an Edward Banks, working with him.

It seems as if the Brook Street works reverted back to producing only tiles in 1934 when it became a limited company.

I think we have the same book SP.
Quite a lot of potteries in there that are not
mentioned at all in Goddens.

denbydump wrote:I think we have the same book SP.
Quite a lot of potteries in there that are not
mentioned at all in Goddens.

I'm sure that we have the same book and , even if no-one else has, at least I've enjoyed getting to the bottom of where the Gouda style pots were made and when.

I'm so glad I joined this forum. If I had googled "Plant vase" I don't think I would have got very far. Thanks to all.

feeling the love

i really like your vase - probably because i love Gouda pottery too.