Elton ware Pottery

Thought I would show off some pottery I have been building up for my next show at Ardingly and Shepton Mallet. It's all by the wonderfully mad Sir Edward Elton the 8th Baronet of Clevedon and made between 1880 and 1920. Produced in very small quantities and only sold in a hand full of the very best stores in England and America. It was stupidly expensive at the time, the gold crackle at the top of the picture even involved throwing real gold over pots and firing at extreme temperatures. Something only the extremely wealthy would attempt. This is about the most I have ever seen in one place. Hope you like them.

The gold crackle close up

Wonderful! I've never had the opportunity to see or handle Elton Ware. I'd appreciate a few close-ups of individual pieces including bases. Thank you.

Hi R and F. It's all packed away in bubble wrap at my dads now but will attempt to get some more pictures when we display at Ardingly. The Marks though are pretty boring. Unless it is very early (1st couple of years the mark just says Elton it what looks like marker pen but is of course just paint.

Here is an example I have borrowed from the web.



As you can see pretty basic when you consider the effort put into the rest of these things normally. Tell tale signs even if the mark is obscured are the three large kiln pontil marks that it stood on when fired.


Borrowed from a friends website here is a picture of the happy potter and team. They don't make moustaches like that anymore    

if you ever have a chance to visit the house at Clevedon where the pottery was formed, do go as there's lots of beautiful Elton ware pots to see and also Nailsea glass.

Not had the chance yet but it is on my bucket list. In terms of what he did all those years back the work is something else. I am a sucker for a good glaze and Edwin Elton (keep calling him Edward for some reason) was far ahead of his years. So tempted to lock the doors and keep most of these for myself but they are worth to much. I will just have to settle with putting off anyone that wants to buy more than a couple lol

Many thanks Mordeep for the picture of the mark.  I'll keep looking out for an Elton Ware pot but you don't see all that many of them in the charity shops and dodgy auctions that I frequent!

An impressive moustache on Sir Edwin, but nothing in comparison with that of George Ohr, another mad potter (of Biloxi Mississippi).  



Maybe there's something about potters and facial hair that deserves some serious research?

I think you could be on to something there?

Elton ware jug

Elton Ware vase found in a charity shop this morning. A bit of damage, but at last I've found one after years of looking!