Ambleside Pottery

A more complex even experimental piece from George Cook at his Ambleside pottery.The vase is wax resist overlaid with a white enamel and fired on a brown base.


The effect being most unusual and not something I have seen on a vase before but I have seen it on slab pieces.Fully marked for Cook and Ambleside.A lovely piece.

Lovely - the cook pieces have that gritty, dirty, spontaneous feel, love them. So not seen much wax resist - assuming its unusual? Did Jackson do any?

I wish there was a good book

I couldn’t have described his pieces better…..He would go over mistakes and carry on….Jackson’s were much more refined and definitely produced much more crisp and accurate sgraffito work…The only other good wax resist work signed by cook that I know of belongs to you now I have never seen any that I would say was Jackson…

A rare advertisement for Ambleside pottery I though the board like like to see and look at the sheer variety of the work George Cook produced at the pottery…..

Brian - I adjusted it and reposted larger. When you see all these old photos of what are clearly top pieces at the time (they would not have photographed the rubbish) I can't help but wonder where they are now, probably lucky is just one survives.

Scarce things for sure and now highly sought after by a few of us…..here is another beauty almost certainly cook period and shows just how good he was at his trade

And this little beauty again almost certainly cook period

And last one for today a wonderful sauce boat with fish most prob for a fish sauce…..

Yeah that top bowl, such confident throwing rings and lovely shape flared but tapering in. I even like the wonky top lip.

It’s a beautiful thing and the wonky top is what makes it even better…..watch this space….

Following on from my previous post showing a large bowl which was stated “cook” period here is a larger bowl with resist decoration which is marked “cook” in his distinctive chiselled style….Early most likely 50s

l love the foot and the outside throwing rings on that one. Wonky top and all those bubble imperfections in the glaze all add to the grittiness of it.

Hi….it’s a piece of Ambleside slipware….I have had that design before and the slightly angled top which nips under is classic as are the 3 base stilt marks….Have you tilted the base in strong light the mark is often very faint on theses pieces.

This is a large and unusual pottery bird with distinctive incised decoration and what looks like bells / decorations around the neck - it has a fish like incised mark to the base - does the bird or mark look familiar to anyone as its very distinctive and unusual!

That’s George Cooks personal mark ….

Thank you for all your help in identifying this. Very much appreciated

BTW that is LOVELY! rare and unusual- is there damage?

Unfortunately there is damage - the neck has been off at some stage and some of the embellishments around the neck have also been off and glued back on!

Still a nice thing. My ambitions is to retire and go on a ceramics restoration course so I can repair things properly with out all the brown glue showing

Yes I would also love to learn how to restore pieces but unfortunately don't have the time! If I did decide to sell this then I would sell it locally (I am in Berkshire) as I wouldn't risk posting it

Okay I will have a think about it but not sure what I will do

Lol - so am I - You are in Hampshire Naomi - it says so under your Name!