Posts from the ‘Hornsea’ Category

Nov 27

Hornsea Summit

Recently I came across a very smart early Hornsea design in the form of a lidded butter dish. It is from the Hornsea “Summit” series – designed 1960, produced 1962 -1965. It’s designer of course John Clappison.

The summit series was very popular in its day with its modern tapering forms, fluted over the full height of the item with colour inlays of either apricot, turquoise, charcoal or terracotta on a white ground.

The glaze colour in the ridges was applied by hand on bisque fired pieces with a sponge and then wiped off – resulting in glaze colour being left only inside the ridges. The whole piece was then glazed with a transparent glazed and re-fired to higher temperatures

Pieces in this series will have an impressed stamp on them indicating the form number – this butter dish is 260.

There are 19 forms in the series, consisting of things like cruets, egg cups, sugar bowl, mustard pots, bon bon dishes etc.

One thing that strikes me about these pieces is they are surprisingly fine and delicate for earthenware, which really compliments the fine and beautifully considered design.

Hornsea Summit Butter Dish, Photo Ray Garrod

Hornsea Summit Group – Photo via The Sale Room

Hornsea Summit Group – Photo via MyPotShots.blogspot

Jan 28

Hornsea Saffron

Another of my Hornsea favourites from the 1970s is “Saffron” – which was produced from 1970, tailing off and ending by 1992.

Saffron was designed along with most of the designs from Hornsea during this period by John Clappison. It was produced in the same shapes as Heirloom and Bronte – and all of these designs were hugely successful. Again many of the canisters were printed with a label of the intended item, and all had wooden lids with a rubber seal.

The pattern and colour of Saffron work really well together…and like all John Clappison designs of this era were screen printed – which in part was because of the growing shortage of skilled pattern painters in this era.

The design has lovely circular flower motifs in a caramel-saffron colour contrasting with the burnt orange of the background. Combined these colours give an almost 3D effect. I also really like the interiors too with their luscious thick, soft cream colour.

Flatware for this series was a plain caramel colour, with concentric grooves around the rim.

Along with Heirloom and Bronte it was made in such huge quantities that it is still reasonably priced and fairly easily available, although the shapes which got more use (and hence broken) like Coffee Mugs, are always highly coveted.

I’m a big fan of the Hornsea teapots too, as they are the perfect size – not too big, not too small, and from this era by John Clappison have non-drip spouts.

You will find a variety of backstamps on Hornsea Saffron – depending on when it was produced.

Jan 21

Hornsea Heirloom

Heirloom was Hornsea’s first complete range of tableware, and was designed by John Clappison in 1966 – in production from 1967-1987.

Its distinctive screen printed black pattern, along with the well designed forms, were so hugely successful that from 1968 the entire production at Hornsea was given over to it for a period.

Heirloom – as with other good designs – continues to be popular on the secondary market – now with a whole new generation discovering it.

The straight sided cylindrical shapes were designed to be stackable and were finished with polished wooden lids and airtight rubber seals. Many of the storage jars/canisters also had the name of the intended contents (flour, sugar etc.) moulded into them.

Items such as the straight sided bowls, egg cups, coffee cups and tea cups were also stackable.

The large rectangular handles on items such as the teapot and coffee pot were beautifully and ergononmically designed – as well as having non drip spout.

The plate-ware was left undecorated except for a series of concentric grooves around the rim.

The colour variations of Heirloom were “lakeland” (a dark moss green), Midnight blue, and Autumn brown. The blue was discontinued early in the production as it was not as popular at the time – however now it is highly sought after and collectable. The Autumn brown is the one I come across most often now here in Australia.

If you want a thorough and well researched history of Hornsea Pottery – I recommend locating a copy of the book “Hornsea Pottery 1949-1989” Brian Heckford & Brian Jakes (out of print, but still around in second hand book stores) ISBN 0 9526828 0 X.