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Antique Moorcroft Designs

Rare Pair of William Moorcroft Leaf and Berry Pattern Pottery Goblets, C1930
By William Moorcroft
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
A rare pair of William Moorcroft designed leaf and berry pattern goblets with a pale blue/green
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Early 20th Century British Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pottery

Moorcroft Pomegranate Design Bowl
By William Moorcroft
Located in East Geelong, VIC
This Moorcroft bowl is decorated with the "Pomegranate" design on a mottled green ground. This
Category

1920s English Arts and Crafts Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

Moorcroft Teapot Cornflower Design
By William Moorcroft
Located in East Geelong, VIC
This Moorcroft teapot is decorated with the Revived Cornflower, or Brown Chrysanthemum design on a
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1910s English Arts and Crafts Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

William Moorcroft Rare Claremont Mushroom Design Art Pottery Jug Dated 1914
By William Moorcroft
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A rare William Moorcroft Claremont pattern jug of tall conical shape with a moulded handle and
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Early 20th Century English Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pottery

William Moorcroft Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
5474 A Large and Early William Moorcroft Footed Vase decorated in the Pomegranate design on a
Category

1910s Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

Antique William Moorcroft Vase
William Moorcroft Vase
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H 11.82 in Dm 8.08 in
William Moorcroft Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
William Moorcroft vase decorated in the "Spanish" design
Category

1910s Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pottery

Antique William Moorcroft Vase
William Moorcroft Vase
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H 7.29 in Dm 3.15 in
William Moorcroft Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
William Moorcroft For James McIntyre, A Florian Vase decorated with an Early Hazeldene Design 10cm
Category

Early 20th Century Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

Antique William Moorcroft Vase
William Moorcroft Vase
H 3.94 in Dm 4.53 in
William Moorcroft Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
5082 William Moorcroft vase decorated in the cornflower design on a white ground Circa 1920s
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Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

Antique William Moorcroft Vase
William Moorcroft Vase
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H 9.45 in Dm 5.91 in
William Moorcroft Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
5862 Large William Moorcroft vase in the Claremont design Circa 1920 Dimensions 30cm high
Category

Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

Antique William Moorcroft Vase
William Moorcroft Vase
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H 11.82 in Dm 7.88 in
William Moorcroft Plate
By William Moorcroft
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
5227 William Moorcroft Plate in the Pomegranate design in a colourway produced for Liberty & Co
Category

Early 20th Century British Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

Antique William Moorcroft Plate
William Moorcroft Plate
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H 0.79 in Dm 8.47 in
William Moorcroft Wisteria Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
A large size and lovely vase beautifully decorated in 'Wisteria' pattern; designed and produced by
Category

Early 20th Century English Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pottery

William Moorcroft Two Handled Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
5270 William Moorcroft Two Handled Bowl decorated to the interior and exterior with the
Category

Early 20th Century British Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

Antique William Moorcroft Two Handled Vase
William Moorcroft Two Handled Vase
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H 6.7 in Dm 9.06 in
William Moorcroft Bowl for Liberty & Co
By William Moorcroft
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
5361 William Moorcroft for Liberty & Co. An inverted Bowl decorated with a superb example of the
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Early 1900s Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

William Moorcroft Bowl for Liberty & Co
William Moorcroft Bowl for Liberty & Co
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H 4.34 in Dm 10.24 in
William Moorcroft Green and Gold Florian Ware Goblet
By William Moorcroft
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
A decorative pottery goblet created by William Moorcroft for James MacIntyre & Co. in 1903. This
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Early 20th Century English Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

Green and Gold Florian Ware Pitcher by William Moorcroft
By William Moorcroft
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
A decorative pottery pitcher created by William Moorcroft for James MacIntyre & Co. in 1903
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Early 20th Century English Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

William Moorcroft Macintyre Art Nouveau Blue Dahlia Pattern Goblet
By William Moorcroft
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
‘Dahlia’ variant design by William Moorcroft and dating from 1903. William Moorcroft started out as a
Category

Early 1900s English Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pottery

Moorcroft Tudric Pewter Mounted Art Deco Wisteria Pattern Pepperette
By Moorcroft Pottery
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A scarce and unusual Moorcroft Wisteria pattern pepperette with a Tudric planished pewter base
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Early 20th Century English Art Deco Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pewter

William Moorcroft MacIntyre Art Nouveau Blue Daisy Pattern Tobacco Jar
By William Moorcroft
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
Art Nouveau James MacIntyre & Co lidded tobacco jar decorated with tubelined daisies designed by
Category

Early 1900s English Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Ceramic

Antique Pair of Arts & Crafts Moorcroft Art Pottery Vases, circa 1910
By Moorcroft Pottery
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique Arts and Crafts pair of vase by Moorcroft offer art pottery construction with hand
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Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pottery

William Moorcroft MacIntyre Art Nouveau Tube Lined Florian Ware Loving Cup
By William Moorcroft
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
lined floral designs by William Moorcroft and dating from around 1900. William Moorcroft started out as
Category

Early 1900s English Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pottery

William Moorcroft Liberty & Co Forget Me Not and Rose Pattern Art Pottery Bowl
By William Moorcroft
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
Rose’s forming garlands around the body of the bowl by William Moorcroft (British, 1872-1945) and dating
Category

Early 1900s English Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Ceramic

William Moorcroft MacIntyre Art Nouveau Bell Flower Bowl
By James Macintyre & Co.
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
bell shaped flowers designed by William Moorcroft (English, 1872-1945) and dating from around 1900
Category

Early 1900s English Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Silver Plate

MacIntyre Moorcroft 'Poppy' Patterned Art Pottery Tobacco or Dresser Jar
By James Macintyre & Co.
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
England, under the design direction of William Moorcroft, in circa 1890 in the period Victorian style. The
Category

Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pottery

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Early Ormolu and Sevres Porcelain Antique French Clock - Japy Fils Fully Working
By Japy
Located in Belper, Derbyshire
A fine and early clock by Japy Fils. It is beautifully made in ormolu (finely gilded bronze doré) and mounted with exquisite Sèvres style porcelain with a blue celeste ground. The pa...
Category

19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Ormolu

Table clock with Muse and writers. Bronze, Paris movement. France, 19th century.
Located in Madrid, ES
Table clock with Muse and writers. Blued and gilded bronze, Paris movement. France, 19th century. Perfectly working mechanism. Table clock in blued and gilt bronze with Paris mac...
Category

19th Century French Neoclassical Revival Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Bronze, Other

New Murano Glass Pitcher in Gold Green and Multi Colors
Located in Troy, MI
Found in Italy, this new Murano glass pitcher has an iridescent pale green gold body with multi color splatters, streaks and some scattered murrine flowers. Unknown maker. Versatile,...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Murano Glass

Silent Teapot
By Erin Turkoglu
Located in Helsinki, FI
Silent teapot is a porcelain handmade teapot made by the designer in Helsinki,Finland.
Category

2010s Finnish Modern Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Porcelain

Silent Teapot
Silent Teapot
H 6.3 in W 4.73 in D 6.3 in
Petite Blue and White Chinese Pear Vase
Located in Chicago, IL
Contrasted by a crisp white field, this small porcelain vase is decorated in the timeless blue-and-white style with bold brushwork and deep cobalt-blue color. The gracefully curved f...
Category

20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Ceramic

Sugar Box Russia
Located in New York, NY
A gorgeous box made of blue glass beautifully decorated with white details. Frame of brass. original lock and key. Made during 19th Century Russian Empire period. Small lockable boxe...
Category

19th Century Russian Empire Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Brass

Bronze and Slag Glass Tiffany Jewelry Box, Art Deco Period, United States
By Tiffany Studios
Located in Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Bronze and slag glass Tiffany jewelry box. Art Deco period. United States, circa 1900. Signed at the back "Tiffany Studios 823".
Category

Early 20th Century American Art Deco Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Bronze

French Art Nouveau Signed Blue Anemone Emile Gallé Cameo Glass Vase circa, 1920
By Emile Gallé
Located in Worcester Park, GB
French Art Nouveau Emile Gallé footed cameo vase depicting Flowering Anemone in purple and blue over orange/yellow, with fine internal polishing to highlight the blue in the flowers ...
Category

1920s French Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Art Glass

Tunbridge Box Still Bank, circa 1870s
By Tunbridge Ware
Located in Incline Village, NV
This Tunbridge box still bank is indigenous to the Tunbridge ware cottage industries of the town of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England in the 18th and 19th century. Typically the boxes w...
Category

1870s English Victorian Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Wood

Tunbridge Box Still Bank, circa 1870s
Tunbridge Box Still Bank, circa 1870s
H 4.25 in W 7.88 in D 5.25 in
Antique Victorian quality rosewood jewellery box
Located in Ipswich, GB
Antique Victorian quality rosewood jewellery box having a quality antique Victorian rosewood jewellery box with a lift up lid opening to reveal a fitted interior lift out tray above ...
Category

19th Century Victorian Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Rosewood

Antique Victorian quality rosewood jewellery box
Antique Victorian quality rosewood jewellery box
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H 4.93 in W 11.82 in D 8.67 in
Regency Herculaneum Greek Pattern Blue Printed Pottery Dish
By Herculaneum Pottery
Located in Downingtown, PA
Herculaneum Neo-classical large Greek pattern blue printed dish, Early-19th century The Herculaneum pottery underglaze blue central pattern shows aseries of images encicling an o...
Category

Early 19th Century English George III Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pearlware, Pottery

Yoko teapot red
By Stilleben
Located in Birkerød, DK
The YOKO teapot is a significant and distinctive piece of tableware. Its simple, sculptural shape with the firm, sharp edges challenges the soft material of porcelain. The teapot is...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Porcelain

Yoko teapot red
Yoko teapot red
H 6.3 in W 9.3 in D 5.52 in
Paul Frankl Telechron American Moderne Deco Clock, 1928
By Paul Frankl
Located in Sharon, CT
The iconic American Deco Frankl 'Skyscraper' mantel clock. Polished silver over brass with black bakelite base. This rare 'top of line' deco item retains the original bevelled glass ...
Category

1920s American Machine Age Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Glass

British Deco 1940s Bulbous Ribbed Ceramic Vase, England
By Keith Murray
Located in Miami, FL
In the style of Keith Murray's 1930s bulbous vases for Wedgewood, English Modern Deco round vase with mottled deep blue outer glaze, ecru-yellow inner and Art Deco ribbed design. Pur...
Category

1940s English Art Deco Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Ceramic, Pottery

Clarice Cliff Saucer Dish in Coral Firs Pattern Biarritz Shape, Circa 1935
By Clarice Cliff
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a Saucer Dish in the Biarritz shape, hand painted in the "CORAL FIRS" Pattern by the renowned Art Deco designer Clarice Cliff, circa 1935. This plate characterises the Art...
Category

Early 20th Century British Art Deco Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pottery

Scottish Pottery Lion, circa 1880
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Standing pottery lion, Scottish. Great treacle glaze; foot raised on a "stone" ball, circa 1880. Well modeled and rarely found large size. One eye possibly replaced. Measures : 13" w...
Category

Late 19th Century Other Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pottery

Scottish Pottery Lion, circa 1880
Scottish Pottery Lion, circa 1880
H 11 in W 13 in D 5.25 in

Recent Sales

William Moorcroft Two Handled Comport in Spanish Design
By William Moorcroft
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
William Moorcroft Two Handled Comport in Spanish Design.
Category

Early 20th Century British Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

William Moorcroft Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
William Moorcroft Vase in Hazeldene design.
Category

Early 20th Century British Antique Moorcroft Designs

William Moorcroft Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
William Moorcroft Vase decorated in the Claremont design.
Category

Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Antique Moorcroft Designs

William Moorcroft Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
William Moorcroft Vase decorated it the Pansy design on a white ground dated 1914. Undulations to
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Early 20th Century British Antique Moorcroft Designs

William Moorcroft Pomegranate Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Substantial Vase in the Pomegranate Design by William Moorcroft
Category

Early 20th Century British Antique Moorcroft Designs

William Moorcroft Pomegranate Vase
William Moorcroft Pomegranate Vase
H 12.5 in W 7 in D 0.1 in
William Moorcroft 4 Handled Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
William Moorcroft for MacIntyre 4 handled Vase in Daisies design.
Category

Early 20th Century British Antique Moorcroft Designs

William Moorcroft Vase for Liberty & Co.
By William Moorcroft
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Beautiful William Moorcroft Vase in the Claremont Design for Liberty & Co
Category

Early 20th Century British Antique Moorcroft Designs

Moorcroft Vase for Libertys
By William Moorcroft, Liberty & Co.
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
William Moorcroft Vase for Libertys decorated with the Moonlit Blue design on a Tudric Pewter Foot
Category

Early 20th Century British Antique Moorcroft Designs

Moorcroft Pottery and Pewter Tazza Retailed by Liberty & Co.
By William Moorcroft
Located in Stratford Upon Avon, GB
This piece was made by William Moorcroft for Liberty & Co. of London in about 1920. Combining a
Category

Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pewter

Moorcroft Pottery Made in England Design Four Flower Vases
By Walter Moorcroft
Located in Sofia, BG
The Moorcroft story that unfolds in each page of this website began in 1897, through the ground
Category

1920s English Mid-Century Modern Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Ceramic

James Macintyre Florian Ware Vase Designed by William Moorcroft c1900
By William Moorcroft
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
Heading : William Moorcroft Florian ware vase Date : c1900 Origin : Burslem, Staffordshire, England
Category

Early 1900s British Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pottery

William Moorcroft Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
5457 William Moorcroft, and Early example of the Claremont design with inverted rim Registration
Category

Early 1900s Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

William Moorcroft Vase
William Moorcroft Vase
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H 6.11 in Dm 6.5 in
William Moorcroft Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
5362 Large, Exhibition quality William Moorcroft Shouldered Vase in the "Late Florian" design
Category

1910s Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

William Moorcroft Vase
William Moorcroft Vase
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H 14.97 in Dm 6.89 in
William Moorcroft Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
175 William Moorcroft mniature vase decorated with the “Moonlit Blue” design of trees in a
Category

1920s Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Ceramic

William Moorcroft Vase
William Moorcroft Vase
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H 3.55 in Dm 2.17 in
Monumental William Moorcroft Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
5387 William Moorcroft, a huge, exhibition quality Vase in the Pomegranate design on a Caledon
Category

Early 20th Century Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

William Moorcroft MacIntyre Art Nouveau Elegant Blue Carnation Pottery Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
carnations designed by William Moorcroft (English, 1872-1945) and dating from around 1900. William Moorcroft
Category

Early 1900s English Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

Tall James Macintyre Pottery Florian Ware Irises Vase by William Moorcoft, c1900
By William Moorcroft
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
Information: Heading : A James Macintyre Pottery Florian Ware Vase Designed By William Moorcoft Date : c1900
Category

19th Century English Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pottery

Art Nouveau William Moorcroft Florian Daisy Planter/ Jardinière
By William Moorcroft
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
William Moorcroft Florian ware planter/jardinière. Decorated in the Daisies design. Maker's marks
Category

Early 1900s English Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pottery

Moorcroft Macintyre Art Nouveau Aurelian Teapot, 1898
By William Moorcroft
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
designs with floral buds and flowers set with scrolling leaves. The teapot has printed and impressed marks
Category

1890s English Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pottery

William Moorcroft MacIntyre Art Nouveau Tube Lined Rose Pattern Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
Art Nouveau James MacIntyre & Co. vase with tube lined rose garland designs by William Moorcroft
Category

Early 1900s English Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Pottery

William Moorcroft MacIntyre Art Nouveau Blue Trees Pattern Pottery Jug
By William Moorcroft
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
with tube lined tall blue trees designed by William Moorcroft (English, 1872-1945) and dating from
Category

Early 1900s English Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

William Moorcroft MacIntyre Art Nouveau Elegantly Shaped Blue Lilac Pottery Jug
By William Moorcroft
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
with tube lined lilac flowers designed by William Moorcroft (English, 1872-1945) and dating from around
Category

Early 1900s Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Earthenware

William Moorcroft for James MacIntyre Florian Ware Poppy Pattern Preserve Pot
By William Moorcroft
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
with poppies by renowned English born potter William Moorcroft (British, 1872-1945) and dating from the
Category

Early 20th Century English Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Silver Plate

William Moorcroft Jug
By William Moorcroft
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
William Moorcroft Jug in Hazeldene design
Category

Early 20th Century British Antique Moorcroft Designs

William Moorcroft Jug
William Moorcroft Jug
H 2.25 in W 3 in
William Moorcroft Vase
By William Moorcroft
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
William Moorcroft Miniature Vase in the Spanish Design
Category

Early 20th Century British Antique Moorcroft Designs

William Moorcroft Jardiniere
By William Moorcroft
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
William Moorcroft substantial jardinière decorated in the Spanish Design. Firing crack to base
Category

Early 20th Century British Antique Moorcroft Designs

William Moorcroft Tea Cup
By William Moorcroft
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
William Moorcroft Tea Cup with "Spanish" design.
Category

Early 20th Century British Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Tube Lined Vase by Moorcroft for McIntyre
By William Moorcroft
Located in Sheffield, MA
for its tube lined Florian ware designs. This early example bears the William Moorcroft signature and
Category

Late 19th Century British Late Victorian Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Ceramic

Large William Moorcroft Arts & Crafts Ginger Jar in "Moonlit Blue, " circa 1925
By William Moorcroft
Located in Toronto, ONTARIO
glazed landscape pattern, "Moonlit Blue", designed by William Moorcroft, in 1922. The William
Category

1920s English Arts and Crafts Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Ceramic

William Moorcroft Vase
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
William Moorcroft for Liberty & Co Vase decorated int he Claremont design. Firing chip to foot rim
Category

Early 20th Century British Antique Moorcroft Designs

William Moorcroft Vase
William Moorcroft Vase
H 7.5 in W 6 in
William Moorcroft for MacIntyre Vase
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
William Moorcroft for MacIntyre Vase in the Lilac Florian design in Hesperian colourway WILLIAM
Category

Early 20th Century British Antique Moorcroft Designs

William Moorcroft for MacIntyre Vase
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
William Moorcroft for MacIntyre Vase decorated in Lilac design. Small restoration to rim
Category

Early 20th Century British Antique Moorcroft Designs

Antique William Moorcroft for Macintyre Blue Florian Ware Biscuit Barrel
By James Macintyre & Co., William Moorcroft
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A signed William Moorcroft Florian ware art pottery biscuit barrel with stylized floral decoration
Category

Early 20th Century English Art Nouveau Antique Moorcroft Designs

Materials

Silver Plate

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Antique Moorcroft Designs For Sale on 1stDibs

Find a variety of antique moorcroft designs available on 1stDibs. Each of these unique antique moorcroft designs was constructed with extraordinary care, often using ceramic, pottery and earthenware. There are all kinds of antique moorcroft designs available, from those produced as long ago as the 19th Century to those made as recently as the 20th Century. Art Nouveau, Arts and Crafts and Art Deco antique moorcroft designs are consistently popular styles.

How Much are Antique Moorcroft Designs?

The average selling price for at 1stDibs is $1,995, while they’re typically $397 on the low end and $5,212 highest priced.

William Moorcroft for sale on 1stDibs

William Moorcroft (1872–1945), the founder of the celebrated British art-pottery company that shares his last name, was both an aesthete and a technical innovator. Along with William de Morgan, he is regarded as one of the greatest ceramists of the Arts and Crafts movement, yet Moorcroft’s singular style is heavily inflected with the lush naturalism of the Art Nouveau school of art and design.

The son of a decorative pottery painter, Moorcroft was born in Staffordshire, the center of English ceramics-making, studied at the Wedgwood Institute and in 1897 joined the local pottery manufacturer James Macintyre & Co. as a designer. After a year, he was put in charge of the company’s art-pottery studio, and there he developed a new style of wares named “Florian,” made with a technique called tube-lining, or slip-trailing. In this method, decorative motifs are outlined with a thin, raised border produced by piping a thread of clay onto the body of a vessel — much like squeezing toothpaste from a tube.

Moorcroft, who took the unusual step of signing his ceramics, would go on to win numerous international awards. In 1913, backed by the London department store Liberty & Co., he left Macintyre to open his own workshop. Queen Mary, wife of King George V, gave Moorcroft her Royal Warrant in 1928. Shortly before he died in 1945, his son, Walter Moorcroft (1917–2002), took over as head of the firm. The pottery company is still in business in Staffordshire, with a design department headed by Rachel Bishop.

William Moorcroft’s ceramics are noted for their colorful, ebullient (and often slightly surreal) decorations depicting stylized natural forms — flowers, toadstools, fruit (pomegranate is a favorite among collectors), insects and landscapes. Most Moorcroft wares are finished with a glossy overglaze. Blue-and-white and pastel shades were generally used as underglazes on early Moorcroft pieces, and he later developed a rich, ruddy background glaze he called “flambé.”

Moorcroft art pottery has a rich, warm and inviting look — a comforting aesthetic that explains their enduring appeal.

Find antique and vintage William Moorcroft pottery, vases, serveware and more on 1stDibs.