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 Moorcroft pottery, vases, serveware and more on 1stDibs.
Moorcroft Pottery Hibiscus Heart Shaped Box with Lid, England
By Moorcroft Pottery
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Charming vintage ceramic box with lid features the Hibiscus pattern decor, with a striking red flower and yellow-green leaves hand-painted over a slightly raised relief. The soft sha...
Ceramic, Pottery
Signed Sara Sax Rookwood Pottery Lidded Rectangular Box
By Sara Sax, Rookwood Pottery Co.
Located in Cincinnati, OH
This gorgeous ceramic lidded rectangular box was made by Rookwood Pottery of Cincinnati, Ohio, and decorated by renowned artist, Sara Sax. Rookwood has long been recognized as one of...
Ceramic
$760Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 4.72 in W 5.71 in D 4.53 in
Wedgwood Jasperware lidded boxes serving bowls classicism Mid-Century England
By Wedgwood
Located in Wien, AT
The set of Wedgwood consists of three lidded boxes in different shape and design and two small serving bowls of which one can be used as an ashtray. All is made of the famous but r...
Ceramic
$250
H 2 in W 4.13 in D 4 in
Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. Clear Crystal Heart-Shaped Lidded Jewelry Box
By Elsa Peretti, Tiffany & Co.
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous modern clear crystal heart-shaped lidded jewelry box or trinket box By Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. Japan, Circa Late 20th Century Measures: 4.13"W x 4"D x 2"H. Very...
Crystal
Moorcroft Pottery Big Poppy Vase
By Moorcroft Pottery
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A large Moorcroft Pottery big poppy vase. Walter Moorcroft era. The base bears impressed marks and a blue glaze script Walter Moorcroft signature. ...
Pottery
Vintage Rose Chintz Egg Shaped Ceramic Trinket Box with Hinged Lid
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Vintage rose chintz egg shaped ceramic trinket box with hinged lid. This 20th century vintage ceramic egg (Trinket Box) stands on shaped legs, i...
Brown Box with Lid
By Cassigoli
Located in Milan, IT
Versatile and sophisticated, this elegant box is a precious addition to any modern or contemporary home. Crafted of wood, its rectangular silhouette and lid are covered by hand with ...
Leather, Wood, Plexiglass
Jasperware Wedgewood Heart-Shaped Trinket Blue & White Box
By Wedgewood
Located in Worcester Park, GB
Timeless and iconic, Wedgwood’s Jasperware trinket boxes are miniature works of art that blend classical beauty with everyday function. First developed in the 18th century by Josiah ...
Ceramic
$512
H 1.97 in W 3.94 in D 3.94 in L 1.97 in
Heart-shaped alabaster jewelry box with flower decorations 1960s
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Heart-shaped alabaster jewelry box with flower decorations 1960s
Alabaster
$6,950 / set
H 5 in W 10 in D 7.25 in
ANTOINETTE FARAGALLAH Decorative Sculptural Large Turquoise Pottery Lidded Box
Located in Miami, FL
Decorative pottery box designed by Antoinette Faragalla. This is a great decorative pottery lidded box created by the artist Antoinette Faragallah...
Enamel
Blue and White Ceramic Heart Shape Trinket Box with Lid by Wedgwood
By Wedgwood
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A beautiful ceramic heart shape trinket box by Wedgwood. This dish is in the Classic “Wedgwood blue” and features a Greek mythological scene on the top in white. A floral garland tri...
Ceramic
Arts & Crafts Brass Lidded Box Decorated with Tree Designs
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A stylish and quality Arts & Crafts lidded brass box decorated in low relief with stylized tree designs and dating from around 1900. This well-made quality box is of rectangula...
Brass
French Limoges Heart Shaped Floral Trinket Box
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Charming Vintage Limoges heart trinket box hand-painted. The underside of the box is marked Limoges France. This piece would certainly make a...
Gold, Brass
Heart-Shaped Zsolnay Lidded Box in Cream-Colored Porcelain with Flowers
Located in København, Copenhagen
Heart-shaped Zsolnay lidded box in cream-colored porcelain with hand-painted flowers, butterflies and gold decoration. Late 20th century. Measures: 12 x 6.5 cm. In excellent cond...
Porcelain
Alvino Bagni Lidded Box for Raymor, Mid-Century Modern Pottery
By Raymor, Alvino Bagni
Located in W Allenhurst, NJ
Ceramic lidded box with a low rectangular silhouette, finished in a vivid burnt-orange glaze accented by black stripes and raised yellow bands. The surface shows fluid glaze variatio...
Pottery
Vintage Rose Chintz Egg Shaped Ceramic Trinket Box with Hinged Lid
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Vintage rose Chintz egg shaped ceramic trinket box with hinged lid This 20th century vintage ceramic egg (Trinket Box) stands on shaped legs, it...