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.
Moorcroft Pottery English Arts and Crafts Floral Pottery Lamp
By William Moorcroft, Moorcroft Pottery
Located in New Windsor, NY
Beautifully hand decorated and colorful Moorcroft Pottery table lamp. Decorated with lilies, poppies and other flora. Moorcroft pottery, known for its vibrant, hand-painted designs, ...
Pottery
Arts & Crafts Lamp
By Arts and Crafts Company
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Arts and Crafts style table lamp, made of silver-plated bronze with fabric shade. England, CIRCA 1900.
Bronze
Arts and Crafts Green Slag Glass and Cast Iron Table Lamp
Located in Dekalb, IL
Arts and Crafts table lamp featuring a substantial cast iron framework fitted with vibrant green slag glass panels throughout both the shade and lower standard. The geometric design ...
Cast Iron
Arts and Crafts Tiffany Style Green Slag Lamp
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This lamp is a wonderful example of the Arts and Crafts style. With it's striking green slag glass and hard straight lines it stands out in any space. Please confirm location with v...
Metal
Early Arts and Crafts Bronze Lamp Base by Handel
Located in Buffalo, NY
Early Arts and Crafts bronze lamp base by Handel, wonderful verde patina, Classic form. Retains raised Handel mark.
Bronze
Antique Awaji Pottery Arts & Crafts Green Brown Drip Glaze Lamp
By Awaji Pottery
Located in Wilton, CT
Antique Awaji Pottery Arts and Crafts drip glaze table lamp. With super rich and serendipitous green flowing into brown glaze. Converted from kerosene. The original kerosene copper r...
Pottery
$2,743 / set
H 13 in W 6 in D 6 in
A Pair of Arts and Crafts Silver Plated Table Lamps With Stylised Floral Details
Located in London, GB
A pair of Arts and Crafts silver plated table lamps with stylised floral designs growing up from the base towards the neck.
Silver Plate
$2,750
H 26.88 in Dm 6 in
Moorcroft Art Pottery 'Fuchsia' Footed Lamp with Lightolier Glass Reflector Bowl
By Moorcroft Pottery, Lightolier
Located in Cincinnati, OH
This striking English art pottery lamp was made by the renowned Moorcroft Pottery company of Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Initially with James Macintyre & Co., innovative ceramist William Moorcroft founded his own firm in 1913. Underwritten by retailer Liberty London, the company went from strength to strength and was granted a Royal Warrant by Queen Mary in 1928, leading them to include the phrase ‘Potter To HM The Queen’ on their paper labels as well as in their impressed marks. William's son Walter joined the firm in 1935 and took over management and design responsibilities upon the death of his father in 1945. Moorcroft remains in business today with early pieces by William and Walter being particularly sought after. This Walter Moorcroft signed lamp has a traditional pear or bottle vase form which has been decorated in the 'Fuchsia' pattern. The body of the lamp has a variegated blue/blue-green background featuring Moorcroft's distinctive slip-trailing technique. The leaves and blossoms have been finished in bright jewel tones. The body of the lamp has been joined to a metal base having a milgrain edge and four scrolling feet. The top of the lamp has a simple metal cap topped by a decorative foliate band. The piece retains its original Lightolier reflector bowl, patented by Jacob Samuel Hamel in March of 1950. The reflector bowl has a frosted body which attaches to the lamp by Virtue of three screws. The lamp comes complete with a silk shade manufactured by Royal Knight...
Metal
$1,250
H 14.5 in Dm 12 in
Arts & Crafts Period Heintz Metal Arts Designed Bronze Floral Boudoir Table Lamp
By Heintz Art Metal Shop
Located in St. Louis, MO
Arts & Crafts period Heintz Art Metal Shop, Buffalo, NY (1906-1930), bronze boudoir table lamp with pierced floral metal shade. Bulbous base with floral overlay decoration, single so...
Bronze
Japanese Matte Glaze Arts and Crafts Pottery Lamp
Located in New York, NY
Lovely matte glaze Arts and Crafts pottery lamp with Mount Fuji motif. The design is unique all the way around the lamp in colors of pale peach...
Pottery
Arts and Crafts Beaten Copper Table Lamp
Located in Altrincham, GB
Arts and Crafts Beaten Copper Stick Stand converted to a Table Lamp - 16" diam x 36"h - The lampshade(s) are newly handmade silks by the same maker as provides the shades for Downton...
Copper
Antique English Arts and Crafts Brass Oil Lamp, circa 1885
Located in Nottingham, GB
Matador Arts and Crafts Brass Oil Lamp, circa 1885–1895 Material: Brass A decorative late 19th-century Arts and Crafts oil lamp by Matador, dating from circa 1885–1895 and construc...
Brass
Antique Awaji Pottery Double Dragon Arts and Crafts Green Lamp
By Awaji Pottery
Located in Wilton, CT
Antique Awaji pottery dragon lamp in green monochrome glaze, circa 1920's. With two dragons curling around the shoulder, their backs forming two "handles." Lively design with vibrant...
Pottery
An Arts and Crafts copper table lamp professionally rewired
Located in London, GB
An Arts and Crafts copper table lamp professionally rewired.
Copper
W. A. S. Benson Arts & Crafts copper & brass lamp
By W.A.S. Benson
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
Stylish original Arts & Crafts brass & copper converted oil lamp by W. A. S. Benson.
Brass
Antique Arts & Crafts Wicker / Rattan Table Lamp
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Exceptional antique Arts & Craft table lamp fabricated in wicker - rattan. Round base that leads into a column of coiled wicker - rattan with antique brass hardware / harp with dome shade. Newly fabricated pleated shade interior in beige pongee silk with antique brass finial...
Wicker, Rattan
Pair of Moorcroft English Art Pottery Lamps
By William Moorcroft, Moorcroft Pottery
Located in New Windsor, NY
Pair of Moorcroft English art pottery floral lamps. Excellent pair of Moorcroft pots decorated in a floral "sqeezebag or tubelined" technique, circ...
Ceramic, Pottery
Sold
H 11.42 in W 3.94 in D 3.94 in
Pair of Vintage Moorcroft Vase Lamps Fully Restored and Converted Lovely, Pair
By William Moorcroft, Moorcroft Pottery
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely pair of matching Moorcroft vase lamps fresh from full restoration A very good looking and well-made pair, they came to me as lamps h...
Porcelain
William Moorcroft Pottery Pomegranate Table Lamp
By William Moorcroft
Located in Montreal, QC
A stunning large William Moorcroft Pottery pomegranate baluster vase mounted as a table lamp, circa 1925. Decorated in a classic Moorcroft pattern, featuring five pomegranate fruits ...
Pottery