Meet the Team

Hand Throwing
Many of our larger items are entirely hand made by Bob Allen. He used a specially prepared clay to form the pieces on the throwing wheel a skill which takes many years to perfect.

Large bowls and jugs are most suited to this process along with the handles which are extruded using a device called a wad box which forms long strips of clay that are cut to size and shaped to form handles.

Sponger Fettlers
When the cast ware is dry it will require finishing by Doreen and Alison. This entails removing the seam lines left behind by the joins in the moulds which forms the shape, this is done using a very sharp tungsten blade.

After fettling the items are sponged, this is to remove imperfections and sharp edges as well as refining the shape especially on teapot spouts and jugs.



 

The Decorating Department
After the items are finished they require their first of two/three firings which is called the biscuit fire. This takes the ware to a temperature of around 800'C and leaves the ware hard but still porous and perfect for decorating by Juliet, Karen, and Mandy.

We use specially cut sponges to decorate our ware which is why this traditional type of pottery is known as sponge ware and has been produced in Staffordshire for over three hundred years. The process is similar to potato printing in that the sponge is dipped into ceramic colours and then carefully stamped onto the ware to form very simple or complex designs as required.

After decorating the pottery is dipped in a clear glass glaze and re-fired to 1150'C over a 24 hour period.