Gray's Pottery Advertisements
In the 20th century, the British ceramic industry had two important monthly trade journals: The Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review (PG) and The Pottery and Glass Record (P&GR), which became Pottery and Glass (P&G) in 1944. These publications exist today under the name TableWare International, now owned and published by Lema Publishing Ltd of Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England. Due credit is given to that company for the advertisements which appear in this section. The images have been made possible with the notable assistance of the Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.
Gray’s Pottery is first advertised in 1915, some 2½ years after establishing its production base in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. There’s a flurry of adverts in 1919 and 1930, followed by just one in 1935 and then nothing until after the Second World War. Then, starting in January 1946, Gray’s Pottery features monthly, alternately, in PG and P&G until 1958. During 1959 and 1960 there is just one design of advertisement, promoting splash lustre products, and only appearing in PG. Three Portmeirion-inspired adverts, all based on a similar theme, appear in 1961 to be replaced by a Portmeirion Potteries advert proclaiming “formerly Grays Pottery” in February 1962.
Throughout the life of the company, Gray’s Pottery products appear regularly as part of editorial features or exhibition reports. These, together with the advertisements, kept buyers informed of the range on offer.
The advertisements in this section appear in order of their publication. Additionally, an advert can be selected by clicking on any of the following pattern numbers or names.
427 576 1798 1800 2284 2301 8312 A2911 A3189 A5410 A5561 A5855 A7338 A7894 A8261 A8391 A8403 A8404 A8464 A8474 A8481 A8489 A8496 A8497 A8526 A8551 A8552 A8603 A8649 A8656 A8665 A8666 A8667 A8669 A8670 A8671 A8672 A8673 A8674 A8676 A8677 A8678 A8692 A8724 A8990 A9010 A9123 A9252 D647
Ballet, Coaching Scenes, Dickensian Ladies, Dolphin, Gaiety Ware, Golden Diamond, Harmony, Hunting Scenes, Jacobean, Ludlow, Magnolia, Malachite, One o’clock, Portmeirion Rose, Splash lustre, Strawberry (BC), Strawberry (silver), Talisman, Tiger Lily, Tree (sepia & gold), Tudor Rose, Water Lily
The Pottery and Glass Record 1915
June page 22
The first known advertisement. Note AE Gray & Co (rather than the later Gray’s Pottery). The name Glebe Works harks back to the company’s origins in Back Glebe Street in another of the Potteries’ six towns: Stoke-upon-Trent.
The Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review 1919
1 February page 100
The 1922 British Industries Fair Guide
Image courtesy of www.gracesguide.co.uk
The British Institute of Industrial Art 1922 exhibition catalogue: Present Day Industrial Art.
Image courtesy ‘RIBA Collections’
The British Institute of Industrial Art 1929 Autumn Exhibition catalogue.
Image courtesy ‘RIBA Collections’
The Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review 1930
February page 163, March page 351, April page 511, May page 695
The London showrooms were opened in December 1929, initially run by AE Gray’s nephew John Gray. Note the name Grays Pottery features more prominently than AE Gray & Co. The slogan based on the theme ‘Pottery of Distinction’ was to be used for almost 30 years.
The Pottery and Glass Record 1935
September page 248
This advertisement incorporates Gray’s new Stoke-upon-Trent works’ address: Whieldon Road.
Pottery and Glass 1946
March page 30
This advertisement, together with four others created later the same year, are the only ones known to have incorporated an image of the company’s backstamp; the Clipper (mark N).
Pottery and Glass 1946
May page 28
The pattern is likely to be the lustre design A5410. See also the advert used between 1948 and 1950.
Pottery and Glass 1946
July page 13
The pattern is likely to be the lustre design A8261. See also the advert used between 1952 and 1954.
Pottery and Glass 1946
September page 12
The pattern advertised is A5855, a purple lustre resist pattern designed by SC Talbot and entered onto the national Design Council index.
Pottery and Glass 1946
November page 49
The pattern advertised is A7338, designed by SC Talbot, comprising a cerise print on an ivory or buff earthenware body with a centre hand-painted in cerise, lilac, pale yellow and spice brown.
Pottery and Glass 1946-1947
1946: January page 35
1947: January page 61
On this and all later advertisements the name AE Gray & Co no longer appears.
Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review 1947
April page 284, June page 459
Compare this to the advertisement for pattern A8403.
Pottery and Glass 1947-1948
1947: July page 18, November page 18
1948: March page 57
Slight changes exist in the text printed at the bottom left of the advertisement.
Pottery and Glass 1947-1949
1947: May page 14, September page 14
1948: January page 16, September page 16
1949: January page 20, May page 14, September page 67
Slight changes exist in the text printed at the bottom left of the advertisement.
Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review 1948
February page 159
Compare this to the advertisement for pattern A8404.
Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review 1948-1949
1948: June page 545, October page 929
1949: February page 120, May page 456, August page 816, December page 1418
Minor change with either [1] or [2] in bottom left.
© Lema Publishing Ltd.
Pottery and Glass 1948-1950
1948: May page 18, July page 22, November page 24
1949: March page 24, July page 60, November page 62
1950: January page 34
A similar advert appeared in May 1946 (see above)
From 1948 the Clipper backstamp is not included and a note is added: ‘painted in silver lustre and gold’. The pattern is likely to be the lustre design A5410.
Pottery and Glass 1950-1951
1950: March page 30, July page 38, November page 28
1951: March page 26, July page 40, November page 46
Note that Ludlow pattern, number A8692, came in a range of different groundlayed colours.
Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review 1950-1951
1950: April page 506, August page 1148, December page 1811
1951: April page 518, August page 1184, December page 1835
The plate is decorated in one of several versions of the Magnolia patterns, in this case number A8674. The silver vine-based pattern is number A8656.
Pottery and Glass 1950-1952
1950: May page 42, September page 42
1951: January page 26, May page 24, September page 40
1952: January page 46
This advertisement promotes six patterns, each in either silver or copper (bronze) lustre. (Left to right, top to bottom, silver/copper: A8672/A8673, A8603/A8676, A8667/A8677, A8671/A8678, A8669/A8670, A8665/A8666)
Pottery and Glass 1952-1954
1952: May page 47, September page 34
1953: January page xliii, May page xxviii, September page xl
1954: January page xxx
A similar advert appeared in July 1946 (see above)
From 1952 the Clipper backstamp is not included and a note is added: ‘Strawberry finish in silver or bronze lustre’. The pattern is likely to be the lustre design A8261.
Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review 1952-1956
1952: April page 520, August page 1230, December page 1834
1953: April page 494, August page 1110, December page 1748
1954: April page 506, August page 1108, December page 1738
1955: April page 540, (August page 1170), December page 1810
1956: April page 546
A8990. The August 1955 advertisement has an illustration of A9010!
Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review 1952-1956
1952: June page 866, October page 1544
1953: February page 188, June page 812, October page 1438
1954: February page 205, June page 812, October page 1424
1955: February page 212, June page 874, October page 1496
1956: February page 210, June page 842
Minor change with either [1] or [3] in bottom left.
Pottery and Glass 1952-1958
1952: July page 38, November page 46
1953: March page xli, July page xxviii, November page xxxii
1954: March page xxxviii, May page xxx, July page xxxiv, September page xxxvi, November page xxxii
1955: May page xxxix, July page xxxvi, September page xxxvi, November page xxxv
1956: March page xxxvi, May page xxxiii, July page xxxviii, September page lvi
1957: Jan page lxiv, March page xxx, May page xxii, July page xxxii, September page xxviii, November page xxviii
1958: March page xxxvi, May page xviii, July page xiv, September page xxxiv
A9123 is the copper/bronze lustre version of this pattern, A9252 the silver.
Decorative Art 1954-1955, The Studio Ltd
Reference AD143
Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review 1955
September page 1302
The Susie Cooper pattern 8312, called Harmony, supplied to Harrods among others, was created in 1929.
Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review 1956-1957
1956: August page 1118, October page 1412, December page 1694
1957: February page 200, April page 472, August page 986, December page 1502
Gray’s London agent’s details were added to this advertisement from April 1957. D647 was named Gaiety Ware in 1959.
Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review 1958
February page 208, April page 458, June page 704, September page 1074
A feature in Pottery and Glass (Jan 1958 page 3) refers to this pattern as ‘Ballet’.
Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review 1958-1960
1958: November page 1308
1959: January page 75, March page 334, May page 566, July page 816, September page 1032, November page 1286
1960: January page 64, March page 346, May page 574, July page 861, September page 1098, November page 1338
A range of splash (‘Sunderland’) lustre patterns is illustrated. The London agent reference does not appear from March 1960.
Pottery and Glass, Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review 1961
P&G: February pages 114/5
PG: February pages 200/201, March page 323 and page 348
The first of the Portmeirion-influenced advertisements. Note the introduction of glassware. The March advertisement excludes reference to the Blackpool Fair. Dolphin is also publicised with other designs: see Golden Diamond and Tiger Lily.
Pottery and Glass 1961
June pages 434/5
A double-page spread with the Swedish glass range equally prominent. Golden Diamond is also publicised with other designs: see Dolphin and Tiger Lily.
Pottery and Glass, Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review 1961
P&G: August pages 605/7
PG: September pages 1064/5
This advertisement reflects the purchase of Kirkhams pottery earlier in the year. The Pottery Gazette version excludes the page on glassware. This is the last advert in Gray’s name.
Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review 1962
February pages 244/7
Note the reference on page 246: Portmeirion Potteries Ltd (formerly Grays Pottery).
Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review Reference Book and Directory 1962
Annual reference books/directories tend to be prepared a year in advance; this may account for the ‘late’ use of the name Gray’s Pottery. Malachite is also publicised with other designs: see Dolphin and Golden Diamond.