| The history of the Poole Pottery can be | | | | of shapes, mixing angles and curves to create |
| traced back to 1873, when Jesse Carter | | | | completely new shapes, as well as variations |
| purchased the East Quay Pottery in Poole from | | | | on more traditional shapes.Alfred Read and |
| James Walker, after that gentleman's pottery | | | | Guy Sydenham were the driving force behind |
| business went bankrupt. Jesse Carter's | | | | this range of shapes, and many of the early |
| background was as a successful builders | | | | freeform patterns were also Alfred Read |
| merchant in Surrey, but he believed that the | | | | designs, with both Read and Sydenham being |
| architectural ceramics business offered a | | | | responsible for throwing the new shapes. Also |
| profitable future and determined to put all | | | | especially notable were the creative talents |
| his efforts into this. Moving to the area | | | | of Ruth Pavely and Ann Read. Responsible for |
| with his family, two of whom were to play a | | | | designing and applying many of the hand |
| major role in the future of the pottery, he | | | | painted patterns that were applied to Read |
| began to work. By the 1880s, Carter & Company | | | | and Sydenhams' shapes, Ruth Pavely was Head |
| had become very well established locally, | | | | of Painting at the Poole Pottery for many |
| overshadowing some longer established local | | | | years, and her mark can be seen on some of |
| companies and beginning to encroach on the | | | | the finest Poole Pottery pieces of the 1950s, |
| territory of some of the well known | | | | as can Ann Read's. Although John Adams had |
| Staffordshire potteries.At this time, the | | | | retired, many of his tableware shapes were |
| output of the Poole Pottery was revolved | | | | also still in use and gained a new lease of |
| around decorative tiling and other | | | | life with the application of free form |
| architectural pottery, such as fire | | | | patterns.Freeform proved to be just what the |
| surrounds. Carter & Co's wide range of | | | | doctor ordered for the Poole Pottery, and was |
| decorative tiles were being widely used in | | | | very successful throughout the 1950s. Today, |
| shops, pubs and hotels, as well as for | | | | fans of 1950s design are keen to collect |
| advertising and mosaic flooring.During this | | | | Poole Freeform shapes and the better examples |
| time two of Jesse Carter's sons, Charles and | | | | of these pieces command strong values.As the |
| Owen had begun working for the family | | | | 1950s came to a close, Poole Pottery was as |
| business, and when Jesse Carter retired in | | | | ever aware that changing times and fashions |
| 1901, control of the business fell the them. | | | | necessitated fresh creative ideas and looked |
| Over the next twenty years, the output of the | | | | to one of their newest designers, Robert |
| company changed to include a growing variety | | | | Jefferson, to lead this work. Jefferson was |
| of decorative wares, and the end result of | | | | experienced in the pottery industry, and as |
| this was the formation of Carter, Stabler & | | | | well as new design influences, he led the |
| Adams as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Carter | | | | implementation of more modern manufacturing |
| & Company in 1921. Harold and Phoebe Stabler | | | | techniques, essential if Poole were to remain |
| and John and Truda Adams brought between them | | | | popular and profitable.In the early 1960s a |
| a wealth of creative experience in design, | | | | new range of studio ware was released - the |
| modelling and decoration and the mission of | | | | Delphis range. This featured bold, colourful |
| the CSA company was to produce decorative and | | | | designs on new shapes created by Robert |
| table wares from the East Quay works in | | | | Jefferson and Tony Morris. The Delphis range |
| Poole.Over the next forty years, the Carter, | | | | proved popular and once more in keeping with |
| Stabler & Adams company proved very | | | | the spirit of the times and remained in |
| successful, producing a very wide variety of | | | | production, with many variations, until the |
| decorative and domestic wares. One of the | | | | mid-1970s. Delphis was then superseded by |
| most easily recognisable and successful CSA | | | | another bold and striking range, the Aegean |
| styles is that of the red earthenware body | | | | ware range. Leslie Elsden was one of the main |
| with a white slip ground and a clear glaze. | | | | creative forces behind this range, providing |
| This style was used until the mid-thirties, | | | | a fitting culmination to his 50 year career |
| when C.S.A. moved to using white clay bodies, | | | | at the Poole Pottery. Much of the Aegean |
| probably because they were more suitable for | | | | range was decorated using either the |
| tableware than the red earthenware bodies | | | | silhouette or sgraffito techniques, and the |
| were. The decorative pieces were all hand | | | | extensive use of browns, oranges and yellows |
| painted with patterns that were largely the | | | | gave the Aegean pieces a very distinctive |
| work of Truda Adams. These colourful and | | | | character. While some shapes were shared with |
| stylish patterns played a key part in the | | | | the Delphis and other ranges, both Delphis |
| success of CSA and have endured superbly, | | | | and Aegean ware have very distinctive and |
| still looking fresh and attractive today. | | | | easily recognisable characters.Poole Pottery |
| CSA's output during the 20s and 30s also | | | | continues to produce fine pottery from its |
| included a range of skilfully modelled | | | | factory in Poole today, but its survival in |
| pieces, often by Harold Stabler or John | | | | the 21st century has not been easy. In 2003 |
| Adams. Today these models have become highly | | | | the Poole Pottery was declared bankrupt, |
| collectable and hard to find in perfect | | | | eventually to be saved by a group of private |
| condition.As with all of the British pottery | | | | investors. An unfortunate consequence of the |
| industry, the Poole Pottery's output was | | | | bankruptcy was the sale of the entire |
| severely affected by the second world war. | | | | contents of the Poole Pottery's museum - |
| Whilst output was restricted by government | | | | while the Borough of Poole was able to buy |
| legislation to plain utility wares until the | | | | some of the contents of the museum at the |
| late 1940s, new ranges were being planned and | | | | resulting auction at Christies, much of it |
| the retirement or death of several key | | | | has now been dispersed to private collectors |
| figures such as Harold Stabler and John Adams | | | | and dealers from all over the world, |
| meant that it was time for an influx of fresh | | | | depriving future generations of the chance to |
| talent to Carter, Stabler & Adams.The ranges | | | | see what was probably the world's most |
| of white earthenware that had been so | | | | enviable collection of Poole Pottery.Today, |
| successful in the past had also become almost | | | | Poole Pottery seem to be finding a new |
| unmanageably complex, and these were now | | | | direction, with some innovative new ranges, |
| rationalised, to become known as Traditional | | | | including the first ever truely red tableware |
| ware, with three levels of decoration - | | | | (red glazes have historically not been safe |
| elaborate, medium and simple. Just as in | | | | to eat from). Time will tell if they can |
| their time, the Truda Adams designs had | | | | regain their place in the top echelon of |
| captured the fashions and styles of their | | | | British pottery companies.Perfect Pieces ( |
| time, something new was needed to reflect the | | | | specialises in British pottery from the last |
| new styles of the 1950s. Several new ranges | | | | 100 years, and has a wide selection of |
| were introduced, but by far the most striking | | | | pottery for sale as well as a large database |
| and successful were the Free Form range of | | | | of past stock, searchable by visitors.Visit |
| patterns and shapes. Poole Pottery freeform | | | | the Perfect Pieces website for more |
| was distinguished by a very modern new range | | | | information or to contact us. |