Tradition
Staffordshire Pottery
England · 17th century – present
Industry and art. Where the ceramic revolution began.
In the hills of central England, a region transformed from craft workshops to the world's ceramic factory.
Staffordshire became England's ceramic heartland for practical reasons: local clay, local coal for firing, and access to canal transport. By the 18th century, the region's 'Five Towns' hosted hundreds of potteries. Josiah Wedgwood revolutionized production there, applying scientific method to ceramics, developing jasperware, and pioneering industrial techniques. Staffordshire produced everything: slip-decorated folk pottery, fine porcelain, transfer-printed wares that brought decorated ceramics to ordinary households.
How do we balance efficiency with handcraft?
Techniques
- Industrial production
- Transfer printing
- Slip decoration
- Engine turning