I heard on the radio, as it was sending me off to sleep one night last week, that Moorcroft Pottery have gone into liquidation after 100 years in business. There are now very few pottery manufacturers still operating in the area of Staffordshire that once had so many it became known as 'The Potteries'.
Moorcroft say the rising costs of energy is the reason for them going out of business. 57 people have lost their jobs, several having worked there for over 30 years. So sad.
It was Easter Sunday 2023 that I found my one piece of Moorcroft at a boot sale for sale at a price I could afford. Looking on ebay now their cheapest bits are little pin dishes for the same price I paid for my 5 inch tall planter pot and their lamp bases start at £50 and go up and up.......and up.
I'm not keen on their modern pieces they are too fussy and complicated so I was pleased to own just the one older piece as it's something that features often on the 'Bargain Hunt' programme, and is very popular with many people.
There's more about the history of the company HERE.
And talking pottery there is one thing I'm looking for at car boot sales with no hope at all. From a factory still in business - Denby - I'd love to find a large size Denby Azure Coast mug to replace one that dropped into the sink and broke recently - ceramic on ceramic is probably the only way to break a piece of Denby, I reckoned that if I'd dropped it on the vinyl floor it might have stayed whole.
I bought 8 of these mugs back around 2005, I think, with some Christmas money. It was the first time I'd ever owned matching mugs and they've lasted all this time but no longer in production. From a boot sale a few years ago I did find a plain azure blue mug of the same shape but it's the only one I've ever seen. Crazy prices now on ebay, with many of them over in the US.
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| Azure Coast pattern on the left and plain Azure on the right. |
I'd very happily pay all the costs if anyone ever finds one going cheap somewhere !
Sorry to hear of the demise of the Moorcroft pottery. I would love to own a piece.
ReplyDeleteI was really excited when I found my piece at a boot sale, but don't need any more to dust!
DeleteI love Denby, it's ergonomic design make all their mugs such a joy to hold, and very comforting when full of hot chocolate during the winter! Had I my time over, my dinner service would be Denby, although I do also favour the deep dish style plates of Portmeirion which are great for food with a lot of sauce.
ReplyDeleteI love the shape of these mugs and their sturdiness - was so cross when I broke one.
DeleteI thought the snooker final was brilliant. The old and the new. Love listening to all the retired stars doing pundit jobs. And love the 3 presenters.
ReplyDeleteBack in 1985 my eldest daughter, aged 5, had tonsillitis and couldn’t sleep, and we watched Steve and Dennis’s black ball final together, in the wee small hours.
Read your blog every day, as well as others, but rarely comment. Ann T
Lovely to hear from you and I so agree with everything you say, I'm at a loss now after 2 weeks of Snooker to enjoy, will have to wait for tennis.
DeleteI'll keep an eye open for you Sue.
ReplyDeleteThank you probably not in an antique fayre yet! might be in 50 years though!
Deletehi sue, i live in america but will be back in england in about 2.5 weeks. we've got your derby azure coast mug for sale at denby, ebay, macy's, and replacements ltd, to name a few of the websites. i'd be happy to order as many mugs you need and put them in the post when we're over, just let us know!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Not sure how I would pay you - that would be the problem wouldn't like you to be out of pocket .
Deleteno need to worry about payment! if anything, i'd rather you make a donation to a local animal shelter or other sort of charity in lieu of payment to myself. have a think and just let me know if you see a mug at a particular online store and i'll be happy to help.
DeleteJust the one would be brilliant - thank you again.
Deletewhen you get the time, drop me a note at my email address to continue the conversation. LNDEMEYER (at) hotmail (dot) com
DeleteThat blue Denby is very attractive. I can understand you wanting to replace a broken piece, from comments above looks like you might be in luck.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
I really don't like the Butler sink - it's claimed too many things in 4 years, never had that problem with a shallower stainless steel one!
DeleteI have watched the snooker from the beginning. There were some very entertaining matches. I was so pleased to see Mark make a fight of it last night but he had just got too far behind. Looking forward to the test cricket season now.
ReplyDeleteJane (a regular reader)
All two weeks of snooker were brilliant . Now I shall look forward to tennis.
DeleteIt's a shame when an old, established company goes out of business, and sad for the local community, too.
ReplyDeleteI really like your piece of Moorcroft I'm not surprised it's sought after.
Moorcroft pottery often pops up on Bargain Hunt - some bits are very expensive
DeleteThere was an article about this in the New York Times last week and it made me very sad. I had hoped to get to Stoke-on-Trent to visit the potteries on my last trip and it didn't happen. I wonder if any will be left by the time I finally get back.I love your traditional piece -- the colors and pattern are beautiful and you're lucky to have it. Love your blue mugs, too!
ReplyDeleteI think there are a few Pottery companies hanging on - Denby is in Derbyshire now I think and Poole pottery isn't in Poole
DeleteThere's a Denby factory shop near us and we occasionally go to the cafe, so next time I'm there, I'll have a look for you. Xx
ReplyDeleteOh that would be good but I think it's been out of production for several years
DeleteI looked up "snooker" as I didn't know what it was and see that it is like billiards, right? Good luck with your mug hunt!
ReplyDeleteLike Billiards but more technical and very popular
DeleteYou could try China Search.
ReplyDeleteI'd not heard of that - will investigate
DeleteI'll definitely keep an eye out for your blue Denby mugs Sue, it won't clash with my preferred pieces as they are all green jugs. I'm still looking for a teeny, tiny one to go with my two bigger ones ... I dropped my little one and it lost the argument with the tiled floor AND chipped the tile on it's landing.
ReplyDeleteI still like your Moorcroft, although there's not much of their range that I do like. Do you usually have a plant in it?
Chipping a tile is even worse! Not so easy to replace.
DeleteThe Moorcroft is a bit too small for a plant - and anyway I'm hopeless with house plants, so it just sits there collecting dust!
I have the same large coffee mugs, bought 4 in about 2010. It is a lovely colour, sort of peaceful, but they are heavy when full.
ReplyDeleteI have some other mugs - not any particular design or make that are even bigger - for my frothy coffees. Luckily I can still lift them!
DeleteThere have been two companies go into liquidation here in the last few weeks. Both Moorcroft and Royal Stafford with quite a few job losses. When we moved here for my husband's work nearly thirty years ago now, most of the major potteries were still going strong but over the years, Royal Doulton, Spode and many others have closed down or moved production overseas. Wedgwood and Portmeirion still make some wares here. Churchill and Steelite produce wares mostly for the hospitality industries and Emma Bridgewater is still okay but recently job losses were mentioned. All very sad. I hope you can find a replacement mug. We sometimes pass through Denby on our way to Nottingham, there are so many designs there but I love the colour of your mug:)
ReplyDeleteAnother person who has it on their list of things to look out for.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beauty of a pot. So sad to hear how Moorcroft has closed. I do hope you can find your replacement Denby mug.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
It's sad to read about another old business going out of sale.
ReplyDeleteThe mug is something to search for at the boot sales. I hope you find one!
Try Facebook marketplace and set up a search to notify you? There are 4 brand new ones for £35 in Horley, for instance (they may be willing to split into 2 x 2, as they've already reduced the price, so it's clearly not a brand new listing) Louise
ReplyDeleteI have always wanted a Moorcroft clock but I think it's going to be an unfulfilled dream now, too expensive and will have rarity value as time goes by and the production has stopped. Lovely you bought something at a boot sale.
ReplyDeletePenny