Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester

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Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Empty Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester

Post by hercules brabazon August 22nd 2016, 2:36 pm

The enigmatic Fen Pottery. I think Geoffrey Godden in his encyclopaedia of marks indicates it was in existence from the early 1950s,
but that he would would like further information.  A survey of the local economy in Huntingdon from around that time (no longer available online) briefly mentions a Fen Pottery in the town, and I have occasionally seen sellers mention Huntingdon in their descriptions.

The examples I've seen have all been in white earthenware, with simple banded decoration. The glaze seems prone to cracking and staining, but this rather thickly glazed one has survived in unusually good condition. The mark, barely legible here, reads "FEN HAND MADE ENGLAND".

Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Dscf3610

Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Dscf3611


Last edited by NaomiM on November 14th 2022, 2:57 pm; edited 4 times in total (Reason for editing : full title)
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Post by hercules brabazon June 30th 2017, 4:29 pm

My other piece:

Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Dscf4822

Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Dscf4823

I've also seen a FEN child's mug, decorated with a steam train in the most abject manner imaginable.
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Post by Bitsnbobs October 4th 2018, 6:21 pm

Hello!
Please can anyone shed any light on this Fen pottery vase? Info on the pottery is quite scarce! Is it Studio Pottery?
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Post by Bitsnbobs October 4th 2018, 6:27 pm

Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  B047f910
Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  A567fc10
Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Dc37cd10
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Post by NaomiM October 4th 2018, 7:06 pm

Pots stamped ENGLAND are rarely studio pottery, because they’re usually mass produced wares and stamped for export. Hand made indicates it’s hand thrown and or decorated by hand at the factory, but studio potters don’t need to say that; it’s self evident.

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Post by Bitsnbobs October 4th 2018, 7:09 pm

Thank you. This vase is hand thrown & hand decorated that’s what was confusing me!
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Post by NaomiM October 4th 2018, 7:12 pm

Bitsnbobs wrote:Thank you.  This vase is hand thrown & hand decorated that’s what was confusing me!

Many production pieces are handmade, eg, Poole pottery is hand thrown and hand decorated but the throwers and decorators are employed by the company. A studio potter will do all the processes by themselves.

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Post by Bitsnbobs October 4th 2018, 7:14 pm

Ah, I see now! My ignorance is reducing! Thanks to you!
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Post by hercules brabazon October 6th 2018, 12:14 pm

A Google books search for "Fen Pottery" "Huntingdon" indicates that it was active as early as 1949.
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Post by Bitsnbobs October 6th 2018, 1:39 pm

Thanks for info! Wonder how Fen pottery can be dated??
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Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Empty Fen Pottery Jug?

Post by Othnin August 16th 2020, 1:00 pm

Just wondering if this is a Fen Pottery Huntingdon jug? There are no markings on the base. Thank youGeoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  20200820
Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  20200821
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Post by studio-pots August 16th 2020, 5:49 pm

Looking at the other examples here then I would say it is. It would have been easy to forget to stamp it.

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Post by Othnin August 16th 2020, 10:10 pm

Thank you for this
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Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Empty Egg cups, striped - England 1960s-ish - Fen pottery

Post by benwilliams October 23rd 2020, 1:32 pm

1960s or 50s style egg cups
Marks seem to say HAND MADE ENGLAND
But what is the mark at the top?
Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  006bc010
Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  B24e4110


Last edited by denbydump on October 23rd 2020, 8:32 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : pos ID)
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Post by philpot October 23rd 2020, 3:24 pm

The decoration is reminiscent of Jo Lester and various pupils on the Isle of Wight. They had a fair number of stamps between them.
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Post by denbydump October 23rd 2020, 3:42 pm

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Post by benwilliams October 23rd 2020, 5:26 pm

Denby, well done! Maybe there’s a Fen Pottery eggcup collector waiting for these! Thank you
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Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Empty Geoffrey Curran - Fen Pottery

Post by curranhung November 14th 2022, 11:18 am

Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Geoffr15

My father-in-law, Geoffrey Curran, was the founder of Fen Pottery, which he started shortly after de-mobilisation following the end of WWII. The post-war Labour government gave grants and subsidies for new business ventures started by ex-servicemen to help them settle in civilian life. Geoffrey Curran sold the business in the early 1950s but it folded soon after when the Conservative government stopped the grants and subsidies.

The attachments are from a book on Liberty's (the London store) which stocked Fen Pottery products.

We also have Fen Pottery pots but none are as nice as the ones which other people have posted here. We have only the "seconds" or "rejects".
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Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Empty Geoffrey Curran - Fen Pottery - another attachment

Post by curranhung November 14th 2022, 11:21 am

Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Geoffr17


The second attachment didn't load in my last message so I'm posting it separately.
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Post by studio-pots November 14th 2022, 11:40 am

Many thanks for that information because the Pottery has always been one where information is lacking.

As an aside you should be proud that your father-in-law's name was spelt correct in the book and Lucie Rie's name was not!!

Although this type of pottery isn't something central to my current interest, I do have a small jug here on my office shelf that I will photograph and add below.

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Post by NaomiM November 14th 2022, 2:53 pm

That's great info, thank you Most Excellent

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Post by studio-pots November 14th 2022, 4:41 pm

The jug that stands of the shelf in my office.

Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Fen_ju10

and the base

Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Fen_ba10

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Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Empty Geoffrey Curran when a young man

Post by curranhung November 16th 2022, 10:24 am

This is a photo of Geoffrey Curran pre-WWII.  We have a photo of him in his RAF uniform during the war, but I can't find it, but this will give some idea of what he looked like.

Geoffrey Curran, Fen Pottery, Godmanchester  Geoffr18

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