Llangollen Studio Pottery (Wales)

Llangollen Pottery (1950-1980?) north Wales; the pottery certainly existed in 1951 - they were invited to have a stand at the town's Festival of Britain trade exhibition in June 1951 but this invite was declined. Founded by Rhys Powell and wife Jean it was one of the first studio potteries in Wales. Occupying premises at the Old Waterloo Forge, around 1953-54 moved to Regent Street until closure.
A former slaughter house, among the debris an old sheep's cradle was found, the profile of this was used as the trademark.

8" high
By the late 50's the pottery was floundering . Two young art school graduates Una dyer and Claire Litteboy took a gamble and cleared old debts and started a new enterprising free form style using local red "terra cotta" clay , the studio opened and flourished,5 or 6 local people were employed.

They won a number of design awards in the early 60's , one of their coffee sets was exhibited at the design centre manchester in 1966. the design was utilised by a number of major staffordshire potteries. by the end of the 60's the girls married and moved on . pottery purchased by Lloyd Thomas family till its closure.

11.5"
Work from the pottery is increasingly being collected early jean powell and the abstract work of misses Dyer and littleboy the most sought after , examples have appeared on "flog it" "bargain hunt" and "antiques roadshow", up to £10-£30 for late examples and £120= for powell/dyer/ littleboy pieces.

Some early wares were not always marked, same applies to experimental pieces by D and L .some have a made in wales mark , some stamped Langollen pottery , and some impressed just llangollen , rarer items powell pottery .

Information on the net is non existent about this small but underated pottery ,i tried for ages ,until Langollen museum put me in touch with Colin Hurst who supplied the info gleaned over the years from ex workers and local folks , the vases pictured are mine but similar ones are displayed in llangollen , So many thanks Colin .

11.75" high one of my favs , similar in green glaze in millers 2007 collectables Graham Cooley collection , tha..tha..that's all folks Ed

big ed wrote:

Wow.. this one is truely extraordinary..

Pics can only hint at what a pot is like,how it feels is quite important and how it looks in different light etc

early 1950's piece

rare bowl

Green glaze

1970's