Ambleside Pottery

That’s right George Cook was often criticised by the more establishment potters with his techniques and colours used….I for one champion him for not conforming to cream on brown….and for ploughing his own path….under rated still but not for too much longer….

Ambleside pottery slipware tankards with the much derided colours shown to great effect.Noting the two different shapes and the little thumb stop to the handle of two of the tankards but not the other.All signed Ambleside and “cook” period 1948/68

A selection of the scarce Ambleside pottery slipware egg cups.I have a large collection of Ambleside egg cups but only 9 are slipware.All signed or incised Ambleside all “cook” period 1948/68 again showing his much derided colours.More power to him I say.

Not seen a single slipware eggcup come up on Ebay. Not slipware. Very unusual. The blue goblet is not my fav, but the black two are very strong decorations, not a fan of that tapering base - looks impractical? Do they dink OK?

The eggs cups are scarce items but do come up sometimes….the tankards are nicer in the hand than the images.The off shape and tapered base of two of them is their charm but they are all stable and fit for purpose.I would imagine they were all used and thus got binned once chipped etc….

A George cook piece from the Ambleside pottery.Fully marked for both the pottery and himself.A classic piece of his sgraffito work.I prefer his work over the Jackson period pieces for several reasons one being the more simplistic but equally effective work.

A more complex even experimental piece from George Cook at his Ambleside pottery.The vase is wax resist overlaid with a white enamel and fired on a brown base.


The effect being most unusual and not something I have seen on a vase before but I have seen it on slab pieces.Fully marked for Cook and Ambleside.A lovely piece.

Lovely - the cook pieces have that gritty, dirty, spontaneous feel, love them. So not seen much wax resist - assuming its unusual? Did Jackson do any?

I wish there was a good book

I couldn’t have described his pieces better…..He would go over mistakes and carry on….Jackson’s were much more refined and definitely produced much more crisp and accurate sgraffito work…The only other good wax resist work signed by cook that I know of belongs to you now I have never seen any that I would say was Jackson…

A rare advertisement for Ambleside pottery I though the board like like to see and look at the sheer variety of the work George Cook produced at the pottery…..

Brian - I adjusted it and reposted larger. When you see all these old photos of what are clearly top pieces at the time (they would not have photographed the rubbish) I can't help but wonder where they are now, probably lucky is just one survives.

Scarce things for sure and now highly sought after by a few of us…..here is another beauty almost certainly cook period and shows just how good he was at his trade

And this little beauty again almost certainly cook period

And last one for today a wonderful sauce boat with fish most prob for a fish sauce…..

Yeah that top bowl, such confident throwing rings and lovely shape flared but tapering in. I even like the wonky top lip.

It’s a beautiful thing and the wonky top is what makes it even better…..watch this space….

Following on from my previous post showing a large bowl which was stated “cook” period here is a larger bowl with resist decoration which is marked “cook” in his distinctive chiselled style….Early most likely 50s

l love the foot and the outside throwing rings on that one. Wonky top and all those bubble imperfections in the glaze all add to the grittiness of it.

I wonder if it's by Tom Westman on Skye. He has a similar T mark, but not seen him do slipware

Hi….it’s a piece of Ambleside slipware….I have had that design before and the slightly angled top which nips under is classic as are the 3 base stilt marks….Have you tilted the base in strong light the mark is often very faint on theses pieces.

Latest addition to my personal collection of Eva Mackay Ambleside pottery.Eva had an interesting relationship with George Cook which is why I collect her work along with the hand painted output and early Cook.

Wonderful group of Ambleside slipware from a private source showing some really nice pieces.There are very distinctive.The lamp base carries the rare sticker from the Ambleside pottery.And 4 different sizes of the same shape vase….happy days.

What is you opinion of the slipware? I have to say it is not my favorite form his work