The Leach Pottery. St Ives

Seems Standard ware was even made back in the 40s

http://www.ceramike.com/LeachPottery/StandardWarePots/LeachStandardWare.asp

I've always assumed that those pieces stamped England indicated an earlier date (1940s), but I have nothing to back that up.

'standard ware' range was not developed until just before the war, when they issued the first mail order catalogue, and it grew into a great undertaking into the 1950s and 1960s, I suspected this is the date for these items. I have items at home with the england mark well into the seventies, so not sure on that one.

for the standard ware they had a team of potters, David leach as manager Bernard leach as chief quality controller and William Marshall as foreman, so it will be impossible to pin point a potter, although Bernard's distinct hand can sometimes be seen on some items

I met one of the apprentices, who worked at the pottery in the 1960s, and he told me that these ramekins or egg bakers, were the first thing that anyone new at the pottery was asked to make. They were sold separately from the "general purposes dishes" that you have. They continued to be in production into the 1970s and only stopped being made when Bernard died. Bernard insisted that the pottery continued to make the Standard Ware range but once he died Janet stopped production.

Has anybody got any pots with the St Ives mark on and David Leach's mark as well?

I have had the small stoneware Leach Pottery vase below for a number of years but have not been able to identify the potter.





As the vase seemed Japanese in style and the personal seal is a stylised A, I did think that it might have been by Atsuya Hamada, Shoji's third son, who was at the Leach Pottery in the 1950s. However, I did show it to Bill Marshall in the past and he didn't recognise the seal so it may well remain a mystery.

The vase is around 10 cm (4 inches) tall so not very large but my investment was only 50p.

Does anyone know what this second mark is? I know what it looks like and I would love to think that the two were meant to be together, as in fact they are. I was reading something on here about fakes made in Chinese prisons.

Looks like DL, presumably for David Leach

This is the pot. It looks pretty much like a Standard ware large tureen to me.
The inside green glaze is very familiar. But why and when would David Leach have put his mark on it?

big ed wrote:

Yes, Standard Ware, very like Big Ed's one, above.
I guess he marked it simply because he made it.

Yes exactly, I think it was David that was instrumental in starting this type of ware .

Heres a partial list of potters and pupils, but I don't see another DL or LD. Simplest thing may be to ask David Leach if it's his mark.

http://www.cornishceramics.com/pleach.htm

Well there are catalogue pages showing this 'stew pot' in the 40s and 50s. If it's David Leach's mark then presumably it was made while he was there in the 30-50s.

I read he was instrumental in introducing the standard ware when he came back in 1938 when he made a few changes at the pottery , I can see no reason at all to doubt it is his mark , maybe it's an earlier piece ,who knows , but for me it's ok Ld , St ives , noone else fits the bill   

I don't know if it is a mark used by David Leach or not but the spoon hole on your piece is something that I don't think I have seen on Standard Ware tureens.

Ed is correct about David developing the Standard Ware and it could be a prototype but I am only guessing.

http://www.ceramike.com/LeachPottery/StandardWarePots/LeachStandardWare.asp

some tureens /stew pots with spoon holes , various sizes

Thanks Ed - I suppose I don't take much notice of casseroles and their orifices!

However, it is interesting that Mike in the link says that he has used the 1946 and 1952 catalogues and the holes are not shown in a later catalogue that I have, so they seem to have been phased out at some point perhaps in the 1960s.

I tried this yesterday,and didn't get the photo up!
Any ideas on this St Ives item?

On and here is the bottom of it. Which just makes me think its fairly old.

Hi, bought this yesterday from a charity shop and wondering if anyone can supply any info regarding the maker. I think the seal/mark is an "S" but could be wrong.

Thanks

Roy

Looks very like a Leach one.

http://www.studiopottery.com/cgi-bin/pp.cgi?item=2952

Could the mark be the St Ives mark?
If you google 'Leach coffee pot' you'll see some more.

That's what I was thinking Naomi, I have had a look at a few websites and sent off pictures to a few to get their opinion. Didn't want to give out my opinion in case I was just being a bit hopeful lol.

http://www.ceramike.com/gallery.asp?potter=Leach%20Pottery

http://www.ceramike.com/gallery.asp?Potter=Leach%20Pottery&Pot=StIvesSmallCoffeePot

It looks like a Leach Pottery Standard Ware coffee pot to me.

Thanks Pots, that's what I was thinking myself. Picked it up for £2 in a charity shop that was having a clearance sale, had no idea of the origins when I bought it though.