Carlton Ware, Worcester Birds pattern

Among the most popular of the English porcelain factories among collectors is Royal Worcester. The Worcester porcelain company was founded in 1751.

The First Period of Worcester (1751-76) is sometimes called the Dr. Wall period after John Wall, one of the founders and major shareholders. During this period, Worcester was using the formula for soft paste porcelain which was obtained when they took over Lund's Bristol Porcelain works in 1752.

Worcester also introduced the use of transfer printing on porcelain in 1757, which reduced the need for hand painting which was time consuming and expensive.

In 1783 Thomas more... Flight purchased the factory for his sons Joseph & John. This period led to a change in the porcelain paste used, achieving a much better, whiter body. The style of decoration during this period became much more neoclassical in style.

In 1793 Martin Barr became a partner in the firm. As the partnership changed so did the names, Barr, Flight, Barr (1807-13), Flight Barr, Barr (1813-40).

In 1840 Worcester amalgamated with the Chamberlains' factory, also located at Worcester, but still producing from both works. Worcester eventually moved its entire operations into the more up to date Chamberlain's factory in 1847, becoming known as Chamberlain's Worcester. In 1852 W.H. Kerr joined the firm, which was renamed Kerr & Binns.

In 1862, it was renamed the Royal Worcester Porcelain Company, and more everyday works were produced.

In 1976 the company merged with Spode and the company reduced its staff from 2003 to 2005, with the company going into administration in 2008 and then ceasing trading in 2009. The trading name and brands (including Spode), but not the factories in Stoke-on-Trent, were acquired by Portmeiron Pottery Group. less...

The Carlton Ware works were set up about 1890 by James Frederick Wiltshaw, James Alcock Robinson & William Herbert Robinson in Stoke-on-Trent, and Carlton Ware was adopted as a trade name in 1894.

About 1890 the company introduced its "Blush Ware" range, with floral designs on delicate pastel coloured backgrounds, sometimes with gilded additions.

In 1911 the partnership was dissolved and James Frederick Wiltshaw became the sole proprietor.

During the 1920s, the company became known for its Art Deco lustre wares, which command high prices today.

Many of the patterns were of imaginative geometric and stylised floral designs, more... some using Egyptian and oriental influences, such as the highly collectable ‘Tutenkahmen’ and ‘Mikado’ ranges.

The "Handcraft" range introduced in 1928 offered modern freehand painted designs with matt glazes which distinguished them from other manufacturers of the time using similar designs.

Other later collectable areas of Carlton Ware are the high-lustre table ware in the "Royale" brand, including Bleu Royale and Rouge Royale introduced in 1949 and continuing through to the early 1970s, advertising wares, particularly those displaying the Guinness name, and the Walking Ware range of the 1970s, which was the company's last great success.

In 1966, following the death of Cuthbert Wiltshaw, the company was sold to Arthur Wood & Sons and continued to trade until it developed serious financial difficulties in the late 1980s, forcing it into receivership in 1989, resulting in it finally closing in 1992.

In 1997 the company's intellectual property and moulds were purchased by FJ Publications, which now produces objects for the collector's market. less...