Late 19th century Martin Brothers studio pottery

Martin Brothers Studio Ceramics was a British pottery established by Robert Wallace Martin and his brothers in 1873. The studio gained a reputation for producing innovative, quirky, and highly detailed ceramics, often featuring grotesque and comical characters.

Robert Martin, along with his brothers Charles, Edwin, and Walter, commenced pottery production in their father's stoneware factory in Fulham, London. They experimented with glazes and textures, creating unique designs that drew inspiration from a wide range of sources, including medieval art, Japanese ceramics, and the natural world.

Their most famous pieces are the "Wally Birds", which were sculptural birds with distinctive beaks and quirky expressions. The Martin Brothers also produced other animal-inspired sculptures, such as lizards, fish, and frogs, which were often designed as vases or jugs.

The Martin Brothers' pottery was highly sought after by collectors and influential figures of the time, including the writer Oscar Wilde, who was more... a fan of their work. The studio's success was also due to their exceptional craftsmanship, which involved using traditional techniques, such as hand-thrown and hand-carved stoneware and firing their pieces in a large kiln.

The Martin Brothers' studio closed in 1914, and their work fell out of fashion for several decades. However, in the 1960s, their work began to gain renewed interest among collectors and art enthusiasts, and today, their pieces are highly prized and can sell for significant sums at auction. The Martin Brothers' legacy continues to inspire contemporary ceramic artists, who are drawn to their unique and playful approach to ceramics. less...