Carlton Ware - A 20th Century Success
Although the Carlton Ware company failed in the end, for most of its life it was one of the great success stories of the 20th century leaving a legacy of very collectable pottery and porcelain including the famous Guiness Toucan.

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There is more to collecting 20th century ceramics than Clarice Cliff and Susie Cooper. One of the growing areas of interest is Carlton Ware, popular with collectors for many years. Its strong, sometimes quirky, designs fit in well with 21st century tastes.

Carlton Ware's Early History
Carlton Ware began as the pottery company, Wiltshaw and Robinson in 1890 and was owned by the same family for 75 years. Three men started the company, James Wiltshaw and the brothers James and Herbert Robinson. The Robinsons only stayed in the company until 1911, after that James Wiltshaw ran it with his son Frederick Cuthbert.

During the early years, in the late 19th and early 20th century, the factory produced good quality earthenware including Blush Ware, very like designs made by Royal Worcester, and other ceramics in similar styles to products from Wedgwood.

In the last quarter of the 19th century W.H. Goss had started making crested souvenir ware and by the beginning of the 20th century, it had become immensely popular and so Wiltshaw and Robinson jumped on the bandwagon, at the turn of the century, with their own version. This was made in porcelain rather than earthenware and laid the foundations for a take-over, in the 1930s, of a porcelain making company and the production of high quality bone china products. Currently Carlton crested ware can be bought from a dealer for as little as £20 or £30 although some pieces like a figure of a Munitions Girl costs £300.

After the split with the Robinson family, a new designer, Horace Wain, was employed to produce fresh product ranges. He introduced designs with a chinoiserie theme and then, during the First World War, more restrained designs to reflect the tragic times. These included pieces with black backgrounds and sombre Japanese inspired cloisoneé.

The Introduction of Lustre Ware
In 1918 James Wiltshaw was killed in a railway accident and his son Frederick Cuthbert took over. Still a young man, he was in tune with the post-war mood and fashions and so the company began to produce stunning new designs that were highly fashionable. They produced their own version of brightly coloured lustre ware and, because it was produced more economically than true lustre ware, Wiltshaw and Robinson called it ‘lustrous’ instead of ‘lustre’. Small Carlton Ware lustre bowls can still be bought for as little as £25.

The Postwar Decline of Carlton Ware
During the 1920s, the company produced ranges of Art Deco designs and then the discovery of Tutankamun’s tomb led to Egyptian-themed designs that are now very collectable. During the Second World War, production was confined to utility ware but planning for the future took place with the installation of new kilns. Because of the continued emphasis on high quality and keeping in touch with current trends and fashions, Wiltshaw and Robinson’s success continued. In 1958 they changed their name to Carlton Ware Ltd. Unfortunately Frederick Cuthbert Wiltshaw died in 1966 and the company was sold. Its sales declined and it was sold several times. The only really successful items produced during this period were the ‘Walking Wares’ in the 1980s. These were cups, teapots and other objects standing on small legs that looked as if they were in caught in the middle of taking a step.

Even the success of this range could not save the company and production stopped completely in 1992 until Francis Joseph bought the name and some of the old moulds. Now a selection of past ranges is being made again.

Carlton Ware has left a wonderful legacy of beautiful and also amusing objects for collectors. These include promotional items like the Guinness Toucan, novelty cruets like Lily Pink, Walking Ware, the beautiful Rouge Royale, the embossed floral range and lustre ware.

New collectors in particular should exercise great care buying Carlton Ware because its long period of popularity has led to many fakes being made. This is especially true of special pieces like the Guinness toucan. Prices can range from as little as £5 right up to thousands depending on the piece and its condition. The good news is that occasionally Carlton Ware can still be found in carboot sales and charity shops so collectors need to keep their eyes open.

(This article first appeared in the UK monthly magazine What's It Worth?)

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Copyright © 2005 Carol Fisher