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Coalport Bone China - A Potted HistoryCoalport Bone China - Founded 1795 Shropshire, England by John Rose - later moved to Stoke-on-Trent. 
In Shropshire on the river Severn, a run-of-the-mill works called Caughley Porcelain was producing pottery at least as far back as the 1750’s. It was owned by Squire Brown of Caughley Hall, but run by John Rose, a purposeful and exacting individual. Rose had the foresight to bring in expert Thomas Turner in 1772, known as a top engraver and innovative designer. The Company was known mainly for producing Cabbage Leaf Mask Head jugs (‘Dutch mugs’). By 1775 Turner was producing porcelain, but not bone china (it was yet to be invented), seeking inspiration from the classy European makers, emulating Chinese blue and white. John Rose left in the 1790’s to set up his own works. This works was set up near a docking area, known locally known as Coalport – not an actual village or town at that point in time. When Turner fell ill, Rose bought the Caughley works from the squire. John Rose’s big vision was to produce the highest quality bone china with the most brilliant colours possible. One of the most famous of the early patterns is 'Indian Tree' first produced in 1801. Rose is truly a leading figure in the area of antique bone china - more significant than names the public might associate with antique bone china such as Wegdwood or Doulton. Wedgwood was a developer who died before bone china had been invented, Doulton an entrepreneur who made his fortune from sewerage pipes. 
Coalport produced a range named Coalbrookdale Ware between c.1820-1840. This range was particularly noted for its intricate hand-made flowers – a tradition that continues to this day with the elegant lady figurines that I am lucky to sculpt for them (I don’t sculpt the flowers on the production pieces – they are still all done by hand by specialist artists in the Coalport studio). return from Coalport Bone China to homepage or alternatively back to Antique Bone China
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