Royal Doulton Tableware -
A Potted History
Royal Doulton tableware - Founded 1815 Fulham, London by John Doulton and John Watts. Recently Doultom won the Queen's Awards for Technical Innovation. How did they do it? Read on below .....
In the 1950’s the company turned to tableware whilst trying to maintain its strong decorative product ranges, but reducing its industrial output. Jo Ledger, a product of the modern school of designers, joined the company as its new Art Director in the mid 1950's, and was at the forefront of this new era.
Popular patterns include English Renaissance, Carlyle, Coronet, and Juliet. As with any prestige brand, pieces with limited production, or signed by an artist, or marked "Potted" (indicating a pre-1939 origin) are most sought after by collectors. In America, especially, the name Royal Doulton became synonymous with the finest English tableware. In the 1960's the company introduced a brand new and innovative product - 'English Translucent China'. It had a fine, translucent body while eliminating bone from the clay mix (cutting the cost greatly). It allowed the company to offer many of the qualities associated with the best bone china, at more competitive prices. The tableware range was branded as 'Royal Doulton Fine China'. It proved a major success, bringing them their first 'Queen's Awards for Technical Innovation'. The Lambethware oven to tableware range was another clever and successful development. Emulating its rich Lambeth legecy, the present day Lambethware range is robust and practical and had design appeal to the modern family. Doulton own many other famous name china companies including Royal Albert, Minton and John Beswick. Recently Royal Doulton themselves have been acquired by Wedgwood.
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