Tuscan Tableware - A Potted History

Their branded bone-china was known as 'Tuscan' until 1967 after which they were taken over by new parent company, Wedgwood who added the ‘Royal’ prefix for marketing purposes.


Why did Wedgwood bother to acquire such a relatively small and insignificant family run concern? Tuscan were famously brought to prominence in the 1950’s when they merged with Susie Cooper who needed their spare bone china capacity.

However, although not previously a household name, unlike the renowned Suzy Cooper, the company were highly regarded makers in Stoke-On-Trent long before their merging with Cooper.

They were a well run family business with several brothers and their various off-spring involved in the running of the company.

Research and product development played a strong part in their company ethos - always a good sign. By the 1950's they had made two notable technical developments. One was the discovery of a very fine body suitable for hotel ware named 'Metallised Hotel China'. This ware was very tough and fracture-resistant (discovered by technician and Art Director J. B. Clarke). There was also a china body with a faint pink shade which they called 'Peach Bloom'.

Wedgwood acquired both the Tuscan and Susie Cooper names in 1967. Nowadays, they don't seem to be doing too much with either the Suzy Cooper or Tuscan brands.