Be Inspired by Early Australian Pottery

Stunning glaze colour palettes, rustic charm and kitsch souvenirs are all part of the package with so many Australian potters, styles and eras to choose from. If something more delicate is more to your taste there are many beautiful options too. We take a quick dive into antique and vintage Australian Pottery here.

What is Early Australian Pottery?

The earliest marked Australian Pottery is thought to be the work of convict potter Johnathon Leak (1777-1838). It was uncovered during an archeaological dig in Sydney in 2007.

There have been many influential studios and over 10,000 known makers marks from Bendigo Potteries founded in the 1850s, to Melrose Ware, Remued, Phillipa James, Diana Pottery, Daisy Ware, Braemore, Alba Ware, Casey Ware, Bettys Evans, Noelene pottery and many more.

Potters sometimes used multiple marks and some supplemented their income making unmarked souvenirs for places like Taronga Zoo. From vivid bush landscape colours to the incredible pastel sheen of lustre ware, Australian pottery has something for everyone.

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How do I identify Early Australian Pottery?

Dorothy Johnson’s ‘The People’s Potteries’ published in 2002 and ‘More People’s Potteries Stories’ are a great source of historical information, along with the Encyclopedia of Australian Potters Marks by Geoff Ford to help with identification.

Join the group Identifying Australian Pottery on Flickr for more information and to connect with other enthusiasts.

List of important Early Australian potters

This list is by no means complete and is just a starting point to help identify makers marks and dive into further research

Clem Ainsley of the Harvey School
Anna see Studio Anna Pottery

Bakewell Brothers
Bendigo Pottery
Bouquet Ware
Boyd family
Braemore Pottery
Brownie Downing

Casey Ware
Classic Art Ware

Daisyware
Davey Ware – Port Elliot Pottery
Darbyshire
Delamere
Diana Pottery

E & B / E & M Australia
Etta Easton
Elaine Ware
Pat Elvins

Florann Pottery
Florenz Pottery

L.J. Harvey School
HEBB
Hoffman Pottery & Melrose Ware

Philippa James

Flora Landells
Margot Laure
Harry Lindeman
Lyndale – Worthington & ComberMelrose Ware

Melrose Pottery
Mowll Pottery

Rose Noble

Pates Pottery
Picton Hopkins

Remued Pottery
William Rickerts
Rosedale – Worthington & Comber
Roselyn Artware – Worthington & Comber

Grace Povey Seccombe
Studio Anna Pottery

Takacs Pottery
Taronga Zoo pieces
Trent

Vande Pottery

Wendy Pottery
Wembley Ware
Peggy Whiting

Useful Australian Pottery Resources

Books

Encyclopedia of Australian Potters Marks – Geoff Ford
The Peoples Potteries Book – Dorothy Johnston
Australian Domestic Pottery – Dorothy Hall, William Hall