Towards the end of the Victorian era, a few small potteries around the Torquay area in Devon began to flourish, using traditional methods to produce a great variety of both practical and decorative wares.  Most typical of many designs were bold, slip painted flowers and birds such as cockerels and Kingfishers.  Other popular lines included landscape, sailing boats and cottages.  Many pieces were inscribed with quaint sayings and with place names, some far from Devon.

The industry blossomed in the area, largely due to the efforts of two highly motivated people who sought to regenerate high quality craftsmanship through hand made goods.  The first pottery set up in this way was at Aller Vale, near Newton Abbot. It was founded in 1881 by the Philanthropist John Philips, a champion of the arts and crafts movement  This and certain later potteries came to be called art potteries because all the wares were made with the aid of machines , in keeping with age old country methods.  The clay was dug locally and all pottery was hand thrown on a wheel.  The paints and glazes were made on the premises and the wares were hand painted.

In 1905, a new art pottery was founded in Poole, Dorset, by Charles Collard, once Allers Vale chief decorator.  He started there in 1886, when he was 12 years old and was taught all the  various skills  of a potter before specialising as a decorator..  The time spent working with John Philips led Collard to value the ideals of the arts and crafts movement very highly. He named his new work shop at Poole The Crown Dorset pottery.

The area around Poole provided Collard with two vital ingredients for success, a good supply of coloured clay and a well developed tourist trade..  The wares made were similar to those of Torquay, but several new lines appeared, many of which were intended for seasonal visitors.  By the end of world war one, though, he was ready to embark on a new venture and bought an almost derelict pottery at Honiton in Devon.

At Honiton, Collard changed his style completely. Instead of decorating under glaze like before, he decorated over the glaze.  He used a new white leadless glaze which produced a matt finish, quite unlike the earlier highly glazed wares.  Collard ran the pottery successfully up until world war two, when it was sold.  Its new owners continued production but by more modern methods.

West country pottery makes a good subject for collecting, especially if you concentrate on  maker or subject for collecting, plenty of small pieces can be found in antique markets at good, though rising prices,  they may also turn up at charity shops, car boots, and jumble sales.

Cottage and motto wares are still easy to come by as they were made up to the 1950s.  Larger decorative pieces, however have become highly sought after, and those more expensive, in recent years.  Those whose decorators can be identified represent particularly good finds.  The quality of decoration does vary, though, with the apprentices hand being noticeably less sure than the expert in some cases.

The black Cockerel of the Aller Vale and Longpark potteries is much collected and always makes a striking display.  It appears on a whole range of domestic wares from egg cups, mugs and plates to teapots and spill vases.  Aller Vale Cockerels often had, good morning written on their beaks.

Some buyers favour the flower vases painted with realistic daffodils or irises.  Daffodils are especially popular and even small Items expensive. Irises are even rarer.  Birds such as herons and storks fetch high prices.  The Watcombe Kingfisher stays popular and is still extensively found especially on items made during the 1920s.

For those who prefer a brighter and more jollier colour range, Honiton wares represent some attractive buys.  A large amount of jugs and vases were made during the 1920s and 1930s, some of these pieces are undervalued today.  You can tell Honiton wares from most other west country pottery by its light beige coloured clay and matt finish.

The Jacobean pattern, which was probably the single most popular design which came from the Honiton factory and appeared on large and small jugs and vases, as well as tea and coffee sets.

As craftsman moved from pottery to pottery, they continued to us differing techniques they had learned on the way, which makes identification of some items difficult, much of the pottery was unmarked, so getting to know the standard designs will help you work out where the pieces come from.