Maker/Retailer Biography

Burmantofts Faience

Dates: c. 1880-1904

See items in our stock by Burmantofts Faience

Quotes taken from an account ‘from our Leeds Correspondent’ The Artist, II (1881)

Burmantofts Art Pottery was produced by Messrs. Wilcock, of Burmantofts, Leeds, originally a firm of firebrick and drainpipe manufacturers.  In 1879 James Etches became the pottery manager and using the locally sourced distinctive red clay, began the production of tiles, art pottery and architectural faience.

The ‘Manufacturers began to produce a faience of real art merit, from clay found on the site of the pottery.  The ware is characterized by its hardness, thick majolica-like glaze, and warmth of colour, giving valuable effect in a room, the body is baked at the most intense heat and is covered with a rich thick glaze, coloured in various tones of warm olive greens, citrons, browns and sometimes a fine dark blue.  In certain instances raised ornaments or sunk patterns are covered by a glaze of a different colour to the rest of the piece, and give very good effects, by judicious choice of harmonious colours.  The principal decoration is generally derived from the floral world, and on some larger plaques, classical subjects are introduced.  The wall tiles are generally ornamented in high relief with vigorously designed patterns; these, of course, are cast from a mould or pressed and sometimes they are made with patterns incised by hand.’

Burmantofts became known for the application of their trademark Sgraffito and Barbotine techniques and for their Floruda ware, unglazed terracotta with painted floral decoration.  Other ranges included; small ‘uglies and grotesques’, and from 1887 Anglo Persian, and from 1900 Anglo Moresque designs.

Their retailers included Howell & James.