Royal Worcester was one of the finest porcelain factories in Great Britain.
The factory was started in 1751 by surgeon Dr. John Wall, apothecary William Davies and a group of investors. In 1777 John Wall retired and in 1783 the company was purchased by Thomas Flight for his sons. The company went through a series of different owners and name changes before consolidating in 1840 with potter Robert Chamberlain’s nearby Worcester Porcelain pottery—that specialized in hard paste porcelain—and Grainger, Wood & Co., another Worcester pottery, to become the Royal Worcester Porcelain Company.. Through a succession of managers the company grew within the next 40 years to a huge workforce of 700 employees.
The Royal Worcester factories
George Grainger
The company specialized in porcelain table ware and decorative figures for the home. In 1861 the company began making a product similar to majolica which they called
Raffaellesque Porcelain which was a parian body covered with brightly colored lead glazes. It is sometimes confused with majolica because of its bright colors but it is not majolica. By 1868 the company expanded into genuine majolica manufacture.
A Raffaellesque Porcelain decanter
The company employed some of the finest modelers in the industry, the best known of which was James Hadley. He did many of their figural pieces including the famous Oscar Wilde teapot (which was called Patience) and a pair of hand vases, which he modeled on his wife’s hands.
James Hadley 1837 - 1903
Patience teapot in porcelain by Royal Worcester
English registration drawing for Hadley’s hand vasesRoyal Worcester porcelain hand vases modeled by James Hadley Worcester majolica has a distinctive look. While their majolica wares have an earthenware base, the extreme whiteness of the body imitates the company’s porcelain and parian ware. Indeed many of their designs were recycled porcelain designs with majolica glazes. Their majolica work is thinner, more delicate and lighter in weight than most majolica with a distinctively light color palette.
Royal Worcester majolica basket
Royal Worcester majolica dragon vase
Royal Worcester majolica dragon vase Royal Worcester majolica lizard vaseRoyal Worcester majolica dragon va
Royal Worcester majolica snake vase Royal Worcester majolica Flower Holder
Royal Worcester majolica Mischief and Sloth floor vase
Royal Worcester majolica Mice and Egg toothpick holder
Royal Worcester majolica cherub toothpick
Royal Worcester majolica lion vase by Hadley
Royal Worcester majolica camel with Howdah vase by Hadley
Royal Worcester majolica elephant vase by James Hadley
Royal Worcester majolica cherub bud vase
Royal Worcester majolica bird vase
Royal Worcester majolica dove bud vase
Royal Worcester majolica hawk bud vase
Royal Worcester majolica nesting robin bus vase
Royal Worcester majolica warbller's nest vase
Royal Worcester majolica pigeon bud vase
Royal Worcester majolica squirrel vase
Royal Worcester majolica horn bud vase
Royal Worcester majolica bud vase
Royal Worcester majolica reeds vase
Royal Worcester majolica shell and coral vase
Royal Worcester majolica shell vase
Royal Worcester Nautilus by James Hadley
Royal Worcester majolica Shell and Lizard vase by Hadley
Royal Worcester majolica swan and nautilus vase by Hadley
Royal Worcester majolica shell vase
Royal Worcester majolica dolphin and shell compote
Royal Worcester majolica dolphin and shell compote
Royal Worcester majolica triple dolphin server
Royal Worcester majolica posy
Royal Worcester majolica compote
Royal Worcester majolica triton salt
Royal Worcester majolica dolphin master salt
Royal Worcester majolica donkey master salt by James Hadley
Royal Worcester majolica boy and girl salt dip
Royal Worcester majolica cherub on dolphin server
Royal Worcester majolica Tri-Dolphin Deep Shell
Royal Worcester majolica shell vase
Royal Worcester majolica shel spooner Royal Worcester majolica spoon warmer
Royal Worcester majolica dolphin sauce dish
Royal Worcester majolica sauceboat/spooner
Royal Worcester majolica cheese bell
Royal Worcester majolica frogs mug
Royal Worcester majolica spill vase
Royal Worcester majolica figure
Royal Worcester majolica Grecian Water Carrier by Hadley
Royal Worcester majolica Hunter
Royal Worcester majolica figure of Hebe
RW majolica female figure
Royal Worcester majolica female figure
Royal Worcester Japanese majolica teapot designed by James Hadley
Royal Worcester majolica Asian teapot
Royal Worcester majolica Aesthetic teapot
Royal Worcester majolica barrel tea set
Royal Worcester majolica squash tea set
Royal Worcester majolica whippet
Royal Worcester majolica Christmas plate
Royal Worcester majolica frog plate
Royal Worcester majolica cherub on lily pad
Royal Worcester majolica nest wall pocket
Royal Worcester majolica nest wall pocket
Royal Worcester majolica Bird Nest Bracket
Royal Worcester majolica nest wall pocket
Royal Worcester majolica shell wall pocket
Royal Worcester majolica wall pocket
Royal Worcester majolica Palissy jug
Royal Worcester majolica banana leaf jug
Royal Worcester majolica Pike jug
Royal Worcester majolica jug
Royal Worcester majolica hops jug
Royal Worcester majolica dolphin candlestick Royal Worcester majolica candlesticks
Royal Worcester majolica dolphin candlesticks
Royal Worcester majolica Griffin Taaper Stand Royal Worcester majolica cherub with dog
Royal Worcester majolica umbrella stand or floor vase
Royal Worcester majolica Banboo Stick Stand
Royal Worcester majolica jardiniere
Royal Worcester majolica snail jardiniere Royal Worcester majolica jardiniere
Royal Worcester majolica naiad jardiniere Royal Worcester majolica scenic jardiniere
Royal Worcester majolica rock jardiniere
Royal Worcester majolica footed vase
Royal Worcester majolica pedestal
Royal Worcester made majolica for close to twenty-five years though the heyday of their majolica production ran only about ten years. By 1878 the company began to phase out its production, producing it in smaller quantities for the next fifteen years compared to their better known tablewares, porcelain and parian wares. By 1893 the company stopped production of majolica entirely.
19th century company trade card
The Royal Worcester Museum
In 1879, the company opened the Royal Worcester Museum. They published a pamphlet describing the history of the pottery and showing scenes from the inside of the factory. This gives us a bit of insight into the company workrooms.
Marks
Royal Worcester majolica is almost always marked with their distinctive impressed circular mark with a crown though the impressions are often rather indistinct. They also sometimes used an applied pad with their mark. Occasionally the pieces will bear a printed mark. All marks include the number 51, which refers to the original founding of the company by Dr. Wall.
Royal Worcester majolica impressed mark
Royal Worcester applied mark
Royal Worcester printed markRoyal Worcester printed mark
The company also employed a dating system. Between the majolica manufacturing years of 1868-1875 you will sometimes find a two digit number below the circular mark indicating the year of manufacture. A more reliable letter system began the year before majolica manufacture began in 1867. Consult the graph below which only applies to the years in which the company produced majolica. These marks are generally only seen on pieces with printed marks.
Royal Worcester continued producing their non majolica wares through the 20th century until 2006 when the original factory location closed. The name was then purchased by Portmeirion Pottery who continue to make ware under the Royal Worcester name today.
Portmeirion has continued operating a Royal Worcester museum that is open to the public.
Royal Worcester Museum
