The Salopian Pottery of the Benthall Pottery

Salopian majolica floral teapot

The Benthall Pottery had a long history in production in Shropshire beginning in 1729 with the Haybrook Pottery. It wasn’t until the company came under the management of Willian Allen in the 1860’s that the company flourished. 

William Allen (1834-1907)

Originally a manufacturer of decorative utilitarian red and yellow ware the company turned in 1880’s to the manufacture of majolica decorative art pottery. Under the name of the Salopian Pottery the company produced a unique form of majolica in the Barbotine style with applied decoration.

Salopian majolica fruit vase

Saopian majolica teapot

Hand made by artisans, the surfaces were covered by three dimensional representations of fruit and flowers. Vases were the primary items made by the company in this unique barbotine style but they also made wall plaques, jardinières, teapots, baskets, tazzas, compotes and figural pieces. The company referred to these pieces as “raised work” because of the intense detail of the applied decoration.

Salopian majolica fruit charger

Salopian majolica crucifix

Salopian majolica rose basket

Salopian majolica Chinoiserie jardiniere

Salopian majolica basket

Salopian majolica rose basket

Salopian majolica basket

Salopian majolica floral basket

Salopian majolica mistletoe bowl

Salopian majolica lemon jardiniere

Salopian majolica fruit vase

Salopian majolica sweetmeat

Salopian majolica sweetmeat

Salopian majolica compote

Salopian majolica Palissy bowl

Salopian majolica vases

Salopian majolica crane vase

Salopian Pottery has a distinctive look unlike any majolica pottery made in Great Britain. Some of the barbotine style work done by Shorter and Forester is similar but the use of glaze was very different. It bears more in common with barbotine work being done in France and palissy made in Portugal during the same period. 

The company used numerous marks to identify its work. Below are a few.

The bulk of Salopian pottery was produced from 1881 to roughly 1900. After 1900 the company continued producing some Salopian lines of pottery in addition to numerous other lines until it closed in 1934.

For more information on the Benthall Pottery and their numerous other lines go here.