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You cannot buy a Moorcroft gift box. Please click here to select your chosen size:. These tiny hairline cracks are called crazing and they are not really cracks at all. Crazing is a natural ageing process in ceramics.
Frequently Asked Questions
A fired porous earthenware body such as the one used by Moorcroft can, under conditions of normal use, absorb moisture from the surrounding environment and over a period of time will result in crazing of the glaze surface. In any saleroom of antiques, part of the process of establishing the correct vintage of a pot is to examine the crazing on the surface. It also helps identify restoration since crazed areas cannot be restored without harming the crazing. Neither can restored areas be artificially re-crazed. Conversely, an old pot, which has been refired, may well have its pedigree challenged due to the absence of familiar and friendly crazing.
Put another way, age crazing is a friend, not an enemy.
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Usually, crazing tends to start when a piece of pottery is over a decade old, and which generally comes to an end after as many as 70 years. Occasionally it can start earlier depending on the type of clay body Moorcroft designers choose to use. For example, the white body has been known to craze a little earlier if there are adverse environmental conditions, whereas the celadon body crazes much later Moorcroft is made from a porous earthenware pottery, and crazing is just part of the normal process of aging of this material. We advise collectors to display pieces in a dry environment and ideally at a constant temperature.
There is no British Standard specification for craze resistance on earthenware products, but Moorcroft does, on an annual basis, submit samples of its product to an independent laboratory for craze resistance testing. It is worth noting that to date, all samples submitted by Moorcroft have actually exceeded the expected level of craze resistance. Once collectors know more about the natural crazing process, they more often than not do not wish to have a piece re-fired. However, if you do wish to have your piece re-glazed and re-fired then do write confirming this wish.
We will then send you the relevant paperwork to complete but refiring will be entirely at your own risk.
Moorcroft Pottery, its history, artists and superb pottery products.
We advise collectors to display their pieces of Moorcroft in a dry environment and, ideally, at a constant temperature. As earthenware pottery is semi-porous it can absorb moisture. Some people use their Moorcroft to hold flowers. Whilst we believe that you should use your Moorcroft to enhance your life in any way you feel free, holding water in an earthenware vessel for prolonged period of time may trigger premature crazing. Television celebrity and antiques expert, Eric Knowles, is a non-executive director of W Moorcroft Ltd.
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A few years ago he created a video documenting how Moorcroft is made. If you have a free morning or afternoon, we strongly recommended a factory tour at the Moorcroft Heritage Visitor Centre and Museum. Our guided tour takes visitors into the heart of the Moorcroft Factory. Comprehensive information is given by expert tour guides on all aspects of the hand-made processes of mould making, slip casting, hand turning, tube lining, hand painting, kiln firing and finally glazing.
The techniques used in Moorcroft pottery are virtually the same today, as they were a hundred years ago. Visitors enter a time warp from which they can look into the virtual soul of what must be the world's best loved art pottery. Advance booking is necessary of at least 2 weeks prior to visiting the pottery. Tours take place each day between Monday and Friday at either 11am or 2pm. A maximum of 10 people can be taken on a factory tour at one time.
Moorcroft Marks
However, large group bookings can be arranged for up to 20 people. By signing up, you will receive by email, information on articles of interest relating to Moorcroft, new product information, forthcoming events, promotions and marketing information. Club Members please note that most of this information will be replicated in emails sent to you direct from the Moorcroft Club.
We take your privacy seriously and are dedicated to handling any personal information you provide with the utmost care and respect. I have read and agree to the Privacy Notice. View Designs of Rarity. Frequently Asked Questions What significance are Moorcroft signatures and marks? Click here to view Designers' Monograms View Moorcroft Books Signatures The very first Moorcroft Florian ware marks originate from and have a standard brown Florian ware mark as well as the signature of William Moorcroft, painted in green.
View Moorcroft books Should you require further information on Moorcroft generally, we do have 4 books available on Moorcroft; Moorcroft: Marks E very piece of M oorcroft has marks on the base which will tell a story. Which Queen is this? What are the Moorcroft Year Cyphers? Can you value my piece of Moorcroft?
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Factory tours last approx 1 hour. Pre-booking is essential, please call in advance to book Call to book your place or email MHVC moorcroft. If your Moorcroft clock face stops working within the first two years of its life we will replace this for you without charge upon the production of a valid receipt. For this reason, we suggest that you keep your Moorcroft receipts.
You can purchase a replacement clock face relatively cheaply by contacting MHVC moorcroft. I have not received my order, what should I do? In the first instance go on line and check the shipping status on the courier's website. If the information is inconclusive, please email myorder moorcroft. How will I know when my order has been dispatched? We will send an email to you to confirm that your order has been dispatched and include the name of the courier and a tracking number. Claremont Toadstool,Watatah and Landscape designs are at the top as well as the Spanish and Fish designs Value depends on the number of fish on the piece.
It could be too dark or too light. So collecting requires an eye.
Its just not a pat off thing. Salt glaze is generally not for the true collector, whilst a sheen matt together good subject matter may be okay. All pottery produced is subject to chipping or damaged. It is then often invisibly repaired.
If this is the case and the piece is very rare then this may not matter,because the rareness and difficult to obtain. Damage to any collectable pottery drops the value, sometimes dramatically. Generally repaired Moorcroft is not desirable and difficult to sell on. So move around with your UV lamp and take council from other collectors and dealers. The auction houses are not of much use generally. The moorcroft pottery has mainly remained in the hands of one family since its creation and Moorcroft mark changes have been quite few.
The Moorcroft marks remained steady until the modern owners instigated a system of dating and then again until modern Moorcroft design studio artists, where allowed to mark the Moorcroft pottery they personally designed or created. Modern Moorcroft marks continue to become more elaborate and to provide more and more information. Moorcroft collectors should be aware of the Silver Stripe that sometimes appears and is almost always through the WM monogram.
The Moorcroft silver stripe denotes a second quality or imperfect piece that has failed to pass the strict quality control that Moorcroft demands. These pieces are only ever sold at discounted prices in the Moorcroft factory shop. How do i tell by markings if my vase is a second?