Local heroes: five pieces of Poole Pottery up for auction at Poole saleroom
07 October 2020 Although the company name of Poole Pottery dates from 1963, the manufacture of this distinctive line of products dates back all the way to 90 years before when a business on East Quay in the Dorset town was bought by Jesse Carter.Carter & Co was established, laying the foundation for a pottery firm which went through many changes over the years.
Initially producing tiles and ornamental ceramics, it expanded into the type of decorative arts delights that are popular with collectors today.
One particular outlet in the secondary market is local auction house Cottees, which is holding its latest specialist Poole Pottery Sale on October 10.
Here are five suggested buys on offer at various price points.
Take the bull by the horns (or elsewhere)
This Poole Pottery Carter Stabler Adams The Bull (pictured top) was designed by Harold and Phoebe Stabler in 1914. The 13in object is estimated at £1200-1500.
Jesse Carter’s son Owen had been a driving force of the decorative arts side of business. He died in 1919 but his nephew Cyril Carter teamed up with with artists and craftsmen Harold Stabler and John Adams to form Carter Stabler Adams in 1921. Their wives, Phoebe Stabler and Truda Adams, were both talented designers, and this creative team began to develop the range of traditional ware that formed the basis of Poole until the 1950s (information from pooleroom.co.uk).
Check thesaleroom.com to view the Poole Pottery Carter Stabler Adams The Bull.
Will this be an auction high-flyer?
This Poole Pottery Port of Poole Empire Airways flying boat charger – described by Cottees as ‘important, rare and hard to find’ - was designed by Arthur Bradbury and painted by Margaret Holder in 1940.
According to pooleroom.co.uk: “Truda Adams (later Carter when she married Cyril in 1930) was particularly influential with her floral and art deco designs. The execution of these designs relied heavily on the skills of individual paintresses, and a team of over 30 was established by the early 1930’s, including well-known names such as Ruth Pavely and Margaret Holder.”
The 15in diameter Poole Pottery Port of Poole Empire Airways flying boat charger, estimated at £500-600, can be bid for via thesaleroom.com.
Wise purchase
This Poole Pottery Carter Stabler Adams matching pair of Three Wise Monkeys bookends was designed by Hugh Llewellyn 1922-23. They are estimated at £200-300.
You can find these Poole Pottery Carter Stabler Adams matching pair of Three Wise Monkeys bookends on thesaleroom.com.
Eye-catching designs
Anne Hatchard designed this Poole Pottery Carter Stabler Adams shape 966 BR pattern vase, which stands 10in high. She was one of the designers during the Art Deco period in which the firm created many eye-catching designs distinctive of the era.
The Poole Pottery Carter Stabler Adams shape 966 BR pattern vase is estimated at £160-200 and can be viewed via thesaleroom.com.
Simple beauty
From an earlier period of Poole manufacture, before the Art Deco floral designs, this simple Carter & Co (Poole Pottery) large blue & red lustre bowl, impressed mark no5, dates from 1908-21. The 10in diameter bowl is estimated at £80-120.
You can bid for the simple Carter & Co (Poole Pottery) large blue & red lustre bowl on thesaleroom.com.