Book Review: Scottish Pottery by Graeme Cruickshank

Until recently, if asked about Scottish Pottery, I would be forced to admit that I could not think of any except for Wemyss Ware, made by the Fife Pottery, and some later, individual studio potters.

I certainly did not realise that Scotland did, at one point, have a substantial pottery industry, along the lines, if not the scale, of that which used to exist in Staffordshire, England. To my shame, names such as Buchan’s Pottery, Brittania Pottery and Bells of Glasgow were unknown to me.

Scottish Pottery tells the story of the Scottish pottery industry, from its relatively late foundation in the mid-18th century through to its early 20th century decline and the consequent establishment of the large number of small, studio potteries which are dotted around this most rural of the UK’s countries.

The author of Scottish Pottery is Graeme Cruickshank, an expert on Scottish pottery and former Chairman of the Scottish Pottery Society. His detailed knowledge of the subject is impressive, although the heyday of Scottish pottery production was short in comparison to English pottery, with industrial pottery production dying out in Scotland several decades before the equivalent decline of large potteries in Staffordshire began.

Scottish Pottery is a useful guide to the main 18th and 19th century potteries of Scotland and also introduces some of the smaller, studio potteries that have been founded and flourished in the latter half of the 20th century.

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Book Details

Title: Scottish Pottery
Author: Graeme Cruickshank
RRP: £5.99
Publisher: Shire Books
ISBN: 978-0-74780-639-4
Format: A5 paperback, 64 pages