William De Morgan Griffin Bowl

Posted On: 22 Nov 2020 by Duncan Wills

A Rare William De Morgan Bowl Find in Home Clear Out

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William De Morgan Griffin Bowl

A lucky Wincanton Resident Clearing Their Home of 'Pre-Loved' items was shocked that an old pottery bowl they brought to us and thought might be worth a few pounds is in fact a very rare and highly collectable work by William De Morgan.

 

 

 

 

 

Who was William de Morgan?

William De Morgan (1839 – 1917) is remembered as one of the most inventive and innovative designer of the Arts and Crafts Movement who wrote novels and designed tiles, furniture and stained glass for Morris & Co as a long-time friend of William Morris.

 

 

He explored different methods of firing and studied the complex chemistry of glazing his pieces resulting in his rediscovery of a lusterware technique with a metallic and mirror-like reflective surface.

 

How will I spot one of his pieces?

The Arts and Crafts and Gothic Revival Movements, led by Victorian revolutionaries William Morris, John Ruskin and A. W. N. Pugin, advocated medieval design above all others. William Morris was famous for  producing commercially successful interior designs and worked with William De Morgan to develop complimentary tiles and other beautiful pieces. As such Many of William De Morgan’s designs used fish, fantastical birds, and galleons as his most signature and popular motifs. The tiles and pottery he created were often styled based on medieval or Islamic designs and patterns. He is well known for a “Persian” palette: dark blues, turquoises, manganese purple, lemon, green and Indian red – we know this today as 15th & 16th century Iznik ware. Of his pottery pieces his designs mainly adorn punch bowls, plates, vases and bowls.

How Valuable Are They?

 

The market for Arts & Crafts Movement pieces, including those of William De Morgan, has been rising steadily over the last few years with some of the most popular pieces selling for £10,000 or even more! Single tiles regularly command £500-1000 and plates and bowls £800-1500 and more!

If you think you have found a piece by William De Moorcroft or any other item you feel may be of interest to collectors – contact us for a free valuation and you never know – perhaps you too will have found a forgotton treasure.

The William De Morgan bowl our customers brought to us will be auctioned live online on Saturday 5th December 2020!