Creigiau Pottery: copper lustre made in Cardiff

Glowing copper on the outside, a splash of cobalt blue inside: Creigiau pottery is one of the most recognisable names in post-war Welsh ceramics. For us it is also personal, because Jenny worked at the pottery in Cardiff in the 1980s.

A village name on the base

The story begins in 1947, when Reg and Jean Southcliffe set up the Southcliffe Ceramic Company in Creigiau, a village on the north-west edge of Cardiff. Within a year or so the business was trading as Creigiau Pottery, run by R.G. Southcliffe & Co Ltd, and the village name stayed on its pots long after production moved into the city. In later years the pottery worked from Cardiff’s Riverside, and that is where Jenny joined the team.

Look underneath a piece and you may find “Southcliffe Creigiau Wales” or “Creigiau Cardiff Wales”, often hand-written in script rather than stamped. Production is generally recorded as ending in the early 1980s.

The famous finish

Creigiau is best known for its copper lustre: a metallic glaze that gives earthenware the warm shine of polished copper. Many pieces are lined inside with a rich blue glaze, and that combination of copper and blue is the pottery’s signature. The range ran from little cream jugs and sugar bowls to vases, jug sets and the occasional rarity, such as our copper lustre dragon pie funnel.

Collecting Creigiau

• Look for the blue lining. The copper outside and blue inside is the classic look.
• Check the mark. Most pieces are marked on the base, usually with the Creigiau name and “Wales”.
• Expect variety. Pieces were made by hand, so the lustre and the shapes vary from one to the next.
• Condition matters. Lustre can rub on handles and rims; a bright, even finish is best.

In the shop

Sources: Jenny’s own experience at the pottery; 20th Century Forum: Southcliffe Creigiau (citing Godden’s Encyclopaedia of British Pottery and Porcelain Marks); Wikipedia: Creigiau.