I have been a big fan of old Australian pottery and ceramics since I started collecting more than 30 years ago.
I am most interested in humble domestic items, by which I mean those that most homes could afford to have and use everyday. The job of cataloguing highly collectable and rare pottery and ceramics produced in small numbers by makers will have to go to someone else.
On this page I will share with you some dates and histories, the photos I have taken, the great books I have read and websites that I have accessed.
Some makers produced several brands that I will list under the Maker/Pottery.
Makers in Alphabetical Order
Bakewells Pottery Sydney, NSW, 1891-1955
Includes Beulah Ware, Newtone Art Ware and Trent Art Ware. Not all Bakewells pieces are marked.
For more information and pictures see my long Article specifically on Bakewells Pottery

Bakewells Striped Jugs & Bowls

Bakewells Trent Art Ware Vases

Bakewells Newtone Art Ware
Bendigo Pottery, Epsom Victoria, 1857 – present
Includes Waverley Ware, Marble Ware, Raynham and Epsom Ware.
The Bendigo Pottery is Australia’s oldest continually operating pottery. They produced a large range on unglazed terracotta, glazed stoneware, pipes, jars and other commercial and domestic pots. Later they produced Bristol glazed stoneware, Rockingham glazed earthenware, Majolica ware and bread platters. Most of these early pieces are not marked.
By the 1930s they were producing Art Ware known as Waverley Ware, and in the 1940s Marble Ware.
In the 1970s they produced the salt glazed Epsom Ware range. Most of these later pieces are clearly marked. The handmade nature and earthy tones of these salt-glazed items went on to influence an entire generation of art potters.
Ref: “Australian Domestic Pottery – A Collector’s Guide”, William & Dorothy Hall, 1992, Kangaroo Press, Australia
For more on Bendigo Pottery go to http://www.nma.gov.au/collections/highlights/bendigo-pottery-collection

Bendigo Pottery Epsom Ware Vase

Bendigo Pottery Epsom Salt Pig

Bendigo Pottery Epsom

Bendigo Pottery Epsom Vase

Raynham Slipware Vase

Raynham Stamp
Boyd Family, Victoria, 1946-1975
Includes AMB (Arthur Merric Boyd), David & Hermia Boyd, Guy Boyd, Martin Boyd and Merric Boyd.

Martin Boyd Ramekins (least collectable)

Martin Boyd Incised Mark
Calyx Pottery, WA, 1920-1941
Includes Wembly Ware

Calyx Wembly Ware Large Float Bowl

Calyx Wembly Ware Stamp
Casey Ware (or KC Ware) Pottery, NSW, 1945-1965
Established in Croydon by Kirkwood and Cooper (K & C), it took over Florenz and produced mostly slipware. Most pieces are impressed ‘Casey Ware’ but some just have a shape/model number and/or a sticker.

Casey Ware Vase

Casey Ware Stamp
Diana Pottery, NSW, 1941-1966
Not all Diana pieces are marked. I have had Ikebana vases that are not marked.
For more information and pictures see my Blog specifically on Diana Pottery.

Diana Pottery

Diana Nefertiti Casseroles

Diana Pottery Jug Gold
Ellis Pottery, Melbourne, 1953-1970

Ellis S&P Sugar & Vinegar

Ellis Sgraffito Vase

Ellis Incised Mark
Elke Pottery, Melbourne, 1960-1979
The Elke Pottery was established in the suburb of Clayton by German immigrants Karl-Heinz and Ellen David. The incised mark ‘Elke Aust’ is often mistaken for ‘Ellis Aust’ and often includes a shape number.

Elke Wine Carafe & Cups – for sale
Florenz Pottery, NSW, 1930s-1980s

Florenz Pottery Gumnut Vase

Florenz Pottery Mark

Florenz Canisters (Least collectable)

Florenz Stoneware Vase

Florenz Incised Mark

Florenz Sticker
Fowler Pottery, NSW & Vic, 1870-
Fowler had factories in most states but the majority of kitchen items were produced in NSW and Victoria. Early pieces are impressed with ‘Fowler’ or ‘E.Fowler’ ….

Fowler Canisters

Fowler Ware Large Jug

R Fowler Crock 1916

R Fowler Ltd Stamp
Gunda Pottery, Melbourne, 1956-1977
Gunda Pottery was founded in a Melbourne garage by Gundaris Lusis, a Latvian immigrant. Lusis’ pottery reflected European abstract art and design. The importance of this modernist Pottery has only recently been recognised.
There is a great article on this pottery on the Craft Victoria website at http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21410/20100324-1024/www.craftvic.asn.au/craftlife/craftculture/waterman.html

Gunda Pottery Pin Dish

Gunda Pottery Mark
John Campbell, Tas, 1881-1956

John Campbell Posy Vase

John Campbell Tasmania Pottery Mark
Hoffman Pottery, Vic, 1930-
Includes Melrose Ware.

Hoffman Melrose Ware Trough

Melrose Ware Stamp
Hollywood, 1950s

Hollywood Trough

Hollywood Incised Mark
Little Sydney Pottery, NSW

The Little Sydney Pottery

Little Sydney Pottery Stamp
Kalmar

Kalmar Shell Vase

Kalmar Incised Mark
Mashman Pottery, NSW, 1889-1957

Regal Mashman Posy Vase

Regal Mashman Pottery Mark
McCredie Pottery, NSW, 1930s-1940s

McCredie Ikebana Vase

McCredie Scalloped Bowl

McCredie NSW Incised Mark
MCP (Modern Ceramic Products), 1945-
Includes Mingay Ware. Some pieces are not marked.

MCP Mingay Organic Bowl

Large MCP 264 Urn
Pates Pottery

Pates Pottery Collection

Pates Pottery Trough

Pates Pottery Horn Vase

Pates Pottery Stamp
Premier Potteries Preston (PPP), Vic, 1930-1955
Includes Remued and Pamela. Some small Remued pieces are only marked with a number.

Small Premier Remued Vase

Remued Incised Mark
Studio Anna Pottery, Vic, 1953-
Includes Fiana Ware.

Studio Anna Incised Square Dish

Studio Anna Sticker
Great Places
https://www.australianpottery.net.au/ The National Museum of Australian Pottery
Great Websites
http://ozpotterycollectors.com/index.html particularly for Ginger Beer bottles, Demijohns, etc
http://www.australianpotteryatbemboka.com.au/ for pottery from the last 50 years.
https://australianpottersmarks.wordpress.com/ for pottery from the last 50 years.
https://www.flickr.com/groups/austpots/ “Identifying Australian Pottery 1960s to Date”
Great Books
- ‘Australian Artware Pottery’, William & Dorothy Hall, 1996, Crown Castleton Publishers, Australia
- “Australian Domestic Pottery – A Collector’s Guide”, William & Dorothy Hall, 1992, Kangaroo Press, Australia
- “Australian Pottery of the 19th & early 20th Century”, Marjorie Graham, 1979, The David Ell Press, Australia
- ‘Australian Ceramics’, Victoria Hammond (Editor), 1987, Shepparton Art Gallery, VIC, Australia
Happy bargain hunting and collecting