Early William Moorcroft, Walter Moorcroft and later designs — vases, bowls, ginger jars and chargers, in the deep tube-lined glazes the pottery is known for. Each piece dated by its marks and checked for restoration.
With Moorcroft, the base tells much of the story. Free insured postage. Written valuation per piece. Paid in 72 hours.
Moorcroft is one of the most collected names in British art pottery, and one of the most rewarding to assess, because so much of its story is written on the base. The marks date a piece, the signature names its era, and the tube-lined decoration shows the hand that made it. Learning to read those clues — and to spot a factory second or a restoration — is what separates a confident sale from a guess.
The look is inseparable from the method. Moorcroft is decorated by tube-lining: fine trailed lines of liquid clay are piped onto each pot by hand to outline the design, forming raised borders that hold the rich coloured glazes in their place. Because every piece is drawn and filled by hand, no two are quite identical, and the crispness and confidence of the tube-lining is one of the things a specialist judges — as well as one of the ways genuine Moorcroft is told from imitation. The deep, layered glazes, and the flambé and lustre effects on some pieces, sit within these hand-drawn outlines.
Turn a piece over and there is usually a good deal to read. The marks evolved gradually over the pottery's long history, so dating is a matter of weighing several features together rather than matching a single stamp. The points a specialist checks:
Because marks overlap and were used across long spans, a confident date rests on the whole picture, not one detail. You do not need to work it out yourself — a clear, well-lit photograph of the entire base is the single most useful thing you can send us.
Moorcroft spans more than a century of production, and different periods appeal to different collectors. We assess across the full range.
The earliest and often most sought-after work, including the deep floral and landscape designs that established the pottery's reputation. Early shapes, scarce patterns and fine condition are the main value drivers.
Pieces finished in the rich, kiln-controlled flambé reds and lustre effects, prized for the difficulty and beauty of the glaze. Genuine, well-fired examples in good condition are particularly desirable.
Mid-century work under Walter Moorcroft, with its own patterns and palette. Assessed on design, shape, size and condition, with certain patterns and larger pieces the most collected.
Later twentieth-century and contemporary Moorcroft, including designs by noted later designers and limited editions. Some modern pieces are genuinely collectable; others are common, and we say which honestly.
The classic hollow-ware forms — vases and ginger jars, bowls, chargers and covered pieces. Size, shape and the ambition of the decoration all affect where a piece sits.
Smaller items — dishes, boxes, miniatures and the like. Often more affordable and a good place for a collection to grow; assessed on pattern, period and condition.
Do not attempt to repair or over-clean a piece. An honest original — even with minor faults — is generally preferred to a poorly restored one. Note anything you find and describe it plainly.
We buy individual pieces and complete Moorcroft collections alike — a single inherited vase, a cabinet built over a lifetime, or a mixed gathering of art pottery. You do not need to identify, date or value anything yourself. Send an overview photograph of the collection with close-ups of the bases and any damage, and we will advise which pieces merit individual assessment and which are best valued together. There is no obligation to accept, and anything you decide not to sell is returned to you free.
All round, and the entire base in good light so the marks and signature read clearly. Note any damage. Email us first for a preliminary view.
Request a free prepaid, tracked and insured label with protective materials. Cover to £5,000 begins the moment the courier scans the parcel.
Your parcel is opened publicly on YouTube. Each piece, its base and its marks are documented on camera before a specialist assesses it.
Marks dated, design and glaze assessed, restoration checked, first quality confirmed. Written offer per piece. Accept what you wish; we return the rest free. Paid in 72 hours or +3%.
Call us on 01234 815116 or email support@fairvintage.co.uk.
Get your free pack →Look at the base — an impressed "MOORCROFT" or "MOORCROFT BURSLEM" mark, a painted signature or initials, and a printed backstamp. Signature style, backstamp wording and any royal warrant reference all changed over the decades, letting a specialist place a piece. Early work carries William Moorcroft's signature, later work Walter's. Marks overlap, so dating weighs several features together. Photograph the whole base and we'll advise.
Tube-lining is Moorcroft's signature technique: fine trailed lines of slip are piped onto the pot by hand to outline the design, forming raised borders that hold the coloured glazes. Every piece is hand-decorated, so no two are identical, and the quality of the tube-lining is part of what a specialist assesses — and one way genuine Moorcroft is told from imitation.
Often, but not always. Early William Moorcroft, scarce patterns and fine flambé and lustre glazes are highly sought after, yet some modern limited editions and noted later designs also command strong prices. Age is one factor among several — pattern, shape, size, glaze and condition all count. We assess each piece on its merits and are honest where a piece is a common later design.
A "second" is a piece the factory judged flawed and sold as sub-standard, usually marked by scoring or drilling through the backstamp. Seconds are generally worth less than first-quality examples, though a scarce pattern as a second can still be worth selling. Check the base for lines scored through the mark or a drilled hole. We identify first quality from seconds in every assessment.
Run a fingertip and eye over rim, foot and body for chips, hairlines and crazing, and tap gently — a dull note can suggest a crack or repair. Restoration is not always visible in ordinary light; specialists use a UV lamp, under which repairs often fluoresce differently. You don't need a UV lamp — we check every piece. Photograph any visible damage and describe it honestly.
Light dusting or careful washing of a sound piece in lukewarm water is fine, but no abrasives or dishwasher, and don't attempt repairs yourself. Amateur restoration is usually detectable and reduces value, and collectors prefer an honest original — even with minor faults — to a poor repair. Leave any professional restoration decision to a specialist and let us assess it as it is.
Yes — single pieces and complete collections alike, from a lifetime's gathering of vases and bowls to inherited cabinets of mixed art pottery. You need not identify, date or value anything first. Send an overview photograph with close-ups of the bases and we'll advise which pieces merit individual assessment and which suit a group valuation. Anything you don't sell is returned free.
Wrap each piece individually in several layers of soft padding, giving extra protection to rims and any handles or covers, and pack pieces so they cannot touch each other or the sides of a strong double-walled box. Immobilise any loose lids. Never let heavy pieces rest against one another in transit. If a piece is large, valuable or unusual, email us a photograph first and we will advise on packing. Our free postage pack includes protective materials.
Within 72 hours of your parcel going live on YouTube — guaranteed. If we miss that window, we add 3% to your total.
Marks dated, design and glaze assessed, restoration checked, first quality confirmed. Written offer per piece. Opened live on YouTube. Paid within 72 hours.