Two interesting happenings this week, the first being my visit to the Emma Bridgewater factory in Stoke. It was a special gathering for collectors to mark the launch of Emma's book "Toast and Marmalade and other stories".
I travelled there by car with two friends, leaving my house at 7 am. and arriving in Stoke three hours later! Good timing, as the event started at 10aam. As we entered the cafe area at the factory, we were invited to draw a numbered ticked from a large 6 pint jug. This determined the order in which we could choose from a selection of sample pieces to buy after lunch! I quickly scanned the selection and spotted what I wanted and as I had drawn number 5 I felt I had a good chance of taking it home!
We also had an opportunity to do a tour of the factory which was an enlightening experience with a chance to see what was in production and a peep at the work of the decorators and to have a chat with them.
This is a new pattern being worked on by Lynsey, the decorator who works on special pieces and who trials new patterns. She was working on these pieces called Christmas Rose, a dark red Hellebore. This may or may not be available next Christmas?
These next two pictures are what might be the next Year Jug for Collectors. I found this design much more to my liking than recent ones, I might be tempted?
Needless to say we also did buy a few things in the factory shop and came home feel very happy after a really lovely day!
Yes! I did get the piece I wanted. A half pint jug in the Pomegranate pattern made in 2012 for Persephone Books to mark the publication their 100th book. This has only been produced in two shapes, a 1.5 jug with matching bowl, so I was really pleased with this small sample jug!
Here it is integrated into my collection -
Oh, I did have a lovely day!
I travelled there by car with two friends, leaving my house at 7 am. and arriving in Stoke three hours later! Good timing, as the event started at 10aam. As we entered the cafe area at the factory, we were invited to draw a numbered ticked from a large 6 pint jug. This determined the order in which we could choose from a selection of sample pieces to buy after lunch! I quickly scanned the selection and spotted what I wanted and as I had drawn number 5 I felt I had a good chance of taking it home!
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| The samples and the lovely staff in charge! |
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| Emma signing her book - my two friends are the background, Sharon and Joy. |
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| The signing queue! |
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| Seated for lunch. |
The next two pictures are of the very relaxed surveillance and the choosing process -
We also had an opportunity to do a tour of the factory which was an enlightening experience with a chance to see what was in production and a peep at the work of the decorators and to have a chat with them.
This is a new pattern being worked on by Lynsey, the decorator who works on special pieces and who trials new patterns. She was working on these pieces called Christmas Rose, a dark red Hellebore. This may or may not be available next Christmas?
These next two pictures are what might be the next Year Jug for Collectors. I found this design much more to my liking than recent ones, I might be tempted?
Needless to say we also did buy a few things in the factory shop and came home feel very happy after a really lovely day!
Yes! I did get the piece I wanted. A half pint jug in the Pomegranate pattern made in 2012 for Persephone Books to mark the publication their 100th book. This has only been produced in two shapes, a 1.5 jug with matching bowl, so I was really pleased with this small sample jug!
Here it is integrated into my collection -
Oh, I did have a lovely day!
3 comments:
Sounds like you had a wonderful day. Sometimes it's so nice to do something you wouldn't ordinarily do, and you're lucky you had good friends to share in the fun!
I certainly looks like a lovely day! Thanks for sharing so many pictures!
hi mary, you look to have had a fun day at the eb factory, bet you slept well that night with all that talking and travelling.
i loved all the photographs in this and the last post you have a lovely collection and have much more of it on display than i manage., i need anise old welsh dresser !
did you buy the book ? and is it a good read ?
i have that large persephone jug, my daughter gave it me for mothers day a couple of years ago.
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