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!
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!
ReplyDeleteI certainly looks like a lovely day! Thanks for sharing so many pictures!
ReplyDeletehi 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.
ReplyDeletei 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.