LLANELLY POTTERY
     The South Wales Pottery

Periods.

By its very nature a website can only give an overview to any wide-ranging subject and can never be a substitute for a well researched book; and this is certainly the case here - where we have attempted only the briefest of introductions.

Llanelly pottery is broadly separated into three periods, corresponding to the different periods of ownership.

1839-1855 William Chambers JNR.

Production started in 1840 under the management of William Bryant formerly of the Glamorgan pottery. Factory thrived although William Chambers JNR. left Llanelli in 1855. Common patterns of the period were: Amherst Japan, Bombay Japan, Colandine, Damask Border, Milan, Willow.

Marks of the period show SWP or SOUTH WALES POTTERY. Impressed marks shown SOUTH WALES POTTERY in a horseshoe with a number, or within two circles with the name or initials of William Chambers. The pottery name or initials are also found in a transfer cartouche.

1855-1875 Coombes & Holland and W.T.Holland.

The partnership leased the works after William Chambers JNR. left Llanelli in 1855, although from 1858 William Holland continued on his own. The period of William Holland's association is often considered as the high spot of pottery manufacture at Llanelli; with the best quality "body" being used alongside transfer printing of the highest standard.

Transfer marks are either C&H or WTH, the former being used on certain transfer patterns even after he left the partnership. An impressed mark of IRONSTONE CHINA is also used on its own.

1877 -1922 Guest & Dewsberry.

Transfer decorated pottery was manufactured with many of the existing patterns, and where marked it is usually with LLANELLY, LLANELLY POTTERY or LLANELLI ART POTTERY, stenciled in black. The sought after, hand-painted items associated with Sam Shufflebotham differ from other items produced in being made in a cream-coloured "body", and these are usually marked with a small LLANELLY stenciled in green, or very occasionally hand written. The majority of hand-painted items in the white "body", including the cockerel plates, were never marked.