Arthur Wood | Earthenware | Basketweave Jug | Moulded Floral Collar | c.1934–1940s

The 1930s produced more confident pottery than the decade’s reputation sometimes suggests — a jug like this is evidence enough.

Arthur Wood & Son of Longport, Staffordshire, was one of the more commercially astute potteries of the interwar period, producing decorative earthenware that balanced strong moulded form with accessible hand-finished detail. The basketweave jug with moulded floral collar belongs to this moment — a design that combines texture, colour, and structure without excess.

The jug is of tapered cylindrical form with a flat base and a wide pinched spout. The body carries an all-over moulded basketweave pattern in a soft cream earthenware. At the shoulder, a continuous collar of moulded flowers introduces colour — orange and yellow blooms with dark centres set against teal green foliage, hand-applied over the relief. The handle is square-section and angular, a distinctly 1930s detail that contrasts with the otherwise traditional form. The interior is glazed in a warm honey tone.

There is crazing throughout, consistent with age, along with visible staining to the interior and areas of the exterior. There are no chips or cracks.

Key Details

• Maker: Arthur Wood & Son, Longport, Staffordshire
• Mark: Arthur Wood, England (printed)
• Body: Earthenware
• Period: c.1934–1940s
• Height: 15.3 cm
• Spout to handle: 18.3 cm
• Weight: 621 g

Collector Appeal

Primarily decorative rather than scarce, but appealing as a representative example of interwar English earthenware with strong moulding and honest period colour.

A piece that has been used is not a diminished piece — it is an object with a history, which is a different thing entirely.