Carlton Ware | Wild Rose | Leaf Dish & Knife | Earthenware | England, c.1935–1961

Carlton Ware | Wild Rose | Leaf Dish & Knife | Earthenware | England, c.1935–1961

There is a particular honesty in English tableware of this period — it was made to be used, and it shows in the making.

Carlton Ware was the trading name of Wiltshaw & Robinson, established in Stoke-on-Trent in 1890. By the mid-twentieth century, the factory had become one of England’s most prolific producers of decorative earthenware.

The backstamp includes “Australian Design Registration Applied For”, wording used by Carlton Ware in connection with efforts to protect its designs in the Australian market, and associated with its backstamps of about 1935–1961. Despite the wording, the piece was conceived and produced entirely in England.

The dish is formed as a broad, naturalistic leaf, its lobed and gently serrated rim enclosing a finely veined surface. The glaze is a soft celadon green, providing a restrained ground for the applied decoration. At its centre, a Wild Rose is rendered in relief — a five-petalled bloom in pink with a yellow centre, accompanied by green leaves and a developing bud. The modelling is crisp, and the hand-applied colour retains its clarity.

The accompanying knife follows the same palette, with a tapered blade and a rounded handle terminating in a matching Wild Rose motif. Together, the two elements form a complete and considered serving piece.

Both items are housed in their original Carlton Ware presentation box, which shows age-appropriate wear to the corners and surface.

The dish displays fine, even crazing throughout — consistent with the earthenware body and entirely characteristic of the period. There are no chips or cracks. The knife remains in excellent condition, free from crazing or damage. All applied floral elements are intact.

Key Details

• Maker: Carlton Ware (Wiltshaw & Robinson), Stoke-on-Trent, England
• Pattern: Wild Rose
• Form: Leaf dish with matching knife
• Material: Earthenware
• Date: c.1935–1961
• Backstamp: Script mark including “Australian Design Registration Applied For”
• Condition: dish – fine, even crazing, no chips or cracks; knife – excellent, no crazing or damage
• Box: Original presentation box included
• Combined weight: 98g

Collector Appeal

Carlton Ware’s naturalistic forms sit between utility and display, and this dish and knife still have their original box. The Wild Rose pattern, with its restrained palette and sculptural relief, represents a quieter expression of the factory’s output, appealing to collectors who favour form and detail over high gloss decoration.

The crazing in the glaze is not a flaw — it is the surface recording time, exactly as it was always going to.