Ruskin Pottery China Restoration

Examples...

The Ruskin Pottery, based in Smethwick, near Birmingham, boasts an extraordinary legacy centred on pioneering ceramic glazes and artistic forms from 1898 until its closure in 1935. Under the direction of Edward Richard Taylor and his son William Howson Taylor, Ruskin achieved international acclaim for its revolutionary high-fired, iridescent, and crystalline glazes, often drawing comparisons to Chinese Sung Dynasty wares. Given this precious history and its prolific output of unique decorative pieces, our restorers are highly experienced in repairing a wide range of Ruskin items, from iconic "Soufflé" bowls to rare experimental vases.

Our Restoration Expertise

Ruskin Pottery's most celebrated innovations, the glazes themselves, present unique and complex restoration challenges, which our specialists are highly skilled at addressing. We frequently restore:

• Lustre and Iridescent Glazes: Repairing chips, hairline cracks, and structural damage on pieces featuring Ruskin's famous metallic-sheen lustre glazes. This involves meticulously recreating the delicate, reflective surface and ensuring the signature shimmer and colour-shift are flawlessly matched.
• Crystalline and Flambé Glazes: Mending breaks and damage to pieces displaying the complex, high-fired crystalline or deep, mottled flambé effects. We focus on precise texture and colour matching to replicate the unique, almost geological structure of these unpredictable glazes, which are a hallmark of Howson Taylor’s genius.
• Soufflé and Experimental Glazes: Restoring damage to the distinctive Soufflé ware, known for its textured, slightly matt, and often vivid turquoise or yellow/orange surfaces. This requires an in-depth understanding of the original glaze chemistry and texture to achieve an undetectable repair.
• Traditional and Decorative Forms: Repairing early decorative pieces and vases that feature more conventional, yet exquisitely rendered, flowing Art Nouveau designs, ensuring the hand-painted or tube-lined decoration is conserved.

The Repair Process

Ruskin Pottery's status as a leader in the British Arts and Crafts movement—and the fact that the company famously destroyed its glaze recipes upon closing—makes every surviving piece invaluable. Since Ruskin employed unique clay bodies and revolutionary glazing techniques (many involving high-firing temperatures), our restoration methods are deeply researched and tailored to each specific glaze type to achieve a flawless, museum-quality result.

Our process ensures that all structural repairs are stable and that the restored area, whether replicating the delicate crystals of a rare crystalline glaze, the sheen of a lustre finish, or the texture of a Soufflé ware—is virtually undetectable, protecting the heritage and irreplaceable value of your Ruskin masterpiece.