Beswick Pottery

A landmark in porcelain figurine making, Beswick pottery enjoyed over a century as one of the most popular producers in England. Still sought after today by savvy collectors, Beswick pieces allude to a rich history committed to high quality workmanship.

Founded by James Wright Beswick in 1892, J.W. Beswick Pottery made its home in Stoke-on-Trent, nestled in north central England. Part of the Staffordshire region, the locale proved promising, and the geological makeup of the area included the essential mineral materials for porcelain production.

Over the subsequent decade, Beswick grew into an incredibly popular producer by generating figurines modeled after culture’s most popular characters and also by rendering each with utmost craftsmanship. Though Beswick production came to a decisive halt in 2004, the love of their pieces lives on in the vast number of collectors who crave them today.

Quick Facts

• One of Beswick’s most elaborate series was designed by Arthur Gredington in 1939. Incorporating almost 200 different versions of rearing horsemen, Gredington’s series proved to be one of the Beswick’s most successful
• In the late '40s and early '50s, Beswick developed characters conjured from popular culture. First was a series of figurines modeled after the characters taken from the pages of Beatrix Potter’s books. Soon after were figurines based on Disney characters including Mickey Mouse and Snow White
• When Beswick closed up shop in 2004, the "Beswick" name was put up for sale. It was purchased the year following for $2,320,050 by pioneering antique dealer John Sinclair, who rekindled several Beswick limited-edition designs