A Guide to Moorcroft Pottery: History, Patterns, and Prices
William Moorcroft for Moorcroft Pottery, Group of Three Vases, Early 20th Century. Lyon & Turnbull (October 2019).
Moorcroft pottery was one of the leading British brands of early 20th-century decorative art, and its creative output continues to be a beloved collector’s item today. Embodying the organic splendor of the Art Nouveau era, Moorcroft cultivated a captivating array of ceramic wares that are vibrant, timeless, and tasteful.
A History of Moorcroft Pottery
Founder William Moorcroft first began work as a pottery designer in the late 19th century when he joined James MacIntyre & Company. Moorcroft was an innovative artistic voice there, and made a splash with his nature-inspired motifs. His debut of one of these organically-inspired lines, the Florian pattern, at the 1904 Saint Louis World’s Fair was met with nearly instant success. Thanks to his hand-signed pieces, Moorcroft quickly became a widely recognized name.
Fearing that Moorcroft’s work was starting to overshadow the other lines of MacIntyre products, the company pushed him out in 1912. By the end of the same decade, W. Moorcroft Pottery was an outstanding production company in its own right. Moorcroft’s designs continued to compel collectors, with his reach extending as far as the British Royal Court. In 1928, Queen Mary awarded Moorcroft a royal warrant. Soon after, the Liberty department store, one of London’s leading retailers, supported Moorcroft with funding to advance the development of special pattern lines.
Moorcroft’s son, Walter, assumed control of the company in 1945 and continued the success of the family business; not only did he enjoy a renewed royal warrant in his name in 1946, but he was also able to buy out Liberty’s ownership in the early 1960s. Soon, though, the costs of its exquisite craftsmanship began to weigh on the company. Part of the Moorcroft business was sold in the 1980s with the aim of mass-producing a selection of Moorcroft designs. Though Walter remained the design director until 1987, the company experienced several changes in ownership over the subsequent years, The final iteration, the Moorcroft Design Studio, launched in 1998.
Moorcroft Pottery Value
Though modern wares are popular among Moorcroft fans, the early 20th-century patterns are those most coveted by Moorcroft collectors today. So how much are Moorcroft vases worth? This guide offers recent prices at auction for some of the most popular antique Moorcroft patterns, and how perennial favorites reflect the elegant, organic aesthetic for which Moorcroft pottery was originally known.
Moorcroft Florian Pattern
The Moorcroft ‘Florian’ pattern, in essence what launched the brand’s name, was its first successful style. Production continued on Moorcroft Florian ware until roughly 1906, just after it was showcased at the World’s Fair. The pattern features a variety of blooms, including poppies, irises, and tulips, rendered in relatively soft colors and accentuated through a raised slip technique. The allure of this early pattern is underscored by the fact that it is still one of the most acclaimed Moorcroft patterns and consistently achieves noteworthy prices at auction today.
Image 1: William Moorcroft for James MacIntyre, a Florian Ware Poppy vase, circa 1903
Kingham & Orme Auctioneers, Evesham, United Kingdom (March 2020)
Estimate: £1,600–£2,000
Price Realized: £2200
Image 2: A Superb Pair of Moorcroft Florian Ware Vases, circa 1900
John Nicholsons Fine Art Auctioneer & Valuer, Haslemere, United Kingdom, (February 2020)
Estimate: £800–£1,200
Price Realized: £1200
Image 3: William Moorcroft for James MacIntyre & Co., Pair of ‘Poppies’ Tapering Vases, circa 1905
Lyon & Turnbull, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (October 2019)
Estimate: £500–£800
Price Realized: £900
Image 4: A William Moorcroft Florian Ware ‘Landscape Design’ vase Circa 1902
Bonhams, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (June 2019)
Estimate: £600–£800
Price Realized: £637
Image 5: A William Moorcroft Macintyre Florian ware ‘Blue Poppy’ urn and cover
Sworders, Stansted Mountfitchet, United Kingdom (January 2020)
Estimate: £400 – £600
Price Realized: £420
Moorcroft Waratah Pattern
The Moorcroft Waratah pattern was introduced in the early 1930s and was designed for export to Australia. It was during this period that Moorcroft began incorporating a wider array of exotic blossoms into his motifs. Given this trend — and this line’s Australian destination — the Waratah pattern prominently features the waratah blossom, which was the state flower of New South Wales. These brilliant blooms are typically accented with the characteristic Moorcroft flambé glaze or set against a rich blue background.
Image 1: William Moorcroft, a green gound Waratah vase, circa 1930
Mossgreen Auctions, Woollahra, Australia (February 20174)
Estimate: AUD3,000–AUD5,000
Price Realized: AUD13,640
Image 2: William Moorcroft, Vase, c. 1930 ‘Waratah’ pattern
Shapiro Auctioneers, Woollahra, Australia (December 2018)
Estimate: AUD7,000–AUD9,000
Price Realized: AUD7,800
Image 3: Rare Moorcroft “Waratah” Plate, c. 1935
Ahlers & Ogletree Inc., Atlanta, Georgia (October 2018)
Estimate: $1,000–$2,000
Price Realized:
Image 4: A Boxed Moorcroft ‘New World Waratah’, 95/150
Leonard Joel, Melbourne, Australia (November 2018)
Estimate: AUD400–AUD600
Price Realized: AUD 480
Hazeldene Moorcroft
Hazeldene Moorcroft pottery reflected the studio’s expansion into landscape designs in the 1920s and was created for distribution through the Liberty department store. Featuring stylized trees rendered in shades of soft green and blue set against a cream background, the Hazeldene pattern celebrated an artful balance between organic simplicity and geometric precision in its repeating forms.
Image 1: William Moorcroft (1872-1945) for Liberty & Co. Hazeldene “Pompeian” bowl
Toomey & Co. Auctioneers, Oak Park, IL (March 2016)
Estimate: $1,000–$1,500
Price Realized: $4,575
Image 2: Moorcroft, a large ‘Hazeldene’ pattern ceramic vase Early 20th century
Roseberys, West Norwood, United Kingdom (June 2019)
Estimate: £1,000–£1,500
Price Realized: £2000
Image 3: A William Moorcroft pottery miniature jug, in Hazeldene pattern, c. 1920
Chiswick Auctions, London, United Kingdom (September 2016)
Estimate: £1,200–£1,400
Price Realized: £1,320
Image 4: William Moorcroft Hazeldene Potpourri Jar
Leonard Joel, Melbourne, Australia (May 2019)
Estimate: AUD700–AUD1,400
Price Realized: AUD1,200
Image 5: Macintyre Moorcroft Hazeldene Vase, c.1903
Waddington’s, Toronto, Canada (June 2018)
Estimate: CAD600–CAD800
Price Realized: CAD1,200
Image 6: William Moorcroft ‘Hazeldene’ vase
Sworders, Stansted Mountfitchet, United Kingdom (January 2020)
Estimate: £300–£500
Price Realized: £400
Moorcroft Pottery: Moonlit Blue Pattern
As the name of the style suggests, Moonlit Blue Moorcroft pieces dazzle the eye with a luxurious azure blue ground and blue-green stylized trees similar to those seen in the Hazeldene pattern. The lustrous Moonlit Blue style emerged from the Moorcroft studio in the late 1910s and soared into popularity during the 1920s. It channeled the opulence of nature for which the late Art Nouveau era was renowned.
Image 1: William Moorcroft for Liberty & Co., London ‘Moonlit Blue’ Pewter Mounted Vase, circa 1920
Lyon & Turnbull, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (October 2019)
Estimate: £300–£500
Price Realized: £1400
Image 2: William Moorcroft ‘Moonlit Blue’ Pattern Vase
Bonhams, London, United Kingdom (October 2018)
Estimate: £1,000–£1,500
Price Realized: £1,125
Image 3: Moorcroft Pottery ‘Moonlit Blue’ Pattern Shouldered Vase, c. 1930
Lyon & Turnbull, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (October 2018)
Estimate: £300–£500
Price Realized: £1000
Image 4: Moorcroft, a Moonlit Blue landscape pattern ceramic vase of compressed form
Roseberys, West Norwood, United Kingdom (December 2018)
Estimate: £800–£1,200
Price Realized: £920
Image 5: William Moorcroft, a Moonlit Blue pattern ceramic vase c.1925
Roseberys, West Norwood, United Kingdom (March 2020)
Estimate: £500–£800
Price Realized: £580
Image 6: William Moorcroft ‘Moonlit Blue’ Pottery Jug, c. 1925
Chiswick Auctions, London, United Kingdom (October 2017)
Estimate: £600–£800
Price Realized: £440
Moorcroft Eventide Pattern
As a counterbalance to the rich, cool tones of the Moonlit Blue design, the Moorcroft Eventide pattern was introduced just a year later and embraced the warm and earthen hues of a setting sun. In the pattern, the contours of trees rest against vibrant fields of browns, reds, and oranges to convey an intense and enveloping sunset. The landscape motifs that Moorcroft integrated into this pattern, as well as in the Moonlit Blue and Hazeldene patterns, became a central focus for Moorcroft well into the subsequent decade.
Image 1: A William Moorcroft Eventide Pattern Vase, circa 1925
Leonard Joel, Melbourne, Australia (October 2017)
Estimate: AUD2,500–AUD3,500
Price Realized: AUD3,000
Image 2: A Moorcroft Eventide Pattern Vase
Leonard Joel, Melbourne, Australia (October 2017)
Estimate: AUD1,600–AUD2,000
Price Realized: AUD2,200
Image 3: Moorcroft Eventide Vase, c.1925
Waddington’s, Toronto, Ontario (June 2018)
Estimate: CAD800–CAD1,200
Price Realized: CAD1,680
Image 4: Moorcroft ‘Tudric’ Pewter Mounted Eventide Fruit Bowl, c.1925
Waddington’s, Toronto, Ontario (June 2018)
Estimate: CAD700–CAD1,000
Price Realized: CAD840
The rich colors, luminous glazes, and striking organic motifs of Moorcroft designs are both unique and unmistakable. For as much as they speak to the innovation of the Art Nouveau era, these patterns also broadcast a timeless elegance. Collectors can sense this universal appeal and quickly gobble up brilliant examples of Moorcroft designs, so for those wanting to join the field, now is the time to make your move on Moorcroft pottery.
