Poole Pottery "Bluebell"

Poole Pottery Bluebell was introduced in 1998 and was designed by Anita Harris, one of the key names associated with Poole’s later hand-decorated tableware. The design uses a soft brushed slip technique, combining gentle blue and cream tones with small hand-painted bluebell details.

The pattern has a calm, natural feel, with the floral decoration used sparingly rather than covering the whole surface. On bowls and plates, the bluebell motifs sit around the border, while on jugs and other serving pieces they appear on the exterior. This gives the design a simple, fresh appearance that is typical of Poole’s late 1990s move towards more informal, decorative tableware.

Bluebell sits within a period when Poole was producing a number of design-led ranges using brushed slip, sponging, stencilling and hand-painted decoration. These techniques gave the pieces a more individual finish, so subtle differences in colour, brushwork and detail are part of the design’s character.

As Bluebell is now discontinued, availability depends on what becomes available through the pre-loved market. Customers looking for related pieces may also wish to see the Marks & Spencer Bluebell range, which has a similar late Poole feel but should be treated as a separate design.