Poole Pottery "Traditional Ware"

Poole Pottery Traditional Ware grew from the hand-painted decorative style introduced by Truda Carter in 1921. Over many decades the range included vases, bowls, jugs, jars, lamp bases, butter dishes, trays and many other decorative forms, usually painted with floral, bird, fish or other traditional motifs.

Production of decorative pottery was interrupted during and immediately after the Second World War, when restrictions affected the use of colour. After the war, Poole resumed and developed the Traditional range, with many patterns gradually simplified over time. Later pieces often have a whiter ground and a more open decoration than earlier examples, making them quicker to produce while still retaining the recognisable Poole character.

Traditional Ware is usually identified by design codes rather than by a single pattern name. On MrPottery, we filter these pieces by code where possible, so customers looking for a particular design, such as BN, CS or the well-known LE cockerel pattern, can narrow the selection more easily.

Customers looking for Poole Pottery Traditional Ware are often searching for a particular shape, design code, colourway or display piece, or trying to add to a decorative group collected over many years. Availability can vary, as our stock depends on what becomes available through the pre-loved market.

When matching Traditional Ware, it is worth checking the shape, pattern code, size, background glaze and period of production. Earlier and later examples can differ noticeably in decoration, colour strength and spacing, which is part of the interest and character of this long-running Poole range.