Briglin Pottery

The Briglin Pottery was founded in 1948 by Brigitte Goldschmidt (later known as Brigitte Appleby) and Eileen Lewenstein in the basement of premises at 66 Baker Street, London. Its object was "to produce well designed, attractive pots that could be used in the home, and to sell them at affordable prices." [ [http://www.studiopottery.com/cgi-bin/mp.cgi?item=20 Studio Pottery website] ] It produced a large quantity of domestic pottery, much of it recognisable from its dark earthenware body, muted colours, white glaze and wax resist designs. In some ways Briglin was untypical of post-war studio potteries: it made tin-glazed earthenware when most others were making high-fired stoneware, it employed a large staff when most potters worked alone or with a few assistants, and its pottery and shop were in the West End of London when many potters preferred the country.

Appleby said of the pottery, “While the London location presupposes high salaries and overheads, it has the advantage of easy access to raw materials, a perpetually changing patronage as well as an unlimited choice of assistants. We employ at our studio fifteen people and make over three thousand pieces a week.” [ "Briglin Pottery", "Ceramic Review", 4, July/August 1970, p.6] One of her staff, Michael Crosby-Jones, commented, “Yes, Briglin is very commercial. This means that the pottery is a viable concern and the ten full-time employees plus half a dozen part-time employees are very pleased about this.” [ibid. p.8] Their staff included Donald Mills, who worked with them from 1948-52, and Anthony Barson who specialised in painted decoration.

Due to a fire in 1952, the pottery moved to 22 Crawford Street where it continued until its closure in 1990. Lewenstein left the pottery in 1959 to set up her own studio. Both she Appleby were active in forming the Craft Potters' Association and served it for many years. Lewenstein co-edited its journal "Ceramic Review" from 1970 until 1997.

Brigitte Appleby died in April, 2000 [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20000419/ai_n14301587 Emmanuel Cooper "Obituary: Brigitte Appleby", Independent, The (London), April 19, 2000] ] and Eileen Lewenstein in March, 2005 [ [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/obituary/0,12723,1447675,00.html?gusrc=rss Tanya Harrod, "Obituary: Eileen Lewenstein", Guardian Unlimited, March 30, 2005] ] .

In 2002 Anthea Arnold published a history of the pottery. [Arnold, A. "Briglin Pottery 1948-1990: The Story of a Studio Pottery in the West End of London", Briglin Books, London, 2002. ISBN 0954192303]

Example of Briglin's pottery are included in the collection of the University of Warwick [ [http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/art/artist/briglinpottery/wu0426ct University of Warwick Art Collection] ]

References