Royal Doulton wares designed by David Henry Souter (Australia)

The Doulton factory was established in 1815 in Lambeth, South London by John Doulton (1793 - 1873), who had previously been employed at the nearby Fulham Pottery. He initially had two partners, Martha Jones and John Watts, the former of who left the company in 1820, and the latter in 1854.

He began by producing practical and decorative stoneware, such as bottles and sewer pipes from his small pottery

John's son Henry (1820 - 1897) joined the company in 1835 and the production of stoneware items was expanded to include laboratory articles, sanitary ware and drainpipes, which were sold worldwide.

In more... the mid 1850s John Doulton began experimenting with a more decorative pottery items. Many glazes and decorative effects were developed including faience, impasto, silicon, carrara, marqueterie, chine, and rouge flambe.

From about 1860, Doulton began to revive earlier types of stoneware, such as copies of 18th-century vessels. The famous salt-glazed wares with blue decoration first appeared in 1862.

Through Henry Doulton, the pottery became associated with the Lambeth School of Art directed by John Sparkes from about 1866.

He trained the sculptor George Tinworth who joined Doulton as the first resident sculptor in 1867. Tinworth enjoyed a long career at the Lambeth studio, producing a wide range of figures, vases, jugs, tankards and reliefs, as well as fountains and monumental sculptures.

The international popularity of the art pottery produced at Lambeth led to the number of art potters increasing from six in 1873 to 345 in 1890, including such famous names as Frank Butler, Eliza Simmance, Arthur Barlow and his sisters Hannah and Florence Barlow.

In 1877, Henry Doulton invested in Pinder, Bourne & Co., a pottery on Nile Street, Burslem, Staffordshire, to manufacture tableware and ornamental ware.

When Henry Doulton died in 1897, Henry's son Henry Lewis Doulton took over control of the company. The company continued to hire talented artists including the next art director Charles Noke, Harry Tittensor, Joseph Hancock, and many others.

The company was granted the Royal Warrant by Edward VII in 1901. Production continued at the Lambeth factory until 1956, after which Doulton concentrated on their activities at Burslem.

In the 1960s, the company made a series of acquisitions. In 1968 it purchased Minton China, a company founded in 1793, and Dunn Bennett, a company founded in 1876 manufacturing hotel ware. These were followed by Webb Corbett and Beswick in 1969.

In 1972 Pearson PLC purchased Doulton & Co. Pearson had a controlling interest in Allied English Potteries and combined the two tableware groups under the Royal Doulton Tableware name, but in 1993 Pearson returned the Doulton group to public ownership, and it was listed on the London Stock Exchange.

The company made further acquisitions in the 1990s but sales were stagnant and in 1997 the company was forced to restructure, cutting its workforce and range of products.

Losses continued despite further attempts to cut costs, including closing the Nile Street Burslem factory in 2005, and the company went administration in 2009.

It is now part of WWRD Holdings Ltd., the name being an acronym for the main components of the business: Waterford, Wedgwood and Royal Doulton less...

David Henry Souter was an Australian artist and designer who worked for the Royal Doulton company in the early 20th century. He was known for his unique and colorful designs, which were often inspired by Australian flora and fauna.

Souter began working for Royal Doulton in 1912 and continued to design wares for the company until the mid-1920s. During this time, he created a variety of patterns for Royal Doulton's popular "Series Ware" line, which featured scenes and designs based on a particular theme or subject.

Souter had a great love for cats and his designs often capture more... the playful and mischievous nature of these beloved pets.

One of his most popular cat designs is the "Kitten" series, which features a variety of playful kitten scenes. These designs are often brightly colored and highly detailed, with a great deal of attention paid to capturing the unique personalities of each kitten.

Another popular cat design by Souter is the "Puss in Boots" series, which features cats in a variety of adventurous poses and costumes. These designs are often highly stylized and full of personality, capturing the playful and imaginative nature of cats.

Souter's cat designs are highly collectible and continue to be popular with cat lovers and collectors today. They are a testament to Souter's skill as a designer, as well as his love for these beloved pets.

In addition to his work for Royal Doulton, Souter was also an accomplished painter and illustrator. He created a variety of works depicting Australian landscapes and wildlife, as well as illustrations for books and magazines. less...