This is the first book to be devoted to the Vine Pottery of Stoke-upon-Trent, England.
The book includes a complete history of the Birks family and the pottery.
Lists of tables of trade marks used by the pottery makes easy identification.

From the book - 'The Birks family has been involved in the ceramic industry in the Potteries since 1812 when ten year old Isaac Birks modeled a black basalt creamer. Isaac worked for Minton where ten members of the Birks family covering at least three generations were employed at some time, usually as modelers. His eldest son, Arthur, left Minton after a very short time and became a modeler at Copeland, and it was his eldest son, Lawrence Arthur Birks, who in 1894 founded the Vine Pottery in Stoke-upon-Trent with his brother-in-law, Charles Frederick Goodfellow. The firm enjoyed royal patronage, mainly from Queen Mary, and received many awards at national and international exhibitions. Unfortunately, as for so many other pottery manufacturers, the National Strike of 1926 had a disastrous effect on the Birks Rawlins enterprise and this, coupled with the return of competition from other European countries after the First World War, resulted in it being bought by Wiltshaw & Robinson Ltd. The Wall Street crash of 1929 was the final nail in the coffin, wiping out the export trade that the factory had built up and the firm closed in 1934. This was a sad end for an enterprise which had been producing such high class and original porcelain as well as quality bread and butter lines.' - Copyright Peter Goodfellow 2006.

Peter Goodfellow - born in 1934 in the quiet hamlet of Hanchurch on the outskirts of Stoke-on-Trent. Since 1994 he has indulged in his passion for ceramic research. His family history reveals that the Birks are Goodfellow’s ancestors. He also has relatives who were manufacturing master potters from the early eighteenth century.

Size: 8 1/4 x 10 1/4 ins
216 pp 530 col. & 43 b/w illustrations
Hardbound
March 2006

ONLY AUD$87.00

With Personal Message & Signed By The Author

All books signed by Peter Goodfellow will be shipped from the UK. You will be advised of the P & P costs.