Denby
Denby is one of England’s enduring successes. While many of the Staffordshire potteries have struggled throughout the 20th century, Derbyshire’s Denby has maintained its popularity and managed to keep up with contempory styles and needs – I’m sure there are thousands of you with pieces of Denby tableware. Like most of the other well known pottery manufacturers, Denby first began in the 19th Century. When a seam of clay was found in 1806 in the village of Denby, local entrepreneur, William Bourne saw the potential to be part of the pottery manufacturing boom.
Three years later, in 1809 production began at the new Denby factory under the management of William’s youngest son, Joseph. The company was known as Joseph Bourne, which is why much Denby is marked Bourne, Denby. Bourne specialised in salt glazed pottery bottles and jars and built up a reputation of for good quality products.
Salt Glazing had been first developed in the 17th century and by now was a widely used means of decoration – salt was thrown into the kiln fires. When the sodium vapour from the salt came into contact with the silicates in the clay, a distinctive shiny coating was produced.
By the late 1800’s, glass was becoming less expensive and was widely replacing pottery containers. Denby diversified and began extending its range into kitchenware. They now developed those richly coloured glazes, which were to become their trade mark. By the time Denby reached the 20th century, they had two clear ranges – their durable kitchenware and decorative ware (marked Danesby). Most homes would have had some Denby pieces like a pie dish, jelly mould or even a hot water bottle. Each decade marked a new innovative range, which generally captured the fashion of the time. Production methods were revolutionized in the 1930’s with the introduction of high capacity kilns and a new range of glazes. The arrival of new and creative designers (like David Gilbert in the 1930’s or Glyn Colledge in the 1940’s) ensured Denby was continually introducing fresh ideas and designs.
In the future, collectors may look back and call the 20th century Denby’s heyday – their current ranges, like Imperial Blue and Regency Green, are as popular as any which preceeded them. Denby certainly deserves its success.
