This is a highly collectable antique Scottish Art Pottery Coffee Set, and now difficult to source a complete set.
CODE F. 17 pieces including pot lid.
It would function as a coffee or tea set for special occasions (with gentle use!) or purely as a design item. It would look fine on display in a country kitchen on a Welsh dresser or in a china cabinet.
The clear, glassy glazes used on Mak Merry (and also Bough) pottery tends to develop surface crazing called craquelure, so it might indeed be better for very occasional use or display purposes. I have taken close-ups of the surface so that you can assess this properly. The condition is generally fine. One of the saucers has slightly more pronounced craquelure but all in generally fine condition with no chips or cracks. Nice and clean inside all pieces with no nasty staining.
The pot measures 7 1/2 inches in height and from handle to spout it is 6 1/2 inches.
The sugar bowl is more oval and measures 4 x 3 1/4 inches with a height of 2 3/4 inches. It comes with a little underplate or side plate which is 5 inches in diameter.
The milk bowl is 2 3/4 inches in height and from the spout to the handle it is 4 inches.
There are a total of six matching cups and saucers. Each cup is 2 1/4 inches in height and 2 1/2 inches in diameter, Each saucer is 4 3/4 inches in diameter.
The coffee set dates to the 1920s.
It is all hand-painted with a very attractive pattern of autumn fruit and berries with russet leaves, apples, redcurrants and cherries.
The set will have to be packed very carefully in a large box and take out full insurance for it in transit. This will be with Royal Mail, Medium Parcel. Please select a signed for service so tjat the insurance can be applied.
HISTORY: The MakMerry pottery grew out of the Scottish Women's Rural Institute, which was founded in 1917 in the Scottish town Macmerry by Catherine Blair.
Catherine had previously been an active Suffragist, campaigning for 'Votes for Women' and had a history of promoting female independence and equality. She became involved in the suffragette movement by writing countless letters to the press about the plight of women.
In 1920 MakMerry was set up as the trading arm of the Institute. Initially, members invested small sums of money and produced food items for sale – but they soon moved into producing fine craftworks as well – one of the crafts was pottery decoration. They hand-painted smaller household items such as plates, shallow bowls, lidded pots, and the sweetest teapots – and all these are instantly identifiable and often feature delicate and stylized floral patterns.
UK POSTAGE ONLY. It will be posted with Royal Mail Tracked and Signed For (Medium Parcel). This will be applied to your order at the checkout. It will also be fully insured against loss or damage in transit.