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Bretby Bamboo Ware Price Guide A Collector’s Introduction

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Bretby Bamboo Ware is one of the most recognisable and charming styles of late 19th-century British pottery. Produced by the Bretby Art Pottery Company—founded in 1883 by Henry Tooth and William Ault in Woodville, Derbyshire—these decorative ceramics reflect the Victorian era’s fascination with nature and Oriental design.

Three Bretby art pottery carved bamboo ware vases Nos 1346 2270 and 2432
Three Bretby art pottery carved bamboo ware vases Nos 1346 2270 and 2432. Sold for £65 at Hansons, May 2020.

The design features moulded ridges and nodules that imitate real bamboo canes, typically finished in rich majolica-style glazes of green, brown, and ochre. Common forms include umbrella stands, jardinieres, wall pockets, and vases. This feature presents a selected Bretby Bamboo Ware price guide, using verified auction results, collector insights, and condition analysis.

A Vintage Bretby Bamboo Ware Planter And Jardiniere With Oriental Design
A Vintage Bretby Bamboo Ware Planter And Jardiniere With Oriental Design. Sold for £45 at Ashley Waller Auctioneers, February 2025.

Collector Tips and Identification Advice for Bretby Bamboo Ware

Beyond the sunburst mark and registration numbers, collectors should also examine glaze quality and form. Authentic Bretby Bamboo Ware typically features finely moulded bamboo joints and glossy majolica glazes in earthy tones like green, ochre, and brown. The glazes often pool slightly around the ridges, enhancing the naturalistic look.

A Bretby Carved Bamboo ware two-handled moulded in low relief with figures in a stylized Japanese landscape
A Bretby Carved Bamboo ware two-handled moulded in low relief with figures in a stylized Japanese landscape. Sold for £20 at Bamfords Auctioneers, March 2015.

Popular forms include wall pockets, jardinieres, and umbrella stands. Watch for restoration work around vulnerable areas such as handles or rims, and check for overpainting which may disguise damage. Pieces without marks may still be genuine—especially if the shape and glaze match known examples—but verifying with auction records or reference books is wise.

A Bretby art pottery carved bamboo ware twin-handled jardinière with serpent handles
A Bretby art pottery carved bamboo ware twin-handled jardinière with serpent handles. Sold for £50 at Hansons, May 2020.

Because similar bamboo-style wares were made by other potteries, particularly in Staffordshire, it’s helpful to compare suspected Bretby pieces with documented forms. Condition, form rarity, and glaze vibrancy all contribute to desirability and market value.

Bretby Art Pottery Carved Bamboo Ware Vase Oriental Movement Period
Bretby Art Pottery Carved Bamboo Ware Vase Oriental Movement Period. Sold on ebay.com for $85, July 2025.

However, the term “Bamboo Ware” also applies more broadly to pottery from other makers who embraced similar naturalistic themes. Several Staffordshire potteries, as well as continental and Japanese manufacturers, produced bamboo-themed ceramics during the same period. These included majolica jugs, bamboo-moulded wall pockets, and hand-painted porcelain decorated with bamboo motifs. This widespread popularity reflects the influence of the Aesthetic Movement and its admiration for Japanese art and nature-inspired forms.

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