Raison D’être

Briglin.Logo4
Hi my name is Alex, I’m an avid collector of 20th century ceramics and design. I have started this site to record and share  information about the now closed Briglin Pottery which was run by Brigitte Appleby in London during the second half of the 20th century (Briglin Pottery production ran from 1948-1990). I very much hope I can help raise the profile of this neglected and highly underated British pottery. I have refused to give Briglin.com a mission statement as they usually just state the obvious, but I must mention that this is not an official site and I have no connection with the now closed Briglin Pottery. My intention with this site is to focus on the needs of the ceramic collector rather that attempt to re-tell the story of the history of Briglin Pottery, a story that is already described admirably in Anthea Arnold’s book; BRIGLIN POTTERY published in 2002, please see my book review here
Brigitte and the legion potters who worked at the pottery left behind a huge legacy of beautiful items to be discovered and enjoyed. My collection is but a mere drop in the ocean considering that Briglin Pottery produced many hundreds of thousands of items in it’s 40+ years of production. I have no intention of glossing over the cracks, or filtering out items that show Briglin Pottery in a less that ideal light. The quality of production and design of the pieces made at Briglin was sometimes less than ideal. All potteries produced lesser items at some point, it is a commercial necessity. At it’s best, Briglin Pottery produced items that display a vibrancy and strength that epitomizes design in Britain in the mid part of the C20th. I feel that the pottery deserves recognition and consideration and a front row seat in the history of post war British Ceramics.
I have attempted to collect the full gamut of Briglin’s production and to find pieces that represent Briglin Pottery from it’s earliest days, right up to  items from the 1980’s when production was off site. I am still constantly surprised by the beauty of some of the new things I see, there is always something new, something special to be discovered. Briglin is ideal for the collector as it is relatively inexpensive and there is so much of it out there. It is still possible to go shopping for Briglin with just a few pounds in your pocket which is sadly now impossible with many of the other British Potteries of the fifties and sixties. Many dealers undervalue Briglin and fail to recognize it for what it is. Finding pieces at fairs or car boots is very likely, especially near London.
I hope you enjoy this free website and come to enjoy Briglin Pottery as much as I do. Please come back soon as I am always updating these pages with new items and articles and this site still has many years of work for me. I always post photos of new item on Facebook first, sometimes Twitter, along with additional articles and comments that are not on the main site. I try to post many other potteries that were contemporary to Briglin in the hope that you may find something you like even if it is not Briglin Pottery. 
I have added a registration area, with some of the more unusual and interesting items being restricted. Registration is free and will grant full access to all the items and articles. Approximately a third of the items in my collection are hidden from non-members to give the members of this site an advantage over non-members. You can register here with only an username and an email address. A password will be emailed automatically which you can change later. Please check your filter folder for the password email which arrives after you have registered.
I need your help; If you have your own collection on the internet or want to contribute articles to this site then please drop me an email and I’ll be happy to link to your site.  The excellent and amazing www.studiopottery.com has some great examples of Briglin as well as all major potters and potteries from the last century. I found the site really useful and it is well worth a visit. As the saying goes “There is a fine line between fishing & just sitting by the side of a river like an idiot” – In the same way there is a fine line between collecting and hoarding. www.studiopottery.com has over 7,000 items online……. I think the line has been crossed long ago. Please have a browse, you will learn a lot.
I am especially interested to know your stories if you visited the shops, worked for Briglin or have any memoirs about the period. Please email me, I would love to hear from you. With some help perhaps we can fill in some of the gaps and the names.
I must thank  Alan Pett who has answered many of my questions, he has been very kind and helpful and put up with my inquisitive nature.
If  you would like to contact me you can email me at Alex@Briglin.com or become a member and leave a post in the Forum. If you do chose to join and become a member you will have access to all the items on this site.

 

BR
Alex

 

 

 

 

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