Wedgwood the Brand Story
Josiah would no doubt be thrilled by every single one of Wedgwood's achievements. For two and a half centuries strong our company has grown and our product range has blossomed all under his enduring ethos. Wedgwood now employs more than 2,000 people, distributes to 90 countries in the UK, North America, Western Europe and Japan, all the while holding high a reputation as purveyors of luxury goods.
Open For Business
After a short partnership with Thomas Whieldon, Josiah opened for business at Ivy House in 1759, a humble start to 250 years of ceramic innovation and pioneering spirit. It was there that he developed the wildly popular cream-coloured earthenware that became known as Queen's Ware, in honour of its patron Queen Charlotte. This marked the beginning of Wedgwood's ongoing relationship with many illustrious patrons. Indeed Wedgwood has been laid on many a grand table; the Empress Catherine of Russia, President Theodore Roosevelt and Queen Elizabeth II.
Josiah quickly moved into larger premises in 1764, and in 1769 (the same year that he made a business partner of Thomas Bentley) moved into the newly built Etruria works. This became home to Wedgwood for the next 180 years. And it was here at Etruria that he enjoyed his great creative triumphs, Black Basalt, Jasper, the Portland Vase. His maverick business and marketing genius coupled with his finely tuned aesthetic values sealed the company's success. Josiah courted patrons and understood fashion and his ceramics became almost ridiculously popular - there was even reported "...a violent vase madness breaking out among the Irish".
Onwards and Upwards
After Josiah's death in 1795, the Wedgwood factory continued to pioneer feats of ceramic innovation. Highlights included the introduction of bone china, Daisy Makeig-Jones' Fairyland Lustre, the sculptural ceramics of John Skeaping and the marvellous illustrations of Eric Ravilious. Towards the end of the 1930's though, Wedgwood had outgrown the Etruria factory. They resettled in 1938, making a home at the new Barlaston factory just south of Stoke-on-Trent where Josiah V laid the foundation stone.
By 1950 Wedgwood was fully operational in a state of the art factory, firmly set on a clear path of growth. And grow we did. In the decades that followed, Wedgwood spread across international markets, particularly in America and Japan, acquiring other great pottery brands along the way. Then in 1986, the Wedgwood group merged with Waterford Crystal to form the Waterford Wedgwood group, now one of the great families of international premium interiors brands in the world.
A Thoroughly Modern Brand
Today, as well as being able to draw from our enviable treasure -trove of pattern and design archives, our collaboration with international designers has expanded our design credentials even further. Vera Wang, Jasper Conran, Barbara Barry and Martha Stewart have all been fitting partners for us.
We are grateful for such a heritage, lucky to have so much to be inspired by in fact. But we have much to look forward to as well. Everything we do will continue to be approached with the same enthusiasm and high standards as our ingenious founder.
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