The Wedgwood Prestige collection is the pinnacle of Wedgwood, representing over 250 years of the finest English craftmanship. 

Introduction

Hand crafted in Barlaston in the heart of England by a select few artisans, many of whom have spent decades perfecting their craft, the collection is a showcase of extraordinary designs from the 1700s to today. Each piece in the collection is a unique work of art, the embodiment of Wedgwood's unique heritage and the product of skills and techniques developed over generations.

In 1762, Josiah Wedgwood met Thomas Bentley, a prosperous Liverpool merchant with broad political and cultural connections. The two fast became friends, forming one of the most successful creative partnerships of the age. Together they developed Wedgwood into one of the world's first global luxury brands. The two men complemented each other perfectly - the inventive, mercurial 

Wedgwood tempered by the sensible and educated Bentley with his wealth of influential connections.

From royalty-appointed Queensware to iconic, opulently decorated Jasper, Wedgwood and Bentley's 11 year-partnership saw the creation, perfection and distribution of some of the more unique and luxurious ceramic pieces ever created.

Journey of the Borghese Vase

Perhaps the pinnacle of decorative Jasper, the Borghese Vase, adapted from an antique vase about 1790, remains the iconic expression of Wedgwood's vision and craft.

The culmination of six highly specialised processes and ten firings, the Borghese vase takes eight craftsmen over 200 hours to create.

Stage 01

Casting

Casting slip (Liquid clay) is poured into plaster moulds and allowed to dry. The mould is then split open, revealing and releasing the shaped piece. Moulds are created by Wedgwood artisans, many based on original designs dating back to the 18th Century.

Stage 02

Fettling & Sponging

Seam mark produced in the moulding process are removed, excess clay is cut away and the surface is sponged and smoothed by hand before the piece is ready to be fired.

Stage 03

Figure Making

Unchanged since it was pioneered by Josiah Wedgwood, this process involves hand-pressing damp clay into a plaster mould before teasing it out to reveal a bas relief to be used for ornamentation.

Stage 04

Ornamentation

The bas relief is gently applied to the dampened surface of the piece by hand. Wedgwood is renowned for the clarity and detail of its ornamentation.

Stage 05

Firing

After another round of fettling and sponging to remove minor imperfections, the piece is fired at up to 1170c for 30 hours cold to cold.

Stage 06

Gilding

The piece is hand-painted with liquid gold before being fired to set the precious metal. This process is repeated to ensure a lustrous and durable finish.

Stage 07

Selection

The components of the piece are checked and assembled to create a stunning final piece.