Largest collection of south Wales porcelain in the world up for auction

Auctions are usually fairly discreet affairs attended by a few dozen people. This was not the case in the sale of the late Sir Leslie Joseph's collection of Welsh pottery and porcelain held by Sotheby's in 1992. Over 2,000 objects were sold in some 900 lots and made in excess of £1.1 million. The success of the sale was no surprise, for this was the largest and richest collection of Swansea and Nantgarw porcelain in the world.

Sir Leslie Joseph

A Swansea porcelain plate from the Garden Scenery service, a large Nantgarw porcelain dish from the Vernon service, a Nantgarw porcelain inkwell, painted for Caroline Goodrich of Caerphilly, and a Swansea porcelain set pattern plate, all of c. 1816-25, and presented by the Friends of Amgueddfa Cymru.

Sir Leslie Joseph was born in Swansea and had a long business career, which saw him eventually becoming vice-chairman of the Trusthouse Forte group. He had bought his first piece of Welsh porcelain before the Second World War. In the 1950s he began to assemble a collection that would eventually fill the display cabinets that lined five attic rooms in his house near Porthcawl.

Nantgarw and Swansea ceramics

His aim was to secure examples of every shape and pattern made at the Swansea and Nantgarw potteries. Unlike many collectors he was prepared to buy damaged pieces if they helped him learn more about the variety of porcelain produced at the two factories. Over the years he built up a vast knowledge of Welsh ceramics and, in particular, of the script marks used on Swansea porcelain. In 1988 he published the book Swansea Porcelain: Shapes and Decoration with A.E. Jones, which is an invaluable record of that factory's achievements.

Sir Leslie, who served on Amgueddfa Cymru's Art Committee for several years, was very generous and allowed many collectors and scholars access to the collection and his vast knowledge.

The sale of the Joseph collection represented both a challenge and an opportunity for Amgueddfa Cymru. The Museum has the largest public collection of Welsh pottery and porcelain in the world, with over 3,000 pieces. In recent years the Museum has tried to make the ceramics collection as comprehensive as possible. There were many objects in the Joseph collection of interest to the Museum, but the budget meant that choices had to be made about which were more important to the collection.

Prices at the sale were very high. Amgueddfa Cymru acquired 33 lots, at a total cost of £98,000. Nearly a third of the costs were paid for by external grants, and the three most expensive individual pieces were paid by other buyers on behalf of the Museum.

A small number of other rare and beautiful objects were bought at a high cost. One was an ice-cream pail from the Gosford Castle service. This was a well-known Swansea dessert service decorated in London with botanical specimens. The Museum also purchased a Nantgarw plate, exquisitely painted with doves perched on the edge of a basin of water, also decorated in London.

The Welsh Ceramics Gallery, at National Museum Cardiff, is named the Joseph Gallery in memory of Sir Leslie, one of Amgueddfa Cymru's great benefactors.

Comments (4)

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Gemma
25 September 2020, 22:07
Hi I’m wondering if you have any personal information regarding sir Leslie Joseph in particular his relation to porthcawl?
Many thanks
JOAN WINDUST
27 August 2016, 10:35
My grandmother, who lived in Newport, Mon, showed me a Welsh lady sitting in front of a round table set for tea upon her mantel piece in the front room. For some strange reason she showed me that the lady could sit over the table. I was only about 7 at the times, so do not recall much....
As I went to live in Australia I was not there when she died, also there were several grandchildren who lived with her. Therefore I have no idea what happened to this lovely porcelain figure.
I wonder if you know anything about such a Welsh figure?
Thank you

Sara Huws Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales Staff
18 November 2015, 09:58

Hi there

Thanks for your enquiry.

We would always recommend starting with a local auction house, who will be able to give you advice on valuation.

If you are in the south Wales area, you can attend our Art Opinion Service - the next one is on the 4th of December in National Museum Cardiff, where our Art Department is based. This service is intended to help you learn more about the objects in your possession, however we do not provide valuations.

Thanks again for your enquiry

Sara
Digital Team

Brian G Davies
17 November 2015, 20:42
I have a teaset, which is probably around 100 years old, white and gold and patterned with a gold "fern".
It is not identified i.e. no makers name or mark/ It was my grandma's, and she lived most of her life in Neath, S.Wales
How do I get it identified and, if necessary, valued? I have photographs I can email!