Osborne & Osborne Pottery

I love local pottery. There is something quite wonderful about driving around Cornwall and spotting a maker’s sign beside the road. It doesn’t have to be pottery either. I am intrigued by anything homemade or handmade. I love the chance discovery of it all. I’m naturally nosey, I suppose. I want to peer in.

Cornwall’s pottery tradition

Cornwall has a rich ceramic tradition. The county has supplied china clay to the world for generations, an important ingredient in porcelain, and Wheal Martyn Clay Works tells the story of that industry.

Then there is Leach Pottery in St Ives, founded in the 1920s, and Cornishware, which isn’t actually made in Cornwall but has become associated with our sea and sky through its bold blue bands.

I prefer pottery where the maker’s hand remains visible. I like pieces that feel as though they could have been drawn from the ground itself, with glazes that sit somewhere between familiar shades and textures that make you want to stroke them, hold them and cup them in your hands.

Osborne & Osborne Pottery

One long-standing favourite of mine is Osborne & Osborne Pottery. The name was relatively new when this article was first written, but the makers were already well established.

Frances Osborne, previously known through Fraddon Pottery, and her daughter Rachael brought their different creative backgrounds together to produce pottery with a strong sense of place and personality. Frances had years of experience working with clay, while Rachael also brought her eye for form and detail as a silversmith.

Made for use and display

The collection includes practical pieces such as cups, bowls, noodle plates and teapots, alongside work that is more decorative and sculptural.

Natural forms appear throughout, from branches and leaves to softly irregular shapes and restrained colours. The pieces feel connected to Cornwall without relying on the usual coastal clichés.

The studio is based near Fraddon, within reach of Newquay and Cornwall’s north coast. There is something both rugged and gentle in the work that suits the landscape around it.

You can see more of their pottery on Instagram.