Showroom and Studio
The Pottery is situated in the historic Hampshire
village of Selborne, made famous by the naturalist
Gilbert White in the eighteenth century by his
book, ‘The Natural History of Selborne’.
The pottery was established in 1985 by Robert
Goldsmith after attaining a BA Hons in ceramics at
West Surrey College of Art and Design in Farnham.
Each piece of pottery is hand thrown and turned
on a wheel. No industrial techniques or moulds
are used in the making process. The pottery does
not try to mimic the past but does draw on skills
rarely practised today. Combined with high
temperature stoneware glazes, fine brushwork,
wax resist and glaze trailing, the finished pots
with rich copper red and cobalt blue glazes are
both functional and decorative whilst still having
a contemporary look.
The gold lustre range adds a luxurious opulence not
normally found on studio pottery. The glazes and
pigments are made up from raw materials in the
pottery and are fired in a gas kiln to almost a white
heat. This fuses both clay and glaze together in an
impenetrable bond, giving the pottery both its
brightness and its depth of colour.
Due to the nature of the firing process subtle colour
changes occur in the glazes. This is especially true
of the copper red glaze which can fire to a bright
red, tomato red or pink giving pots in the same
range the feeling of a family rather than of being
cloned! Although decorative, the pots have been
designed to be used and are oven and dishwasher
safe. Pots with gold lustre should not be used in a
microwave. There is no lead or cadmium in the
glaze and all are safe for everyday use.
The attractive village of Selborne and its beautiful countryside is
famous for its association with the eighteenth century naturalist Gilbert
White. The parish of Selborne also includes the neighbouring villages of
Blackmoor and Oakhanger, each with their own unique history.
There are two very good pubs in the village and there are various
walks from the village centre including the ‘Lythes’ and the ‘Hanger’
that overlooks the village with its zig zag path cut by Gilbert White
and his brother. They are part of the 275 acres of National Trust
meadow, woodland and common and are open all year.
A leaflet describing the walks over the land is on sale at Selborne
Post Office and in the shop at “The Wakes”. There is also the Oates
museum, which is devoted to the remarkable Oates family and in
particular, Frank Oates, a Victorian explorer, and to Captain Lawrence
Oates who accompanied Scott to the South Pole.
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