How does slip-casting work? First, liquid clay (or, slip) is poured into a plaster of Paris mould. This is then left to sit for around 30 minutes, while the mould absorbs the water from the slip, and leaves behind a crust of clay along the mould’s inside. The excess slip is then poured out, leaving behind the desired shape. Slip-casting meant that identical items could be produced over and over again.

Slip-casting was an integral part of Crown Lynn production right from the beginning. In the 1930s, as they took their first steps towards making domestic ware, Tom Clark and his team began experimenting with slip-casting. However, it was the employment of John Cowdery in 1946 which really revolutionised their efforts. Cowdery was an expert English mould-maker who had previously been employed by the Royal Grafton pottery. Cowdery and Clark met just after the war, when Tom Clark travelled to England in search of new ideas.

We’re grateful that moulds like this one have survived, as they illustrate a fascinating ‘behind-the-scenes’ story of the Crown Lynn pieces we know and love.