Jessie Tait
Encyclopedia
Dorothy Jessie Tait was a prolific English ceramic designer working in the Stoke-on-Trent
pottery industries, most prominently for Midwinter
, from the 1940s to the 1980s.
. She first worked as a junior designer to Charlotte Rhead
, and then as designer for the Midwinter Pottery
between 1946 and 1974. The Midwinter Pottery was taken over by J. & G. Meakin
in 1968, and again by Wedgwood
in 1970. Jessie Tait moved from Midwinter to Johnson Brothers, another part of the Wedgwood group, and retired in the early 1990s.
Many of her designs were mass-produced by the Midwinter Pottery on dinner services, and tea and coffee sets. In the 1950s these were hand painted, and well known designs included 'Red Domino' and 'Zambesi'. Her style was often detailed and geometric, making an effective transition to transfer printed wares, with 'Spanish Garden' and a range of designs on the Stonehenge shape in the 1970s continuing her success.
Midwinter produced a series of Jessie Tait vases and beakers with tube-lined
decoration. Tait also worked at home in the evenings, making intricate tube-lined wares on terracotta bodies for friends and family. She also designed for the Clayburn Pottery
.
Like other Potteries
-based ceramic designers such as Clarice Cliff
, Susie Cooper
and Charlotte Rhead
, her work has become highly sought after and valued by pottery collectors.
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
pottery industries, most prominently for Midwinter
Midwinter Pottery
The Midwinter Pottery was founded in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, in 1910 and had become one of England's largest potteries by the late 1930s with more than 700 employees.-History:...
, from the 1940s to the 1980s.
Life and work
Born in Stoke-on-Trent, she studied at the Burslem School of ArtBurslem School of Art
Burslem School of Art was an art school in Burslem in the Potteries district of England. Students from the school played an important role in the local pottery industry....
. She first worked as a junior designer to Charlotte Rhead
Charlotte Rhead
Charlotte Rhead was an English ceramics designer active in the 1920s and the 1930s in the Potteries area of Staffordshire.Charlotte Rhead was born into an artistic family...
, and then as designer for the Midwinter Pottery
Midwinter Pottery
The Midwinter Pottery was founded in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, in 1910 and had become one of England's largest potteries by the late 1930s with more than 700 employees.-History:...
between 1946 and 1974. The Midwinter Pottery was taken over by J. & G. Meakin
J. & G. Meakin
J. & G. Meakin was an English pottery manufacturing company founded in 1851 and based in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.-History:In the 19th century, J. & G...
in 1968, and again by Wedgwood
Wedgwood
Wedgwood, strictly speaking Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, is a pottery firm owned by KPS Capital Partners, a private equity company based in New York City, USA. Wedgwood was founded on May 1, 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood and in 1987 merged with Waterford Crystal to create Waterford Wedgwood, an...
in 1970. Jessie Tait moved from Midwinter to Johnson Brothers, another part of the Wedgwood group, and retired in the early 1990s.
Many of her designs were mass-produced by the Midwinter Pottery on dinner services, and tea and coffee sets. In the 1950s these were hand painted, and well known designs included 'Red Domino' and 'Zambesi'. Her style was often detailed and geometric, making an effective transition to transfer printed wares, with 'Spanish Garden' and a range of designs on the Stonehenge shape in the 1970s continuing her success.
Midwinter produced a series of Jessie Tait vases and beakers with tube-lined
Tubelining
Tubelining is a technique of ceramic decoration. It involves squeezing a thin line of clay body through a nozzle onto the ware being decorated. An alternative term is "slip trailing"....
decoration. Tait also worked at home in the evenings, making intricate tube-lined wares on terracotta bodies for friends and family. She also designed for the Clayburn Pottery
Clayburn Pottery
The Clayburn Pottery was an English pottery works based in Milner St, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.-History:The company was established in 1953 and ceased trading by 1960. The Clayburn pottery produced hand painted decorative wares such as lamp bases, small bowls, jugs and cruet sets...
.
Like other Potteries
Staffordshire Potteries
The Staffordshire Potteries is a generic term for the industrial area encompassing the six towns that now make up Stoke on Trent in Staffordshire, England....
-based ceramic designers such as Clarice Cliff
Clarice Cliff
Clarice Cliff was an English ceramic industrial artist active from 1922 to 1963.Cliff was born in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, England.- Early life :...
, Susie Cooper
Susie Cooper
Susie Cooper was a prolific English ceramic designer working in the Stoke-on-Trent pottery industries from the 1920s to the 1980s.-Life and work:Born in Stanfields, Stoke-on-Trent, she was the youngest of seven children...
and Charlotte Rhead
Charlotte Rhead
Charlotte Rhead was an English ceramics designer active in the 1920s and the 1930s in the Potteries area of Staffordshire.Charlotte Rhead was born into an artistic family...
, her work has become highly sought after and valued by pottery collectors.