Potteries Auctions is delighted to bring a collection of works by Arthur Holland, a renowned Minton artist, to auction. The collection was consigned by the grandchildren of Holland.
Arthur Holland’s youngest son had three children, Catherine, Thomas, and Mary. They lived near their grandfather in Penkhull, Stoke-on-Trent, in the 1970s. Each inherited his hand-painted china from various family sources. After realising they had many duplicate designs, they decided to consign them.
The hand-painted collection consists mainly of cabinet plates. It also features a coffee can and saucers, a table lighter, and other dishes.
Arthur Dale Holland was born in 1896 in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, to Mary Ann Holland and Pottery Polisher Arthur Thompson Holland.
A talented child, Holland left school at 13 and was taken under the wing of Josiah Wedgwood at his Etruria factory as an apprentice. At the same time, he undertook studies at Burslem and Stoke Art Schools.
His time at Wedgwood was disrupted by World War I. From January 1915 until late 1919, he served as a sergeant with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, City of London Regiment. He was injured on the first day of the Battle of the Somme and was awarded a Bronze War and Victory Medal.
Photograph of Arthur Holland during WWI
After the war, Arthur Holland returned to Wedgwood and worked as a decorator and artist until 1935. When Wedgwood announced their move to Barlaston, Holland left. He did not want to make the daily train journey. He subsequently joined Empire Porcelain as an artist until 1937.
After leaving Empire Porcelain, Arthur Holland joined Bell Pottery in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, before re-joining Wedgwood between 1941 and 1944. This time, he worked under the direction of John Goodwin and Victor Skellern.
Arthur Holland (seated) and Princess Margaret, 1957
A short but productive stay at Paragon China in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, followed until he joined Minton and Company in Stoke-on-Trent in 1947. He remained here until his retirement in 1961.
During his time at Minton, Arthur trained other ceramic artists such as Roger A. Shufflebotham. Mr Holland was regularly called on to display his skills to visitors to the factory, including Princess Margaret, and film stars such as Margaret Lockwood.
Arthur Holland painting the Queen’s Vase, 1954 (left) with the Queen’s Vase pictured (right, credit)
Arthur Holland’s expertise was further celebrated at Minton with several important commissions, including painting the Royal Cypher and the beasts on the ‘Coronation Vase’.
This was presented to the Queen in July 1954 by the British Pottery Manufacturers Federation. At the time, the vase was known as ‘the most complicated piece of bone china ever created’. 11 copies were made and presented to the Commonwealth Countries. An original is held by the city council in Stoke-on-Trent Town Hall.
The collection of Arthur Holland designs will be going to auction early July 2025 at Potteries Auctions’ Silverdale saleroom.
Do you have any Arthur Holland Minton Pottery to Sell?
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