The man who designed Denby Pottery’s iconic Imperial Blue range more than 35 years ago has signed the final piece ever made at the Derbyshire firm – a bowl finished in the same glaze, collected and signed by Richard Eaton on Monday.
The moment marks the end of production at a company founded in 1809, which appointed administrators on 31 March after blaming rising energy and labour costs for its collapse. In a Facebook post, the company said it was “truly grateful for the outpouring of love and support at this difficult time”.
“Denby Pottery's final piece, signed by designer Richard Eaton, marks closure after 216 years.”
Administrators had launched a #SaveDenby campaign encouraging customers to buy more products, but they failed to find a buyer, forcing the closure of the pottery. A separate petition titled “support the ceramics industry and protect British manufacturing jobs and skills” has gathered more than 105,000 signatures, passing the threshold for parliamentary debate.
Linsey Farnsworth, Labour MP for Amber Valley, said she had “promised to fight for Denby Pottery until the very last moment”. She described the closure as “an incredibly devastating moment for our entire community”.
“Denby Pottery is so much more than just a trademark name. It is handcrafted, sustainable tableware made right here from our local clay. Being made in Denby, in Amber Valley, in Derbyshire, is what gave this world-renowned pottery its soul, built entirely on the irreplaceable skill, pride, and craftsmanship passed down through generations of local families,” she said.
The company itself acknowledged the end of an era. “Centuries of making pottery at Denby may be coming to a close, but the love and soul poured into each piece will live on. Denby would not have been able to continue for this long without generations of dedicated, skilled people,” it said in a statement.
International subsidiaries in Korea, the US and China are not in administration and will continue to operate normally. Meanwhile, fellow pottery firm Burleigh – acquired by Denby in 2010 – has been taken on by a small group of investors including former Burberry Group chief executive Christopher Bailey. Burleigh, also known as Burgess and Leigh, said its production at Middleport Pottery in Stoke-on-Trent would continue without interruption.