Royal Oak Potteries

Royal Oak had connections with Crown Lynn at one time.

Royal Oak Pottery was founded by Owen Salisbury probably in the early 1940s, with different bisque-fired pieces originally supplied by Spartan, a Glen Eden company formed by several workers originally from Ambrico.

This piece has the original Royal Oak Pottery sticker on it..



I have to say it looks like a pine cone on a flipper.

It is photographed on page 151 of Gail Lamberts book and says it was a Sherwood conceived design that continued in production in the Titian Studio Era in Henderson.

A much later Royal Oak Lava Glaze vase.

The "Pinecone" above, perhaps an artichoke on its leaf, is v.106 from the Titian Gallery.
http://newzealandpottery.forumotion.net/gallery/Titian-Gallery/v106-pic_3752.htm
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Also, in a current tm sale
http://www.trademe.co.nz/pottery-glass/porcelain-pottery/crown-lynn/vases/auction-631375992.htm

"Crown Lynn Tree Wall Vase .544. Royal Oak"
The item is identified by both a Royal Oak sticker, and the Crown Lynn number 544, which I have checked in the 3 digit gallery.

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The relationships between Owen Salisbury of Royal Oak Pottery, Crown Lynn, and Cameron and Dorothy Brown of Titian Studios are discussed in the books by Gail Lambert, later Henry, and Valerie Ringer Monk.

As this topic is Royal Oak Pottery I am omitting Salisbury's earlier association with Clark at Amalgamated, producing the painted pottery we refer to as "Salisburyware".

From Lambert:
After Owen Salisbury's "Khyber pass factory was closed down, probably in 1946" he obtain bisque blanks from Spartan in Glen Eden which was operated by former employees of Amalgamated (yet to become Crown Lynn), and set up a decorating workshop in his garage at Royal Oak, as "Royal Oak Pottery".

Spartan closed down in 1946, which (my assumption) will clearly date Spartan-sourced Salisburyware and "Royal Oak".

Salisbury then approached Cameron and Dorothy Brown, who were at that time working from Waitakere and yet to become "Titian", who became his supplier.

In about 1948, with the establishment of Crown Lynn, Salisbury returned to Amalgamated for an increased supply of blank stock to decorate, which arrangement remained intact until 1967 when Salisbury commenced manufacturing his own pottery. I am presuming Crown Lynn would have made this an exclusive arrangement, cutting out the Browns.

(From Monk) Crown Lynn's takeover of Titian commenced in 1967 and was complete by 1968. Thus, with Salisbury's own pottery by then in production it seems unlikely that "Royal Oak Pottery" would not have been decorating Titian blanks in the 1960s.

So, using the information from Lambert/Henry and Monk we can date "Royal Oak"-stickered painted bisque from: Spartan blanks, 1946; "Titian", but more correctly "Brown" blanks, ca1946-48; and Crown Lynn blanks as ca1948-1967...

...and glazed Royal Oak Pottery from 1967.

Wow, that was fun.