Who are Royal Doulton and what is the history of Royal Doulton?
When was Royal Doulton made? Royal Doulton history dates back to 1815. With our roots in salt-glazed half-dipped pottery, you can shop designs inspired by our heritage, suitably called the Royal Doulton 1815 Collection. The Royal Doulton Coffee Studio and Bowls of Plenty collections give nod to our recognizable dipped glazing technique too.
Starting on the bank of the River Thames in 1815, Martha Jones, John Watts and John Doulton joined forces to become Doulton & Watts Pottery. The factory specialized in manufacturing salt-glaze and stoneware ceramics, jars, bottles, and flasks. In 1835 Henry Doulton joined the firm and business boomed due to his role in the 'sanitary revolution' - pioneering the general use of stoneware drain pipes and water filters to improve living conditions.
In 1854 John Watts retired from the business and it became known as Doulton & Company. In 1860, the business started working with pupils from the neighboring Lambeth School of Art. The pieces they created at Doulton & Co were the opposite of the previous industrial pieces we'd been known for. These delicate, brightly colored and exquisitely decorated designs were very popular.
In 1882 we opened a factory on Nile Street in Burslem, Stoke-onTrent, aka 'The Potteries'. In 1901, Edward VII granted Doulton to add the 'Royal' to the start of our name so we became Royal Doulton in London and around the world. In 1955, new city regulations prohibited salt glaze production, forcing the Lambeth factory to close and transfer all production to Stoke.
Want to know the link between Royal Doulton and Wedgwood? Well, in 2005 Waterford Wedgwood completed a takeover of Royal Doulton, which then turned into WWRD.
Though still very popular today, we make more than just Royal Doulton figurines. In 2010, we started to embrace more of the urban culture and eclectic style of the city. Over the years we've collaborated with many different chefs, designers, artists and personalities such as Barber Osgerby, Gordon Ramsay, Ellen DeGeneres, Pure Evil and Sir Terence Conran.
In 2015 we joined Fiskars Brands (making the everyday extraordinary) and we are still part of the Fiskars family of brands today. What makes Royal Doulton special? Watch our new brand video, launched at the beginning of 2020 to find the answer... There have been so many changes over the years, but we have lots more exciting projects and collections on the horizon, so are here to stay. Watch this space!
Where are Royal Doulton products made?
We often get asked 'Is Royal Doulton made in England?' or 'Are Royal Doulton products made in the UK?'. Here you'll find the answer to your questions...
For nearly 200 years, Royal Doulton Product Design and Development has taken place in the United Kingdom, guaranteeing English authenticity and values. Today, Fiskars Group maintains exactly the same engineering excellence and proven quality control in all our owned facilities, where we continue to produce products and adhere to our world-famous standards.
Our Design Team are all based in Royal Doulton HQ in Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent, England. Like many luxury brands, we work with the best partners across the world whose skills and quality standards are as high as ours. To ensure that production from our manufacturing and sourcing resources mirrors all Stoke-on-Trent manufacturing activities, developments and precise tolerances for complete customer satisfaction, Royal Doulton staff from the United Kingdom transfer to or work with the teams to train, maintain and manage the production processes.
Depending on our product requirements, we carry out production in a number of locations. Around the world, the vision of Royal Doulton, based on the brand values of quality, craftsmanship and innovation, has not changed and continues to be 100% British.