Is your Denby pottery worth a mint? Experts reveal how to spot a winner

Denby Pottery Company has been forced to close after 217 years of making top quality ceramics – meaning pieces will become increasingly rare and potentially valuable.

The Derbyshire-based potter was named after the village where it was founded in 1809 by William Bourne, where he discovered high-quality local clay renowned for its strength and durability.

But the final pieces of pottery were put in the kiln to be fired last Thursday, and the company is now in administration – with soaring energy bills and tax hikes blamed.

Cathy Sweet, owner of Denby dealer Tableware for Life in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, says: ‘This is a terribly sad moment. Denby has produced millions of famously durable pieces of stoneware over the years – cherished by families who have an emotional attachment because they are passed down generations due to their hardwearing and durable glazed designs.’

She adds: ‘Although most pieces will never be worth more than a few pounds, there are a few rarities that fetch sometimes hundreds of pounds. These, along with other pieces, may rise in value as collectors appreciate the quality of a lost pottery firm.’

It means although you are unlikely to find investment quality pieces among the cups and saucers you use every day, decorative pottery kept on mantlepieces or stored in family sideboard or the attic could be a treasure trove worth seeking out as interest in Denby starts to rise.

Some of the most sought-after Denby pottery pieces are rarities from the so-called ‘Tigo ware’ range designed by Tibor Reich in the 1950s. These include black and white abstract designs.

A Tibor Reich plate was valued at £700 on the BBC TV series Antiques Roadshow a couple of years ago. A 38-centimetre high Denby Tigo Ware Florence vase designed by Reich in 1956 went under the hammer for £1,200 at Bamford Auctioneers in 2012.

Ms Sweet says: ‘Even later Denby pieces, such as stoneware ranges Gypsy and Troubadour, both produced between 1971 and 1984, can fetch more than £100. They have simple but attractive fruit and floral designs. Prices have not soared but can still offer real value for money.’

Gipsy teapots are being sold for £67.60 while tea sets made up of a teapot, milk jug, two teacups with saucers and a sugar bowl with lid fetch £162.30 on the specialist trading website Chinasearch. The dealer sells Troubadour tea sets for £140.90. Individually, such tea and coffee pots can sell for £50 and cup and saucer £20.

Another sought-after range due to its strong dark brown swirling design imagery is Arabesque, designed by Gill Pemberton, and originally named Samarkand. Pieces were made from 1963 to 1984. You can buy a platter for £67.60 while a vegetable dish with lid sells for £60.80.

Another evocative Denby that captures the imagination and may rise in value is Ode, which was produced between 1967 and 1978. An Ode casserole dish with lid from this Kenneth Clark designed ‘antique gold’ range sells for £54 and a hot water jug for £50.40, through the Warwickshire-based trader Chinasearch.

A series of Denby animals, which includes rabbits, dogs and lambs, produced in the 1930s, can fetch good prices. They come in a range of colours, including browns, pinks, whites, greens and blues. Examples such as a pale blue ‘Marmaduke’ Denby rabbit can sell for £156.69 on eBay.

Auctioneer and valuer Reeman Dansie in Colchester, Essex, has sold Denby animal collectables in the past – including more than a couple of dozen Denby animals for a total price of £1,400 five years ago.

It sold a 1930s Denby Velray squirrel for £230 at the same sale and a Denby green glazed rabbit decanter, also for £230. A blue and green Denby owl jug fetched £280 in 2021.

Jonathan Ward, managing director of Chinasearch, says: ‘The durable nature of the well glazed Denby ranges means they are less likely to chip than more delicate China pottery – but you still need to look after them to be worth any money.

'Even tiny cracks make them worthless. Even if it has been through the dishwasher a few times your pottery will lose some of its appeal.’

Ward adds: ‘Current Denby ranges, such as the Halo – where speckled glazing means each piece is slightly different, offer a timeless appeal that is expected to last and could be a smart purchase. The loss of Denby is so tragic.

'We need to celebrate British pottery by getting out the dinner set and using it rather than hiding pieces away.’

With the company going into administration Denby is selling off its current range at bargain prices – and you can still buy a brand-new Halo dinner plate for £16.80, which is a 30 per cent discount on the £24 usual price charged.

Other ranges that Ward believes have a timeless appeal that mean they might always be in demand – and hopefully rise in value despite now no longer being made, include Imperial Blue and Regency Green, both of which were launched in 1989, and Greenwich, released in 1994.

While dinner sets might be popular and more regularly used, Ward suggests also looking at collectables such as coffee pots because they are not only visually appealing, but often in near mint condition, because they are increasingly just for show – with households increasingly preferring to use electric coffee machines.

A discontinued Denby Imperial Blue coffee pot can sell for £58.60 at Chinasearch, while a Regency Green goes for £75.40 and a Greenwich coffee pot costs £60.85.