W. H. Goss Crested Wares

W. H. Goss Crested Wares

A Large Private Collection of W.H. Goss Crestedware

Crestedware can typically be described as small white ceramic miniature souvenir models bearing the coat of arms of the destination from which they were purchased. They were predominantly made between 1858-1939 and produced in the form of pigs, windmills and wheelbarrows as well as coming in many other shapes and sizes.

They were highly collectable trinkets, not only for their novelty forms but also for geographical interest in the areas from which they had been acquired. Perhaps the most notorious manufacturers of crestedware are Goss, Shelley, Carlton and Arcadian. It has long been considered that the most collectable and therefore valuable are those examples manufactured by Goss. It is in fact William Henry Goss (of Falcon pottery in Stoke on Trent) and his two sons Adolphus and Victor who are credited with developing the concept of manufacturing seaside souvenir ceramics. Following the industrial revolution and the popularity soar of visitors to seaside resorts and holiday destinations through the use of more easily accessible and available travel there was a growing market for such curios.

Here at Richard Winterton Auctioneers we were fortunate enough to be consigned a couple of very large collections of crestedware in recent auctions. Of particular interest in these pieces were the military pieces modelled as tanks and aeroplanes and a particularly early example of the Sanbach Crosses modelled by Goss. Being one of the earlier examples, the model was actually in three pieces, comprising the moulded base and then two individually modelled crosses secured to the base with cork pieces. More recent models are made in one piece as it was very quickly discovered just how fragile these three part examples were. The model sold well above guide after huge pre sale interest finally going under the hammer for £800. This was despite restoration to the crosses and a chip to the base.

Also selling well were two lots of military crestedware, the first comprising models of tanks and guns realised £70 and the second, comprising Red Cross Vehicles went under the hammer for £80. These strong sale results illustrate how old fashioned collectables are starting to make a  come back and the demand in the market is strong for the rarer pieces remaining in good condition.

The Spring Fine Art and Collectables sale, March 22^nd will have on offer a wide variety of rare pieces of crestedware to include a collection of Goss.