Susie Cooper: British Modernist Ceramics & Tableware
Susie Cooper (1902-1995) was one of the most influential British ceramic designers of the 20th century, producing innovative tableware and decorative pottery from the 1920s through the 1980s. Beginning her career at A.E. Gray & Co. as a paintress, she established her own decorating firm in 1929, later acquiring the Crown Works in Burslem, Staffordshire. Cooper's distinctive style blended Art Deco geometry with organic forms and subtle color palettes, earning her the title "The Queen of Tableware" and a Royal Designer for Industry award in 1940. Her firm was absorbed by the Wedgwood Group in 1966, where she continued designing until retirement.
Identification & Marks
Susie Cooper marks evolved throughout her career. Gray's Pottery period (1922-1929) pieces bear the Gray's mark with Cooper's painted designs. The Susie Cooper Productions mark (1929-1966) features a leaping deer or "Susie Cooper" in script with "Crown Works, Burslem." Bone china pieces (from 1950) carry specific bone china backstamps. Post-1966 pieces bear both Susie Cooper and Wedgwood marks. Shape names (Kestrel, Falcon, Quail, Jay) identify her distinctive body shapes. Pattern numbers help date production; published catalogs cross-reference numbers to specific designs and dates.
Major Patterns & Shapes
- Kestrel Shape (1932): Her most iconic and commercially successful shape, with a streamlined Art Deco silhouette
- Dresden Spray: Delicate floral sprays, one of her most popular and long-running patterns
- Polka Dot: Boldly spotted design in various color combinations
- Crayon Lines/Bands: Characteristic banded decoration in muted earth tones
- Pink Fern: Stylized botanical pattern on bone china
- Assyrian/Aztec Motifs: Geometric patterns inspired by ancient civilizations
- Falcon Shape (1937): Elegant modernist form for tea and coffee wares
- Quail Shape (1955): Bone china range with refined, contemporary styling
Auction Price Ranges
| Item | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Common tableware pieces (plates, cups) | $15 - $60 |
| Kestrel shape teapots | $80 - $300 |
| Complete tea sets (6 place settings) | $200 - $800 |
| Hand-painted Gray's Pottery period | $100 - $500 |
| Art Deco geometric patterns | $50 - $250 |
| Rare patterns on Kestrel shape | $150 - $600 |
| Wall plaques and decorative pieces | $100 - $400 |
| Complete coffee sets | $150 - $500 |
| Exhibition or presentation pieces | $500 - $3,000+ |
| Early hand-painted one-off pieces | $300 - $2,000 |
Condition Factors
Crazing is common on earthenware pieces and generally accepted, though excessive crazing reduces value. Bone china pieces should be free of crazing. Hand-painted decoration should be examined for wear, especially on rims and handles where repeated use causes paint loss. Lids for teapots, sugar bowls, and tureens must be present and matched; replacement lids sharply reduce value. Look for hairline cracks, particularly around spouts and handles. Backstamp clarity helps establish age and authenticity. Early hand-painted pieces from the Gray's period are particularly sensitive to condition as the over-glaze decoration wears with use.
Collecting Tips
The Kestrel shape remains the most recognized and sought-after Susie Cooper form. Early hand-painted pieces from the Gray's Pottery period are scarce and command premiums among advanced collectors. Complete tea and coffee sets are worth significantly more than assembled sets of individual pieces. The 1930s Art Deco geometric patterns have the strongest crossover appeal with Art Deco collectors. Bone china pieces from the 1950s-60s offer an affordable starting point. Cooper's work has strong collector support in the UK, with prices generally higher at British auctions than American ones. The Potteries Museum in Stoke-on-Trent holds a comprehensive reference collection. Look for unusual colorways of standard patterns, which can be significantly rarer than the standard versions.