The Majesty of Trees
15th October, 2024
An arboreal world unfolds in fired earth…
A unique collaboration between one of the finest art potteries in the world today and two organisations that do so much to protect and care for trees and woodlands has opened the gates of design and glaze artistry par excellence, transforming veteran oaks and precious woodland and forests into a breathtaking collection of sophistication and wonder. Heritage shapes, which include two colossal prestige masterpieces, stand proud in a collection that dives deep into the Arts & Crafts roots of English pottery. Each piece of art pottery is made entirely by hand, utilising heritage techniques, and holds designs from all members of the Moorcroft Design Studio.
Moorcroft Pottery is joined by Action Oak and the Royal Forestry Society (‘RFS’) to celebrate The Majesty of Trees in a new collection of exquisite ceramics handmade in the Arts & Crafts tradition.
L-R: Zoe Knight, RFS and Eric Knowles with Dragonfly, Fox, Pheasant and Jay Plaques, inspired by Hockeridge and Pancake Wood.
The Majesty of Trees Collection
For the Majesty of Trees is a groundbreaking Moorcroft collection in every sense of the word. Bringing together the admirable work of the Royal Forestry Society (‘RFS’), a charity who have devoted effort for over 140 years, to promote the wise management of woods and trees, through their network of knowledgeable landowners, foresters, arborists and others and Action Oak, an initiative solely dedicated to the protection of the legacy and health of the UK’s oak trees.
“We are thrilled to have been able to work with two iconic charities organisations that do so much for the natural world and journey into a woodland world through the eyes of people who are utterly dedicated to preserving and protecting our woodland and forest heritage, especially our veteran oaks. We are thankful to have had the opportunity to take advantage of the RFS’s unrivalled forestry expertise and are delighted that For The Majesty Of Trees can bring the sheer joy of the arboreal community to a worldwide audience. Undeniably, the beauty of many trees within this celebratory collection will mesmerize many as they rise up in a myriad of Moorcroft glazes, harnessed and perfected to capture numerous natural wonders. The words of William Moorcroft, our founding father, immediately come to mind. He once dramatically stated that to misapply the colours of the natural world would be “no less offensive than to paint the bark of a tree.” Fortuitously for all, our glaze alchemy surpassed all expectations. ”
Action Oak Backstamped pieces
Standing proud in the Applied Arts, For the Majesty of Trees holds a Queen of Moorcroft design, an artistic vision of the Estate’s ‘Queen Oak’ – a monarchical tree with more of more than a 1046-year reign. Alongside the magnificent ‘Queen Oak’ piece, Moorcroft has also created pieces called ‘The Mighty Oak’ and ‘Sapling’; these beautiful pieces feature our iconic oaks, illuminating the cultural significance of these special trees.
“It is a great honour for Action Oak to collaborate with two such eminent organisations as Moorcroft Pottery and the Royal Forestry Society. The oak-themed vases are beautiful, inspiring and to be treasured by current and future generations, just like the oak trees that they portray.”
A percentage of the sale of each piece will be donated to Action Oak to help the initiative continue its work to safeguard the UK’s oak trees. You can find more information on the pieces below.
Sapling
Shape 28/6
Designer: Emma Bossons FRSA
Backstamp: Action Oak
Mighty oaks from tiny acorns grow. This 14th century truism is certainly still true today though sadly there are many threats facing our oak trees including Acute Oak Decline (AOD), Oak Processionary Moth (OPM) and powdery mildews. They all have the potential to devastate our oak tree population. Whilst majestic veteran oaks watch the passing years and remind us to stand strong and breathe deeply, saplings foster a desire to nurture and protect. In this design, Emma weaves the sapling up the stem of a Moorcroft heritage bonbonniere, where keepsakes can be kept safely under its lid. Rising majestically from a tiny acorn, the Moorcroft sapling does not have to compete with others for a parcel of sky vacated by a forebear before circling the lid in sheer elegance.
The Mighty Oak
Shape 9/12
Designer: Vicky Lovatt
Backstamp: Action Oak
Inspired by botanical drawings and diagrams of trees which illustrate just how a tree is broken down into different component parts at various stages of life, this Moorcroft design is soft on the eye. An unusual celadon coloured clay is used to create the effect of old parchment paper and to tone in with the natural colour palette of an oak tree. If that was not enough, the Latin name for Oak – Quercus – is tubelined on the design in a fine font as if to unravel a botanical drawing. The meticulous attention to detail is evident in every stroke of the artist’s brush and is, without doubt, heritage Moorcroft craftsmanship at its finest. This nostalgic design holds both historical significance and aesthetic appeal. Its timeless charm transcends generations in much the same way as an acorn grows to a veteran oak.
The Queen Oak
Shape: 576/16 & Plq.
Designer: Emma Bossons FRSA
Backstamps: RFS & Action Oak
A century before the Norman Conquest, a small sapling began to emerge that would grow to be a fine oak of more than 500 years old at the Battle of Bosworth and 700 years old when the first Duke of Marlborough began to build Blenheim Palace, home to the largest collection of veteran oak trees in Europe, in 1705. That said, it is impossible to put an exact date on this great Queen of the woods. Like many ancient oaks, its very trunk has hollowed out over centuries, meaning you could no longer count its rings. In this majestic Moorcroft design, the Queen Oak reigns over the forest with short-eared owls standing on sentry duty and bees swarming like squadrons from its hollows. If that was not enough, tree creepers climb its colossal girth in their renowned spirals - pointed tails and downwards-curved bills creep like SAS scouts, exploring bark and crevices and using their long, sharp beaks to pick out insects such as earwigs. Our Queen Oak is also host to Purple Emperors in the dense, richly coloured canopy of her branches, who clothe the design in a regal purple as they flutter above fern, acorn and mangled deposits of Oak mildew.
SPECIFICATIONS
The handmade designs within the collection range in price from £345 to £7000. The designs are available as exclusive limited editions, and numbered editions that will be discontinued when the collection closes. Heights vary from a 6-inch high Victorian Bonbonniere, featuring a demure sapling that weaves around the heritage vessel to foster a desire to nurture and protect, and will hold the Action Oak backstamp, to a colossal 26-inch vase made exclusively for the RFS and that journey’s into the heart of one of the Trust’s Charity’s own forests and woodlands. Other shapes include five plaques and three large Moorcroft vases.
To find out more about this special collection, click the button below.
