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Doulton Silicon Ware is a distinctive English stoneware developed at the Doulton pottery in Lambeth, London, during the late nineteenth century. Produced principally between about 1880 and 1912, it combined a hard, high-fired ceramic body with restrained colouring and finely worked surface decoration. Its characteristic reddish-brown or buff body, subtle smear glaze and applied ornament distinguished it from many of the more heavily glazed wares associated with the Doulton workshops.
Although regular production ended in the early twentieth century, Silicon Ware was revived on a limited basis during the 1920s. This later production coincided with widespread enthusiasm for Egyptian-inspired design following the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb.
What Is Doulton Silicon Ware?
Silicon Ware was a form of vitrified stoneware fired at a very high temperature. The firing produced a dense and durable ceramic body with a smooth surface. Its historical name refers to the material and technical character of the ware; it should not be confused with modern silicone, the synthetic rubber-like material.
Most examples have a light reddish, buff or brownish body. Instead of receiving a thick, highly reflective glaze, the surface was generally covered with a thin matt coating known as a smear glaze. This finish softened the appearance of the stoneware without concealing the natural colour of the body or the details of its decoration.
The restrained surface allowed carved lines, perforations and applied motifs to remain clearly defined. Consequently, Doulton Silicon Ware often appears more architectural and sculptural than conventionally painted pottery.
Silicon Ware at the Doulton Lambeth Pottery
The Doulton pottery was established in Lambeth in 1815 and initially became known for practical stoneware, including storage vessels, pipes and other industrial products. During the nineteenth century, the company increasingly explored the artistic possibilities of ceramics. Its association with artists trained at the Lambeth School of Art contributed to an influential art-pottery tradition.
Silicon Ware emerged during this period of technical and decorative experimentation. Introduced around 1880, it belonged to a wider family of specialised Doulton ceramic bodies and finishes. The company’s industrial knowledge supported the demanding high-temperature firing, while individual decorators gave the vessels their distinctive surface character.
Materials, Colour and Smear Glaze
The ceramic body is one of the most recognisable features of Doulton Silicon Ware. Its colour commonly ranges from pale terracotta and putty brown to warmer reddish tones. Blue, white, grey, dark brown and black details may contrast with this subdued ground.
A smear glaze is extremely thin and may be difficult to detect at first sight. Unlike a glossy glaze that forms an obvious glass-like layer, it leaves the texture and colour of the clay visible. The resulting matt or softly lustrous finish contributes to the ware’s quiet, earthy appearance.
Decorative Techniques Used on Silicon Ware
Doulton decorators employed several techniques, sometimes combining them on a single object. Decoration could be carved directly into the body or incised as fine linear patterns. Some pieces were perforated to create openwork effects, allowing light and shadow to become part of the design.
Applied relief was another important feature. Elements made from contrasting clay could be attached to the surface before firing. These applications included geometric bands, stylised leaves, flowers and repeating motifs. Pale blue or white details were especially effective against the reddish-brown ground.
Occasionally, Silicon Ware incorporated pâte-sur-pâte decoration. In this demanding method, successive layers of liquid clay, or slip, were built up to form a raised design. Touches of gilding or copper lustre were sometimes added as finishing accents, enlivening rims, borders or relief ornament without overwhelming the matt composition.
An 1888 Silicon Ware Vase at the V&A
A documented example in the Victoria and Albert Museum provides clear evidence of the ware’s materials and decoration. Dated 1888, the globular vase has a spreading foot, long narrow neck and expanding mouth. Edith Lupton decorated its brown stoneware body with perforated and incised floral and foliate ornament painted in light blue, black, white and gold.
The base bears an impressed Doulton Silicon Ware mark and the date 1888, together with the incised decorator’s mark “EDL” and other workshop symbols. The museum records the vase under accession number 3804-1901 and identifies Doulton & Co.’s Lambeth Art Pottery as its maker.
Forms and Intended Uses
Silicon Ware was used for functional and decorative objects. Surviving examples include jugs, ewers, vases, beakers, tobacco jars, candlesticks, jardinieres, plant containers and bulb bowls. Its hard body suited practical vessels, while its refined decoration allowed the same objects to serve as ornaments.
The relationship between form and decoration was central to the ware’s character. Horizontal bands could emphasise a vessel’s width, while vertical fluting or elongated motifs reinforced the height of an ewer or vase. Handles, necks and rims were often integrated into the complete decorative scheme.
The End of Regular Production
The principal period of Silicon Ware production ended in 1912. By then, ceramic taste and manufacturing priorities were changing, and Doulton had introduced numerous other decorative bodies, glazes and ranges.
Marks, decorators’ monograms, model numbers and recorded dates may provide evidence for dating individual pieces, but they should be considered together rather than used in isolation. Variations occur, and a mark alone does not establish authenticity or an exact production year.
The Tutankhamun-Era Revival
Doulton revived Silicon Ware on a limited basis in 1923, following the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. Howard Carter’s excavation attracted worldwide attention from late 1922, while the opening of the burial chamber in February 1923 intensified public enthusiasm.
Ancient Egyptian imagery subsequently influenced fashion, jewellery, architecture, graphic design and the decorative arts. Within this setting, Doulton produced a restricted group of commemorative objects, including jugs, as well as a small number of bulb bowls. These pieces belong to a later and more limited phase than the principal production of 1880–1912.
How to Identify Doulton Silicon Ware
Identification begins with the combined evidence of material, decoration and marks. Typical characteristics include:
- A hard, high-fired stoneware body
- Light reddish, buff or brown colouring
- A thin matt smear glaze
- Carved, incised or perforated ornament
- Applied relief in contrasting coloured clays
- Occasional pâte-sur-pâte decoration
- Restrained gilding or copper-lustre accents
- An impressed or printed Doulton Silicon Lambeth or Doulton Silicon Ware mark
Collectors should examine the base for factory stamps, artists’ marks, incised numbers and other production symbols. Condition, attribution and date should be assessed by a ceramics specialist when certainty is required.
The Significance of Doulton Silicon Ware
Doulton Silicon Ware occupies an important place in the history of English art pottery. It demonstrates how a material associated with industrial strength could support intricate and sophisticated decoration. Its appeal lies in this balance: the body is robust, but the carved, applied and modelled details can be exceptionally delicate.
The ware also reflects the experimental environment of the Doulton Lambeth workshop. Ceramic bodies, glazes and surface techniques were treated as elements of design rather than merely as manufacturing necessities. From modest domestic containers to elaborately ornamented vessels, Doulton Silicon Ware remains a distinctive expression of late Victorian and Edwardian British stoneware.
Sources and Further Reading
- Victoria and Albert Museum: Silicon Ware vase, object O150274.
- Royal Doulton: company history.
- University of Oxford, Griffith Institute: Tutankhamun excavation seasons.
- Metropolitan Museum of Art: Doulton stoneware vase by Frank A. Butler, 1879.
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa: Royal Doulton Tutankhamen’s Treasures vase, circa 1925.
- Carter’s Price Guide: Silicon Ware visual reference. Photographs are not reproduced here; permission should be confirmed before use.
