Gaudy Welsh

Cheap, cheerful, and contradictory: hand-painted, mass-produced ceramics

Gaudy Welsh ceramics are both handmade Welsh goods and mass-produced products with international influences.

This ware was inspired by Japanese ceramics, made and sold in Britain, and exported and collected in America - while remaining a significant part of Welsh culture.

These pieces come from Jean Shields’ collection.

Assorted vintage ceramic teapots, cups, and plates with intricate floral and geometric designs.

Various Gaudy Welsh pieces. Shown in further detail and identified down below.

Despite their name, they were not exclusively Welsh. These ceramics were made in Britain between 1820 and 1860 and sold in Britain and North America. They were affordable to working-class people with little disposable income.

Their painted decoration was done by women and children.

Gaudy Welsh was cheaply made for working-class people.

Ceramic pitcher with floral and vine pattern in blue, red, green, and gold.

Cream pitcher with Gaudy Welsh ‘Oyster’ pattern. Britain, 1820-1860. 12 cm tall. 1994.1.70

These colourful pieces represent a transition between handmade and industrially-produced ceramics.

Gaudy Welsh pieces vary significantly. They are made in a variety of colours, patterns, and qualities, and are painted by hand.

Gaudy Welsh is made in a limited range of colours, to minimize the number of firings needed. This strategy saved time but made these wares to wear.

All the colours used, save for the cobalt blue underglaze, are applied over the glaze, and are not protected by it. Because the coloured enamel overglazes and the shiny copper lustre are not protected by the glaze, they can wear off over time.

Over time, designs and colour schemes were simplified even more to facilitate even easier decoration.

Decorative floral pattern on pottery with blue, orange, and green hues.
Close-up of a floral pattern on a ceramic surface with blue, brown, and green designs.
Close-up of ceramic bowl with blue and orange floral design
Vintage ceramic mug with floral pattern and ornate handle

Side Profile

Small mug with Gaudy Welsh ‘Geranium’ (?) pattern. Britain, 1820-1860. 8 cm tall. 1994.1.73

Ceramic mug with colorful floral design

Front Profile

Small mug with Gaudy Welsh ‘Geranium’ (?) pattern. Britain, 1820-1860. 8 cm tall. 1994.1.73

Most of the pieces in this collection have the same colours.

Abstract brush strokes with brown, blue, green, and purple colors on a white ceramic.

Left: Detail of worn enamel on ‘Oyster’ pattern. 1994.1.68.

close-up of abstract floral ceramic design

Right: Detail of pristine enamel on ‘Tulip’ pattern. 1994.1.71

Can you spot the rare colours? Which ones are more common?

Gaudy Welsh is a family of over 400 patterns.

Factories frequently copied each other and rarely labelled their work. Many of these patterns were named and documented by collectors. Even the name “Gaudy Welsh” was introduced by American collectors. (Welsh people call this ware “Swansea Cottage”).

Antique ceramic pitcher with floral patterns and a vibrant color palette, featuring blue, yellow, and red accents.

Cream pitcher with Gaudy Welsh ‘Tulip’ pattern. Britain, 1820-1860. 9 cm tall. 1994.1.71

“Tulip” is one of the oldest, most common, and most popular Gaudy Welsh patterns. Many other patterns were short-lived, but Tulip was produced over the entire period. The near-pristine condition of the enamels, and the inclusion of yellow enamel, are both unusual for this collection.

Decorative ceramic vase with floral patterns and gold accents on a white background.

The lustre on this mug has mostly worn off. Note the bright white ceramic and detailed handle.

Antique ceramic mug with floral design and ornate handle

Small mug with Gaudy Welsh ‘Grape’ (?) pattern. Britain, 1820-1860. 8 cm tall. 1994.1.72

Decorative white ceramic mug with floral and fruit design in blue, orange, and green.

Gaudy Welsh differs in quality and workmanship.

Ceramic bodies vary in shape and quality.

Some pieces have more complicated moulded handles, while others have simpler shapes.

The painting also varies by piece.

Some patterns are more detailed than others, while others vary in execution: sometimes you will see blue glaze “flowing,” creating blotches or blurred edges.

Antique porcelain pitcher with floral and architectural design
A white ceramic jug with colorful floral and abstract designs in blue, red, and gold on a white background, featuring a handle and spout.
Antique decorative plate with floral pattern, blue and white with orange accents.

Note the blotches of blue glaze and very worn lustre.

Antique ceramic jug with floral pattern
Ceramic bowl with blue, red, and green floral pattern and decorative designs.

Cream pitcher and slop bowl with unknown Gaudy Welsh pattern. Britain, 1820-1860. 8 cm tall. 1994.1.65 (left) and 1994.1.75 (right)

Gaudy Welsh patterns mimic Japanese art.

Gaudy Welsh patterns mimic Imari ware, a brightly-coloured style of Japanese export porcelain that has blue underglaze, overglaze enamels in colours such as red and black, and characteristic floral designs. Imari was exported to Europe in large quantities and was mimicked by many European manufacturers.

Blue Willow, which Jean also collected, has East Asian influences too.

Antique ceramic pitcher with floral and landscape pattern, ornate handle, and intricate spout design.

Large pitcher with Gaudy Welsh (?) ‘Pagoda’ (?) pattern. England, 1845. 21 cm tall. 1994.1.15

This pitcher is both very different than Jean’s other Gaudy Welsh pieces, and well-matched to this part of her collection. The architectural motifs and straight structural lines contrast with the squat curves of her small cream pitchers, but the colour scheme and delicately shaded petals on the flower are typical Gaudy.

Porcelain pitcher with floral and architectural design, multicolor.

The tea plate is the only featured piece without green enamel.

Decorative ceramic plate with blue and copper floral design
Colorful floral patterned mug with ornate design

Left: Tea plate with Gaudy Welsh ‘Oyster’ pattern. Britain, 1820-1860. 23.3 cm diameter. 1994.1.78. Right: Small mug with Gaudy Welsh ‘Oyster’ pattern. Britain, 1820-1860. 8 cm tall. 1994.1.74

Gaudy Welsh is associated with Welsh visual culture and Welsh women’s collecting traditions.

Close-up of a ceramic design featuring a stylized pagoda, palm trees, and decorative foliage in red, green, and blue on a white background.

Welsh women displayed this ware on finely crafted dressers.

Gaudy Welsh picked up decades of symbolic meaning and memories as women passed these ceramics down to their daughters, who became the next generation of collectors and caretakers.

Close-up of floral pattern on ceramic plate; features blue and red flowers with purple leaves on white background.

This ware’s popularity with immigrants seems to resonate with Jean Shields’ Scottish roots.

​​Jean was the granddaughter of a Scottish immigrant, and she seems to have had an affinity for British ceramics.

Welsh immigrants to America brought Gaudy Welsh ceramics with them or bought exported pieces once they arrived. Their descendants also became collectors.

Jean Shields gravitated towards cream pitchers and the Oyster pattern.

Jean likely selected these similar forms and patterns for display.

Though the enamel on some pieces is worn, it would have fared worse with regular use.

Decorative ceramic pitcher with floral and abstract designs

Cream pitcher with Gaudy Welsh ‘Oyster’ pattern. Britain, 1820-1860. 9.5 cm tall. 1994.1.64

This pitcher’s slim shape and textured decoration are unusual for Jean’s collection.

Vintage ceramic jug with floral and abstract pattern, featuring a curved handle and spout, on a white background.
Ceramic jug with floral and abstract patterns
Ornate ceramic pitcher with colorful floral pattern
Decorative ceramic jug with floral patterns and a handle.

Three cream pitchers showing different parts of the Gaudy Welsh ‘Oyster’ pattern. Britain, 1820-1860. 10-11.5cm tall. From left: 1994.1.67, 1994.1.68, and 1994.1.69

Inherited collections prompt their caretakers to consider the lives of the women that came before them. Maintaining and refreshing these displays allows for moments of meditation.

We at the museum can consider the collectors that came before us, and how they lived their lives.

Decorative ceramic plate with blue and orange floral patterns.

Dinner plate with Gaudy Welsh ‘Water Lily’ (?) pattern. Britain, 1820-1860. 25 cm wide. 1994.1.89