Art on Exmoor since 1893
WILL YOUNG FIGURES
The potter, Will Young, set up his pottery at Combe, near Buckfastleigh, in 1951. He had suffered a bad head injury while working as a policeman in London, and was invalided out of the force.
Will Young was a self-taught potter, and he proved to have a definite talent for figures. He specialised in Devon characters, such as the Widdecombe Fair crew of Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer and Uncle Tom Cobley.
The humorous figures are known as Runnaford Pottery or Pickwick Pottery, and they are highly collectable individual figures sell for up to £300.
Living in a cottage with another cottage as his pottery he produced models for the tourist trade. He worked from a studio at Runnymead Cottage near Widecombe where he produced a range of pottery figurines which depicted various characters from the 'Uncle Tom Cobley' Widecombe Fair characters, smugglers and characters from Dicken novels.
Will Young also made toby jugs, hand bells, bottle stoppers, lamp bases and ashtrays in the form of his characters. He died in 1995
The family tradition was carried on by Will's son Alan who worked from a pottery in France producing the Widecombe figurines. Alan Young died in January 2011.
These unique sculptures of pirates, smugglers and yokels have been collected by enthusiasts in many countries around the world.
WILL YOUNG FIGURES
The potter, Will Young, set up his pottery at Combe, near Buckfastleigh, in 1951. He had suffered a bad head injury while working as a policeman in London, and was invalided out of the force.
Will Young was a self-taught potter, and he proved to have a definite talent for figures. He specialised in Devon characters, such as the Widdecombe Fair crew of Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer and Uncle Tom Cobley.
The humorous figures are known as Runnaford Pottery or Pickwick Pottery, and they are highly collectable individual figures sell for up to £300.
Living in a cottage with another cottage as his pottery he produced models for the tourist trade. He worked from a studio at Runnymead Cottage near Widecombe where he produced a range of pottery figurines which depicted various characters from the 'Uncle Tom Cobley' Widecombe Fair characters, smugglers and characters from Dicken novels.
Will Young also made toby jugs, hand bells, bottle stoppers, lamp bases and ashtrays in the form of his characters. He died in 1995
The family tradition was carried on by Will's son Alan who worked from a pottery in France producing the Widecombe figurines. Alan Young died in January 2011.
These unique sculptures of pirates, smugglers and yokels have been collected by enthusiasts in many countries around the world.
Gunns Gallery,
11 Lee Road,
Lynton,
Devon,
EX35 6HW
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