SylvaC Pottery

British 19th century pottery producer SylvaC is still renowned today for its endearing animal figurines rendered in cheery colors. From their diminutive green rabbits to their Toby jugs, SylvaC pottery carved a unique niche out of the larger ceramic market and developed into one of the most treasured ceramic companies of the Staffordshire region.

SylvaC began as Shaw and Copestake in 1894, the pottery company launched by duo William Copestake and William Shaw. Though leadership of the company changed hands, the original name stuck, that is until 1938, when pieces produced in the factory began to be labeled "SylvaC." By this point, SylvaC had established themselves as a leader in the creation of quaint Toby jugs and adorable animal figurines, particularly rabbits and dogs in a veritable rainbow of colors.

Over the course of the '30s, SylvaC designs were in high demand because of their cuteness and their cost; today, however, antique SylvaC pieces are achieving increasingly higher prices at auction, particularly the more rare examples, because of the ongoing love collectors have for their timeless style.

Quick Facts

• SylvaC pottery chose the distinctive terminal capital letter deliberately. While some suggest it was simply a means by which the company could set itself apart, others think that the capital C is a reference to the company's original name
• Many SylvaC pieces are stamped with both the company logo and an inventory number. The oldest pieces will bear a stamp of the name "SylvaC" within a daisy
• One of the world's largest collection of SylvaC pieces is in Australia. The private collection of Ken Adams and Dennis Morton includes more than 2,500 SylvaC pieces