Buchan Pottery Portobello: Solid Colour Pint Tankards & History

Buchan Pottery, officially known as A.W. Buchan & Co., was a renowned stoneware manufacturer based in Portobello, a coastal suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. The pottery is celebrated for its high-quality decorative stoneware, particularly the iconic Thistleware designs.

Raw Materials: Clay and Glaze Sources

Portobello's pottery industry originated from the discovery of valuable clay deposits in 1765 near the Figgate Burn, which fuelled early local production. However, by the late 20th century (around 1972, just before closure of the Portobello works), Buchan sourced its stoneware clay from deposits in Devon and Cornwall in south-west England, known for high-quality ball and fire clays suitable for durable stoneware.

Glazes were likely formulated from standard commercial raw materials common in UK pottery at the time, such as feldspar, silica (quartz), whiting (calcium carbonate), and metallic oxides for colour (e.g., iron for oranges/browns, cobalt for blues). These were typically sourced from specialist ceramic suppliers rather than locally, as specific minerals were not abundant in the Edinburgh area. No detailed records of exact glaze suppliers for Buchan exist publicly, but they would have relied on national trade networks.

Founding and Early Years

In 1867, Alexander Willison Buchan (A.W. Buchan) and Thomas Murray purchased an existing pottery works in Portobello from T. Tough & Co. Initially operating as Murray & Buchan, the company became A.W. Buchan & Co. in 1882 after Murray's departure.

The site in Portobello had a long history of pottery production, marking Buchan's operation as at least the sixth on the same location. Early production focused on utilitarian stoneware items such as storage jars, bottles, and containers.

Historical view of Buchan Pottery warehouse in Portobello, 1923

20th Century Developments

During the early 20th century, the pottery survived challenges like the Great Depression and World Wars, adapting by producing items such as stoneware rum bottles under government contracts.

Post-World War II, the company shifted towards decorative stoneware. From 1946, they introduced "Thistleware" – hand-painted designs featuring Scotland's national emblem, the thistle. This range became hugely popular, especially among expatriate Scots, and was exported worldwide.

Other notable patterns included Brittany, Riviera, Hebrides, Edinburgh, and many more provincial-style designs evoking a French country aesthetic.

Buchan Thistleware jug and sugar bowl — Thistleware jug and sugar bowl

Vintage Buchan Thistleware jug, dish, and bowl set — Thistleware jug, dish, and bowl set

Buchan Thistleware bowl — Thistleware bowl

Vintage Buchan stoneware plant pot — Stoneware plant pot

Production Techniques: Jiggering and Jolleying

Buchan Pottery produced its durable stoneware using traditional industrial methods suited to mass production of consistent shapes. Many items were formed using jiggering and jolleying processes.

In jiggering, a bat of clay is placed on a rotating mold, and a profiled tool (the jigger) descends to shape the outer surface, ideal for plates and flatware. Jolleying is similar but shapes the interior of hollowware like cups, jugs, and bowls using a mold and profiled arm.

These semi-mechanical techniques allowed for efficient production while maintaining hand-finished quality. Pieces were then bisque-fired, glazed, decorated by hand (especially for patterns like Thistleware), and high-fired in the iconic bottle kilns to achieve vitrified stoneware strength.

Example of jiggering and jolleying process in pottery — Jiggering and jolleying process example

Using a jigger to make a plate — Jigger making a plate

Jigger and jolly pottery demonstration — Jigger and jolly demonstration

Glaze Types and Codes

Buchan stoneware was known for its robust salt glazes in early utilitarian pieces (often Bristol or buff glaze for a warm finish) and later transparent or colored high-fire glazes that highlighted hand-painted decorations.

Post-war decorative wares typically used a clear or lightly tinted glaze over underglaze painting for vibrant, durable colors. Some experimental or special pieces featured matte, reactive, or abstract glazes in the 1950s–1970s.

Items often bear handwritten or stamped codes like shape numbers (e.g., 187/20 for tankards), pattern codes, and glaze batch indicators (e.g., M2M, M3, N3, M11 or similar production marks).

Example of Buchan glaze on stoneware — Glaze detail on stoneware

Thistleware glaze detail — Thistleware glaze close-up

Colored glaze example on Buchan piece — Colored solid glaze example

Pottery Marks and Backstamps

Buchan used various marks over its history, evolving from impressed text to the iconic thistle trademark.

Early marks: Impressed "Murray & Buchan, Portobello" or "A.W. Buchan & Co. Portobello"
Mid-period: "Buchan Portobello Edinburgh" or monograms
From 1949 onward: Thistle motif with "BUCHAN Portobello Scotland FINEST STONEWARE" (continued even after relocation)
Special lines: "Portovase" or "Cenolith/Senolith"

Example Buchan backstamp — Typical backstamp

Base with mark and code — Base showing mark and code

Impressed and printed marks — Various impressed and printed marks

Solid Colour Pint Tankards (Shape 70/20 and Variants)

Buchan produced popular one-pint (20 fluid ounces) tankards in solid glossy glazes, often with shape codes like 70/20 (plain solid), 76/20, 156/20, or specialised variants (e.g., 76LE/20 for Lion Rampant). The "/20" indicates the 20 oz capacity. A special commemorative version used shape 187/20 for the 1972 Portobello closure.

These came in plain solid colours or with added decorations such as the Scottish Lion Rampant (in contrasting cobalt blue glaze) or individual clan crests (transfer-printed shield with clan name and motto). Clan crest versions were produced for many Scottish clans and were popular souvenirs; common examples include Robertson ("Virtutis Gloria Merces"), MacLeod ("Mur us a h-uile eagal"), Mackintosh ("Touch Not the Cat Bot a Glove"), MacGregor ("Ard Choille"), MacDonald ("Per Mare Per Terras"), and Stewart. They typically feature a beige/oatmeal body with green or black transfer prints under a clear glaze.

Note: Some 70/20 tankards feature a white glazed interior (or matching plain body-coloured glaze), differing from the usual unglazed or speckled interior. This variation is seen in certain glaze batches, including some N3 green examples.

Known Glaze Codes for These Tankards

Glaze batch codes (often handwritten) appear alongside shape numbers on the base. These are internal production notations, so comprehensive documentation is limited. Commonly observed examples from collector listings and sales include:

Code	Associated Colour/Finish	Notes
N9	Soft blue-gray speckled body with deep cobalt blue Lion Rampant emblem	Most common on decorated Lion Rampant variants (often shape 76LE/20)
M11	Oatmeal/cream speckled	Plain solids, shape 70/20
M4	Medium grey speckled	Plain solids
N3	Solid green	Plain solids, shape 70/20; some examples with plain (non-speckled) interior glaze
K7	Burnt orange / terracotta tone	Less common solid colour variant
CG	Clear glaze over transfer print	Clan crest versions (e.g., Stewart, MacGregor)
M3	Various (blues, oatmeal variants)	Reported on other solid colours

Exact colour-to-code mappings vary based on observed pieces, but M/N-series codes are typical for post-war solid gloss glazes, while CG appears on decorated clan lines.

Four Buchan clan crest tankards: Robertson, MacLeod, Mackintosh, MacGregor — Four clan crest examples in beige/oatmeal with green transfers: Robertson ("Virtutis Gloria Merces"), MacLeod ("Mur us a h-uile eagal"), Mackintosh ("Touch Not the Cat Bot a Glove"), MacGregor ("Ard Choille")

Oatmeal glaze with MacGregor clan crest tankard — Oatmeal/cream glaze with MacGregor clan crest and motto "Ard Choille"

Beige/oatmeal glaze with MacDonald clan crest tankard — Beige/oatmeal glaze with MacDonald clan crest and motto "Per Mare Per Terras"

Beige clan crest tankard with clear glaze (CG code example) — Beige body with clear glaze over Clan Stewart crest – CG code variant

Solid green glaze pint tankard (N3 code example) — Solid green glaze – confirmed N3 code example (shape 70/20; note plain interior glaze in some variants)

Oatmeal speckled glaze pint tankard (M11 code example) — Oatmeal/cream speckled glaze – confirmed M11 code example (shape 70/20)

Medium grey speckled solid glaze pint tankard (M4 code example) — Medium grey speckled glaze – M4 code example

Soft blue-gray speckled with cobalt Lion Rampant tankard (N9 code example) — Soft blue-gray speckled with deep cobalt Lion Rampant – classic N9 code variant

Oatmeal speckled solid colour pint tankard — Additional oatmeal speckled cream glaze (plain solid example)

Deep cobalt blue solid glaze tankard — Deep cobalt blue solid glaze (plain)

Collecting Buchan Tankards

Condition is key—look for cracks, chips, or glaze crazing. Plain solid colour tankards (e.g., M11 oatmeal, N3 green, M4 grey) typically sell for £15–£40. Lion Rampant (N9) and clan crest versions often fetch £25–£60, depending on clan rarity and condition. Commemorative 187/20 pieces from the 1972 Portobello closure are particularly sought after by collectors.

Relocation and Closure

The last pieces were thrown on Friday, June 30, 1972, marking the end of production in Portobello. Special commemorative one-pint tankards (shape 187/20) were produced with the inscription: “In Commemoration of Production Ending This 30th Day of June 1972 established 1867”. Due to economic pressures and urban changes in Edinburgh, the works relocated to Crieff in Perthshire to qualify for government assistance.

The iconic bottle-shaped brick kilns from 1906 and 1909 still stand on Portobello's promenade as the last remaining pottery kilns in Scotland.

The company continued in Crieff until final closure in 2000.

Buchan Pottery remains highly collectible today for its durable, beautifully crafted stoneware that captures a piece of Scottish industrial heritage.