Portugal is renowned for its expert ceramicists, whose skills are passed on from generation to generation. So, it is where we headed to create our tableware collections.
Wander around Lisbon and it is easy to see the passion the city has for ceramics. From ornately tiled house facades to church interiors, ceramics are a national specialism and displayed with a sense of pride. It is why we had no hesitation in going to Portugal to work with expert local makers when it came to producing our tableware and ceramics collections.
Neptune head of product, Clare Treasure, explains, ‘When we were looking for manufacturers to work with, we were clear on what we needed: a workshop skilled in hand-painting techniques and one that was expert in organic shaping and reactive glazes.’ Around Lisbon, Clare and the team found both.
‘The hand-painting workshop is a real atelier,’ she says. ‘There are six craftspeople working at turn tables, fine brushes in hand, and a tiny kiln at one end of the room.’ At the factory where we create our reactive glaze collections, the scale might be bigger but the attention to detail is the same. ‘Every piece of clay is hand shaped and thrown before it is pressed by the mould, potters sit turning the handles of individual mugs, and the products are hung from the roof for final drying after being baked in the kiln,’ adds Clare.
Our new Lamorna collection, hand painted in the bespoke workshop, was not only made in Portugal but inspired by Portugal. ‘The idea evolved from the blue and white tiles we spotted on house exteriors around Lisbon,’ says Clare. ‘Back in the office, we developed the motif using our new Nettle green shade, rather than blue, and softened the scroll designs into a leafy, floral pattern to feel a little more in keeping with an English country garden.’
The Callington dessert plate collection – decorated in Nettle, Blakeney Blue and Saffron shades – was also crafted in this same studio, the patterns painted with brushes the artisans make themselves to ensure they achieve the perfect brush stroke.
Our new, organically shaped, striped pieces in the collection were made at the factory specialising in reactive glazes. ‘A reactive glaze gives each piece its individuality,’ explains Clare. ‘It feels more authentic, and we like that.’
The team also consider how the tableware will work within the wider Neptune collections. ‘Like everything we do, the pieces have to celebrate quality craftsmanship and materials,’ says Clare. ‘Ceramics live on our tables for a long time and get added to over the years, so the designs should be timeless. As we only use natural woods in our furniture, we feel that the slightly more organic-shaped ceramics pair best with the tactile irregularity of our wood finishes. We see the table as the frame and the plates as the art, and we want them to sing together!’
