Name

1882 Ltd

Legal name

1882 Limited

Website

https://1882ltd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nantwich

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Direct sales of ceramic products through their WooCommerce-powered website including tableware, vases, limited edition pieces, and mystery boxes. Products range from affordable mugs to high-value limited edition pieces.
2. Bespoke & White Label Services: Client-led bespoke service collaborating from concept to completion for customized ceramic products. Scales from limited editions to expansive commercial collections.
3. Designer Collaborations & Limited Editions: High-value limited edition pieces created in collaboration with renowned designers and artists, commanding premium pricing for exclusive, collectible ceramic art.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

1882 Ltd is a design-driven ceramics manufacturer based at the Wedgwood factory in Stoke-on-Trent, producing hand-crafted ceramic products (vases, tableware, sculptural pieces, candles) in collaboration with world-renowned designers and artists. The company sells limited-edition and one-of-a-kind pieces directly to consumers via its own e-commerce website, and provides bespoke and white-label custom ceramic production services for commercial clients. The portfolio spans everyday tableware through to high-value collectible art ceramics ($1,000-$4,000+).

Product overview

1882 Ltd. is a design-driven ceramics company based in Stoke-on-Trent, England, founded by fifth generation Emily Johnson in 2011. The company operates as a single unified product platform centered on contemporary ceramics that bridges UK heritage craft with contemporary design. The product portfolio consists of two main collections: the Atelier (Icon) Collection featuring oversized, complex, limited-edition and one-of-a-kind sculptural-functional pieces created in collaboration with renowned designers and artists (including Big Vase with Max Lamb, Cast Bowl with John Pawson, Stack with Paul Smith, Venus with Giles Deacon, and others); and the Tableware Collection offering everyday-use items like Cirrus creamware, Indigo Storm, Jenny/Jenny Green, and Crockery ranges. Additional products include candles, Mystery Boxes featuring archive collaborations, and the Hello I'm... mug line with Robbie Williams. The company also offers a Bespoke & White Label service providing client-led custom ceramic production. All products utilize traditional ceramic techniques including slip-casting, hand-building, and throwing across five distinct clay bodies (earthenware, fine bone china, porcelain, black earthenware, stoneware).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 1882 Ltd. Vases Unique oversized vessels hand thrown and built during 'Cabbage Days', then hand painted in reactive glazes; sold directly to design-conscious consumers via the company's website.
• Big Vase 1 & 2 (with Max Lamb) Oversized vases designed with Max Lamb, carved from solid plaster blocks by hammer and chisel and slip-cast in fine bone china or black earthenware; for collectors and interior designers.
• Cast Bowl (with John Pawson) Minimalist bowl designed with architect John Pawson, glazed in pale hues with play of light and shadow across its contours; for collectors and design-conscious consumers.
• Ceramic Column (with Martyn Thompson) Sculptural columns created by stacking Penny vases with hand-applied muted abstract patterning by Martyn Thompson; for collectors and interior designers.
• Ceramic Inklings (with Robbie Williams) Limited-edition ceramic sculptures and mugs by Robbie Williams featuring candid caricatures and figurative drawings; for collectors and design-conscious consumers.
• Flower (with Amy J Hughes) Mammoth six-hole vase slab-built by Amy J Hughes, slip-cast in earthenware with purple/black and sunshine yellow colorways; limited to 25 pieces, for collectors.
• Garden Ware Platters (with Bruce McLean) One-off earthenware platters by conceptual artist Bruce McLean, originally exhibited at the V&A Museum during London Design Festival 2017; for collectors.
• Garden Ware Vessels (with Bruce McLean) Earthenware collection by Bruce McLean including vases, bowls, platters and tableware from the Garden Ware series; for collectors and design-conscious consumers.
• Macbeth (with Frances Palmer) Three black vases named after the Macbeth Witches, cast from Frances Palmer's hand-built and thrown master forms; for collectors.
• Penny Vase (with Martyn Thompson) Large-scale hand-thrown vases with hand decoration by Martyn Thompson; dried for six weeks and fired before decoration; for collectors and interior designers.
• Pickle Tower (with Bethan Laura Wood) Avant-garde sculpture with Bethan Laura Wood featuring intricate hand-drawn patterns created through heritage slip lining craft; debuted at Design Miami 2025, for collectors.
• Positive (with Snarkitecture) Cylindrical fine bone china vase by Snarkitecture revealing technical processes of bone china creation with excavated surface detail; for collectors.
• Potato (with Bruce McLean) Limited edition of 100 fine bone china sculptures of peeled potatoes by Bruce McLean; for collectors.
• Prick (with Leah Jensen) Bold spiked limited-edition bowl and vase by Leah Jensen with 164 hand-placed spikes, left unglazed for crisp detail; for collectors.
• Stack (with Paul Smith) Vessels appearing as stacks of plates functioning as vases, with each element hand glazed in 40 colors inspired by Paul Smith's iconic stripes; requires three kiln firings, for collectors.
• Stegreif (with Johannes Nagel) Fine bone china vases by German ceramicist Johannes Nagel with hand-applied colored glaze, focusing on impromptu and spontaneous character; for collectors.
• Tangerine (with Bruce McLean) Ceramic tangerines by Bruce McLean based on his 'Tangerine Test' concept for quality assurance; for collectors and design-conscious consumers.
• The Adventures of Lilyfoot (with Shona Heath) Limited-edition sculptural lamp and decorative spoon by Shona Heath, featuring a mythical 3ft stoneware creature with glowing orbs and a giant spoon inspired by an Italo Calvino story; for collectors.
• Tryst (with Amy Jayne Hughes, V&A residency) Fine bone china vases by Amy Jayne Hughes in collaboration with the V&A, featuring mid-18th-century style decoration from sprig moulds cast from museum objects; for collectors.
• Venus (with Giles Deacon) Figurine-style vases by fashion designer Giles Deacon with narrative decorative motifs drawn from the natural world and historical references; for collectors.
• Cirrus Tableware (with Frances Palmer) Everyday-use creamware tableware collection designed with Frances Palmer; light, simple, sturdy white dishes with a transparent airy finish; for design-conscious consumers.
• Indigo Storm Tableware (with Faye Toogood) Bold interpretation of traditional creamware by Faye Toogood with accidental beauty of natural imperfections from pigment patterns in slip coating; for design-conscious consumers.
• Jenny / Jenny Green Tableware (with Deborah M Allen) Tableware collection by Deborah M Allen with references to carved landscapes and organic shapes inspired by the Californian coastal landscape; for design-conscious consumers.
• Disco Gourds (with Bethan Laura Wood) Trompe-l'œil ceramic collection by Bethan Laura Wood inspired by the 18th-century decorative tradition of realistic ceramic food replicas; for collectors and design-conscious consumers.
• 1882 Ltd. Candles Candle collection in vessels designed by Max Lamb, Bethan Gray, Snarkitecture and Bruce McLean; for design-conscious consumers and gifting.
• Crockery Collection (with Max Lamb) Fine bone china tableware cast from moulds carved by Max Lamb in Black, White and Pink colorways; includes mugs, bowls, plates and vases; for design-conscious consumers.
• Mystery Boxes Archive collaboration boxes featuring pieces by Philippe Malouin, Faye Toogood, Fort Standard and Kim Thomé, sold at discounted prices in small, medium and mega sizes; for design-conscious consumers.
• Hello I'm... Mugs (with Robbie Williams) Mugs featuring phrases by Robbie Williams including 'Good Weird', 'Better People' and 'Magnificent'; for design-conscious consumers and gifting.
• Bespoke & White Label Service 100% client-led bespoke service collaborating from concept to completion, offering slip-casting, hand-building and throwing across five clay bodies including earthenware, fine bone china and porcelain; for brands, hotels, restaurants and retailers seeking customised ceramic production.
• Places That Build Their Dreams (with Yinka Ilori) Limited-edition trophy pieces by Yinka Ilori MBE created as part of Sotheby's Public Café takeover on New Bond Street; for collectors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products stocked at prestigious institutions including V&A Museum and Sotheby's

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Ongoing collaboration with V&A including exhibition of Garden Ware collection at London Design Festival 2017. Amy Jayne Hughes was V&A Ceramics Resident (April-September 2015) working in collaboration with 1882 Ltd. The V&A stocks and exhibits 1882 Ltd products.
• Sotheby'smajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYinka Ilori presented 'Places That Build Their Dreams' as part of Sotheby's Public Café takeover on New Bond Street in September. Collaboration resulted in limited-edition trophy pieces.
• Max LambcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term collaboration on Big Vase collection and Crockery tableware line. Lamb hand-carves plaster forms which 1882 Ltd reproduces through slip-casting in fine bone china.
• Paul SmithcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership creating Stack collection - vessels appearing as stacks of plates functioning as vases, with hand-glazed colours inspired by Paul Smith's iconic stripes.
• Martyn ThompsoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Penny Vases and Ceramic Columns. Thompson hand-decorates pieces using his distinctive colour palette after 1882 Ltd. slip-casts the forms.
• Bruce McLeancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcclaimed conceptual artist creating Garden Ware collection including platters, vessels, and conceptual pieces like Tangerine and Potato sculptures.
• John PawsoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitect collaboration on Cast Bowl collection - conceived as 'a quiet landscape in ceramic' with minimalist architectural aesthetics.
• Design MiamimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExhibition partner for Designer Spotlight collections including Frances Palmer's Macbeth collection and Bethan Laura Wood's Pickle Tower debuting at Design Miami 2025.
• Frances PalmercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican potter collaboration on Cirrus collection designed for everyday use and Macbeth collection debuting at Design Miami 2025.
• Faye ToogoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Indigo Storm collection - bold interpretation of traditional creamware forms with accidental beauty of natural imperfections.
• Bethan Laura WoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Disco Gourds collection and Pickle Tower sculpture for Design Miami 2025, featuring heritage craft of slip lining.
• SnarkitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew York-based collaborative practice partnership on Positive collection exploring technical processes of fine bone china creation.
• Shona HeathcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSet designer collaboration on The Adventures of Lilyfoot - limited edition sculptural lamp and spoon creation.
• Giles DeaconcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCouture designer collaboration on Venus collection - figurines combining drawing, line, form with figurine-making traditions from Stoke-on-Trent.
• Yinka Ilori MBEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritish-Nigerian artist collaboration on 'Places That Build Their Dreams' limited-edition trophy pieces.
• Robbie WilliamscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic artist collaboration on Ceramic Inklings collection featuring wall pieces and sculptures inspired by his mental health journey.
• Leah JensencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist-maker collaboration on Prick collection - avant-garde spiked limited edition pieces combining punk aesthetic with ceramics.
• Johannes NagelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman ceramicist collaboration on Stegreif Vases - focusing on impromptu and spontaneous character of pieces in fine bone china.
• Amy J HughescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCeramicist collaboration on Tryst (V&A residency project), Flower, and Smaller Flower collections.
• Collect Art FairmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual exhibition at Collect art fair showcasing contemporary ceramics and 1882 Ltd's latest designer collaborations.
• Deborah M AllenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist collaboration on Jenny and Jenny Green collections featuring pieces inspired by Californian landscapes and natural forms.
• Bethan GrayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigner collaboration on 1882 Ltd. Candles collection, celebrating differences with vessels highlighting design brilliance.
• Pinch Design StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritish design studio collaboration on furniture and lighting-inspired ceramic pieces.
• Queensberry HuntminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCeramic design specialists collaboration on tableware and household products.
• Martino GamperminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian designer collaboration on ceramic pieces and studio projects.
• Kim ThoméminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian designer collaboration on geometric and optical play-inspired ceramic designs.
• Philippe MalouinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in archive mystery boxes alongside Faye Toogood, Fort Standard and Kim Thomé collaborations.
• Fort StandardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in archive mystery boxes alongside Philippe Malouin, Faye Toogood and Kim Thomé collaborations.
• WooCommercecoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform powering the 1882 Ltd online store for direct-to-consumer sales.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing provider for secure online transactions on the e-commerce platform.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wedgwood: Iconic British heritage ceramics brand, also based at the Barlaston Stoke-on-Trent site that 1882 Ltd operates from. Operates broadly in tableware, gifting, and collectibles across price tiers rather than focusing on designer-led limited editions, but the shared manufacturing heritage and product category make it a direct reference point for 1882 Ltd's positioning.
• Spode: Historic Stoke-on-Trent-based ceramics manufacturer, now owned by Portmeirion Group. Directly comparable to 1882 Ltd through shared Stoke-on-Trent heritage and ceramics category leadership, though operating at mass-to-mid-market tiers rather than the designer-led limited-edition positioning.
• Royal Doulton: Long-established British heritage ceramics brand from Stoke-on-Trent, now part of Fiskars Group. Operates across mass-market to mid-premium tiers rather than designer-led limited editions, but is directly comparable as a UK heritage ceramics producer and reference brand in the same category.
• Meissen: Historic German luxury porcelain manufacturer, one of the oldest and most prestigious porcelain makers in the world. Comparable to 1882 Ltd at the premium/luxury tier of the ceramics market, though operating at much larger scale and broader product portfolio rather than a designer-collaboration atelier model.

Emerging players

• Raawii: Copenhagen-based design ceramics and homeware brand producing sculptural vessels and tableware with high-profile designer collaborations (e.g., Nicholai Wiig Hansen). Comparable to 1882 Ltd in the designer-collab ceramic vessel space and contemporary design positioning.
• East Fork Pottery: North Carolina-based design pottery brand selling functional ceramics DTC with a focus on craft and modern colorways. Comparable to 1882 Ltd as a design-led, DTC-first ceramics maker, though operating at a different price tier and without the high-end collaboration/atelier pipeline.
• Mud Australia: Australian designer porcelain tableware maker producing handmade, design-led porcelain pieces sold DTC and through design retailers. Comparable to 1882 Ltd in the designer tableware niche and DTC-led model, though lacking the deep designer-collaboration program and museum placement.
• Fort Standard: Brooklyn-based design studio producing ceramics, wood, and metal homewares, and named as one of 1882 Ltd's archive mystery-box collaborators. Comparable through shared aesthetic sensibility and designer collaboration relationship, though Fort Standard operates as a broader design studio rather than a ceramics manufacturer.

Direct peers

• Heath Ceramics: California-based design-driven ceramics manufacturer producing tableware and limited-edition pieces with a strong craft identity. Most direct functional peer to 1882 Ltd given the shared model of in-house production, premium positioning, and design-led collections spanning everyday to collectible.
• Astier de Villatte: Parisian artisanal ceramics maker producing hand-finished tableware and one-off pieces with a distinctive rough-hewn aesthetic. Closely comparable to 1882 Ltd in combining atelier craftsmanship, design-led catalog, museum/gallery placement, and premium DTC positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/1882ltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1882-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 1882 Ltd