The Myott Collectors Club was originally set up as a response to the growing interest in collecting Myott hand-painted Art Deco ceramics. Whilst this area of collecting is still strong there has been a growing interest in collecting the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s. Potteries such as Midwinter, Portmeirion and Troika have witnessed massive price rises over the last year or two and indeed the popularity of some of our old favourites is also rising. Many factories from our Club members’ points of view, normally associated with Art Deco production, made a contribution to the ‘Retro’ scene, including: Arthur Wood; Beswick; Burleigh; CarltonWare and Crown Devon to name but a few.
Collecting Retro is not just restricted to ceramics. With the acceleration of manufacturing industries from the Fifties onwards there is a wealth of collectables out there just waiting to be snapped up by the Retro lover. Some items are better quality than others. In fact the term ‘kitch’ has become associated with Retro. Chambers Dictionary defines ‘kitch’ thus: kitch kich, n trash; art, literature, fashion, etc dismissed as being of merely popular taste or appeal, vulgar, sentimental or sometimes pretentious. Perhaps it’s the sentimentality that appeals to those of us (with or without disposable incomes) to relive our childhoods. Club member Alan Williams feels that the growing volume and diversity of Retro goods on the market is a direct consequence of the last generation passing on and leaving behind belongings amassed over the years.
