A wonderful pair of 'Cornflower' design vases created by William Moorcroft will headline a dedicated auction of the prestigious pottery at Bonhams on May 21.

The vases bear the marks of the Macintyre pottery, where Moorcroft first found fame before establishing his renowned brand

Created in 1912, the year before the designer established his own world famous Moorcroft pottery in Stoke-on-Trent, UK, the vases are valued at £7,000-9,000 ($11,866-15,256). They hail directly from the collection of Ken Manley, a businessman and racehorse owner known for his love of Moorcroft.

Prior to setting up his own pottery, Moorcroft was employed with James Macintyre & Co Ltd, creating his first range of designs, known as Florian Ware. His success, which brought him a gold medal at the St Louis International Exhibition, allowed him to start signing his name on his designs.

The vases at auction are a fantastic representation of this period, with both "W. Moorcroft" and printed Macintyre marks.

"Collectors like Ken are attached to their pieces in a very big way," Moorcroft chairman Hugh Edwards told the Stoke Sentinel.

"They represent a large part of their capital assets and it takes an awful lot of restraint not to sell them. The fact these pieces seldom come up in the secondary market is generally the reason why they fetch such a high price.

"Every piece tells a story. They are unique stories because the pieces are unique. Our factory is more like an artisan's studio. There is very little machinery and each piece has been hand-crafted over the last century."

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