PRETTY IN PINXTON

FAMOUS PORCELAIN FORGED IN THE HEART OF COUNTY IS UNDER HAMMER

- CHARLES HANSON

AMONG the most evocative names in English porcelain, Pinxton stands as a quiet triumph of Derbyshire craft and artistic endeavour.

On Tuesday, July 8, it will take centre stage at Hansons Auctioneers in a very special sale: The Geoff Wood Collection, lovingly preserved and presented by his close friend and fellow enthusiast, Elaine Gregory.

The collection is more than a gathering of fine objects; it’s the story of one man’s unwavering love for a local treasure, and the enduring friendships and knowledge it inspired.

Pinxton Porcelain was born in the late 18th century, when entrepreneur John Coke and the brilliant porcelain painter William Billingsley joined forces at a site by the Cromford Canal. Trained at the renowned Derby works, Billingsley became celebrated for his exquisitely painted flowers, and his obsessive pursuit of a perfect porcelain formula—one he is believed to have sourced through fellow ceramicist Zachariah Boreman.

Though the factory ceased production in 1813, Pinxton’s reputation lives on.