Bo'ness Ceramic Animals
  An Illustrated Guide

The period spanning the late 19th and early 20th centuries is viewed as the heyday for the production of ornamental animal figures in Scotland's Bo’ness potteries.

Today, many of these antique ceramics turn up in collections, auctions, and online listings. Some are instantly recognisable, while others remain less well known.

This website brings together images and articles which will hopefully assist in the identification of Bo'ness pottery figures, ranging from the familiar mantelpiece dogs and cats to the rarer and more unusual subjects.

The ultimate aim is to provide a comprehensive and engaging resource for collectors, or anyone who's curious about these fascinating antique creations.

The Bo'ness-based potteries associated with the production of these figures are "The Bo'ness Pottery", "The Bridgeness Pottery" and "The West Lothian Pottery".

The Bo'ness Pottery consisted of three sites. These were established in the late 18th century and had mixed fortunes.
However when John Marshall took over the company in 1854 many improvements were introduced. It was under his ownership that the production of Bo'ness animal ornaments began.

In 1887 Charles W. McNay left the Bo’ness Pottery after disputes with the Marshall family trustees and built his own pottery at Bridgeness.
Known locally as the "Jubilee Works", its opening coincided with Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.
That pottery finally closed its doors in 1958.

In 1890 the Bo'ness Co-operative Society erected a pottery in that part of the town called Grangepans.
It was ultimately unsuccessful, but in 1896 John McNay became manager of the newly formed company,  the West Lothian Pottery.
It remained in operation until 1928.