Over the last few years I have visited a number of museums armed with my digital camera. Studio pots by master potters are very expensive these days so I have built up a library of images some of which I will share with you here.

The Victoria and Albert Museum, London in 2010

Since my last visit back in 2004 the studio ceramics galleries at the V and A have undergone a transformation. Gone are the old wooden cabinets so typical of museums in the past, in their place huge glass display cases show off the V and A's important collection of pots to great effect.

Paisley Museum and Art Gallery

The Paisley Museum has an extensive collection of around 500 pots by some of the most important British potters of the Twentieth century. A fraction of these are currently exhibited in a set of themed display cases, e.g., masterpieces, functional pots, sculptural pots. A more comprehensive display is planned for the near future, showcasing individual artists.

The Victoria and Albert Museum, London in 2004

The V and A have an extensive collection of studio pottery built up over the years by enthusiastic curators. Some of you will be familiar with Oliver Watson's book which catalogs the pots. Not all are of course on show but there many pots by famous potters such as Bernard Leach, William Staite-Murray and Shoji Hamada are on display in traditional glass cabinets.

York City Art Gallery

The Rev. Eric Milner-White left his collection of studio pottery to York City Art Gallery when he died in 1963. The collection is displayed in full in a small room in the gallery and includes pots by Bernard Leach, Shoji Hamada, William Staite-Murray, Michael Cardew, Katherine Pleydell-Bouverie, Norah Braden and Ladi Kwali.

The Potteries Museum, Stoke-on-Trent

As its name suggests, the Potteries Museum houses a huge collection of pots made in the Potteries area of England. The studio pottery collector Henry Bergen bequeathed his pots to the museum and these are displayed together with more recent studio work by potters such as Phil Rogers, Mike Dodd and Richard Batterham. The museum has a wonderful collection of Staffordshire slipware including some amazing Thomas Toft chargers.

When I revisited the museum in April 2009, the Hemry Bergen collection had been given new cases and much better lighting and is now a truly wonderful experience. Please go and visit it yourselves, there is no charge for admission but for some reason the car parking charges in the area are very high.

Leach Pottery, St. Ives, Cornwall

Janet Leach's collection of Bernard and Shoji Hamada pots is displayed in the cottage at the Leach Pottery. Also displayed is work by potters who started their careers as students at the Leach Pottery.