Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn & Clayworks Museum presents a special display from their AMBRICO vase collection in Te Uru’s street-front window space. The works are from the early period of what is now known as the Ambrico style, which formed the beginnings of Crown Lynn.
Before Crown Lynn acquired their now famous name, they were known as AMBRICO, which is derived from the name of their parent company ‘Amalgamated Brick and Pipe Company Limited’.
Many people know of Tom Clark, who was the founder of AMBRICO and later Crown Lynn. In 1930, Tom was taken out of school at the age of 13 and put to work in the family’s brick factory. Tom learned how to dig clay and make bricks and sewer pipes. At the age of 21, he was made assistant general manager and successfully persuaded the directors to give him £5,000 to set up an experimental department to diversify the company’s clay products to include domestic ware. This was first known as the ‘Porcelain Specialties Department’ and then AMBRICO until 1948 when the Crown Lynn name was established.
Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn & Clayworks Museum presents a special display from their AMBRICO vase collection in Te Uru’s street-front window space. The works are from the early period of what is now known as the Ambrico style, which formed the beginnings of Crown Lynn.
Before Crown Lynn acquired their now famous name, they were known as AMBRICO, which is derived from the name of their parent company ‘Amalgamated Brick and Pipe Company Limited’.
Many people know of Tom Clark, who was the founder of AMBRICO and later Crown Lynn. In 1930, Tom was taken out of school at the age of 13 and put to work in the family’s brick factory. Tom learned how to dig clay and make bricks and sewer pipes. At the age of 21, he was made assistant general manager and successfully persuaded the directors to give him £5,000 to set up an experimental department to diversify the company’s clay products to include domestic ware. This was first known as the ‘Porcelain Specialties Department’ and then AMBRICO until 1948 when the Crown Lynn name was established.
