In pottery terms a 'basket' may be defined as a vase with a handle that goes across its mouth from side to side. The shape usually imitates a real woven cane basket although not always. Premier Pottery Preston made several basket shapes over the years. One of them, the 'classic Remued basket', was their top-selling product and is relatively plentiful today.

Click on the links to go to the appropriate catalogue pages.

Earliest shape; Pamela 1934

The shape is first recorded from 1934 in the Pamela Series, un-numbered.

During 1934 it was absorbed into the Remued Early Series as number 194. The earliest 194 baskets were like the Pamela examples in that their shape was more upright, less flared than the familiar later shape.

The baskets sold well. Different sizes were introduced and applied gumleaf decoration appeared. The use of suffixes evolved as the range expanded, resulting in a complicated and rather messy set of numbers to confront the present-day collector.

Click here for the Early Series 194 catalogue page.

When the Early Series was superseded by the 500 Series the baskets were re-numbered 501. Inch suffixes were used eg 501/4, 501/6. The 500 Series was short-lived, however, and most items are rare. Not every size of basket is represented in the image database. Even so, the 501 baskets are more common than any other item in the 500 Series.

Click here for the 500 Series 501 catalogue page.

The Later Series soon replaced the 500 Series and once again it was the classic basket that led the numbering, being allocated number 1. Inch suffixes were used ranging from 1-4 to 1-12.  Unlike the Early Series, the Later Series baskets never featured applied gumleaves or grapevines.

Click here for the Later Series 1 catalogue page.

Sizes up to 8 inch have two-strand handles but 10 inch and above have three strands (with rare exceptions). Occasionally two-strand examples are found non-twisted. Large gumleaf pieces usually have branch handles.

The same shape - from the same potter, Alan James - reappeared in the Kerryl range where curiously it is found with two numbers;  A89  and  A116 

500 Series 501/4

   Later Series 1-4 to 1-12

'A' Series / Kerryl A89-6

These are a variation on the 'classic' basket. They are considerably less common, particularly the Later Series 184 which is rare.

A rare item.

A strange piece of 1940s modernism.

Early Series 194/10M

A rare item, known only from this illustration in a sales brochure of wholesale agents F.R.Barlow & Sons Pty.Ltd.

Here is an amazing shape (un-numbered) that combines two Later Series 1-4 baskets.

It was probably an experiment, perhaps a one-off.