Skip to content
Scottish Pottery Society
Scottish Pottery Society

Promoting the Study of Scottish Pottery - Run by Enthusiasts; Charity # SC003935

  • Home
  • News
  • About
    • Programme of Meetings
    • Join or Support the Society
    • Contact
      • Copyright Takedown
    • History of Ceramics in Scotland
    • The Early Years of the SPS
  • Potteries
    • Industrial Potteries
    • Studio Potteries & Decorators
  • Resources
    • SPHR
    • Public Forum
    • Puzzling Pieces
    • Bibliography & Links
  • Members
    • Login / Account
  • Search
  • Home
  • Zoo Pottery

Zoo Pottery

Link to Gallery

Zoo, Cream jug
Zoo, Cream jug
Zoo, Cream Jug, Backstamp
Zoo, Cream Jug, Backstamp

Link to Gallery

Overview

William Miles Johnstone (1893-1974) studied at Edinburgh College of Arts, where he was influenced by his mentor William Walls. 

A contemporary of EA Taylor and Jessie Marion King, Johnstone moved to Kirkcudbright around 1940 and had a store called “The Crafts”. 

It is written this his ‘Zoo’ series are derived from studying the animals at Edinburgh zoo. 

 

Main Products

Hand decorated ceramics with zoomorphic designs. 
Retailed from his store, “The Crafts”

William also sold his paintings and treen.

Articles in SPHR

  • 4 - The Zoo Art Pottery of W Miles Johnston

Articles in Bulletin (Members only)

  • TEXT

Typical Backstamps and Monograms

“Zoo” plus Monogram “WMJ”

Zoo, Cream Jug, Backstamp
Zoo, Cream Jug, Backstamp
Zoo, Backstamp
Zoo, Backstamp
Zoo, Backstamp
Zoo, Backstamp

Other Publications & Links

  • Tales of the Kirkcudbright Artists, Haig Gordon, Kirkcudbright, 2006
  • Kirkcudbright: one hundred years of an artists’ colony, Patrick Bourne, Atelier Books, Edinburgh, 2000.
  • Kirkcudbright Galleries

Public Collections

  • None known

Other information

Assisted Sir Robert Lorimer with decoration of the Scottish National War Memorial in Edinburgh. Friend of Ronald Searle. Sketches of Johnston’s children were origin of “Belles of St Trinians” drawings. First Kirkcudbright picture exhibited at Royal Scottish Academy, 1934.

As students and friends of Jessie M King, from 1918, Bill (as he was known to his friends) and his wife, Dorothy Nesbitt, were regular visitors to Greengate Close in the summer months where they stayed in one of the Close’s cottages. Bill was a highly talanted animal and bird artist, and his work was of such distinction that he was made a Life Fellow of the Edinburgh Zoological Society. After the war he also assisted Sir Robert Lorimer in his work on the Scottish War Memorial in Edinburgh. He also used bird and animal figures in his decoration of pottery, which he sold under the “Zoo” pottery brand. He inspired Jessie M King to work in this medium of decorative art.

In 1940, the Johnston family moved to Kirkcudbright where Bill opened “The Crafts” in Castle Street, from which he sold his paintings, ceramics and a variety of painted wooden objects – plywood cut-outs of animals and birds are perhaps best remembered. His watercolours of Kirkcudbright and the surrounding countryside (especially Carrick shore where the family had a hut) were much in demand locally. During the Second World War the Johnston family befriended Ronald Searle, when he was posted here as soldier. The Johnston daughters inspired his creation of the “St Trinians Girls”. Dorothy Nesbitt later became a Town Councillor and was instrumental with others in saving the harbour cottages from demolition and creating the Harbour Cottage Art Gallery.

Copyright © 2021 Scottish Pottery Society


The Society wishes to thank the St Andrew Society (Glasgow) Charitable Trust for sponsoring the publication of SPHR 27

OSCR

Privacy & Terms of Use

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsOkay
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT