Pre-owned RARE Doric china in a beautiful hand painted 1930 floral set

Pre-owned RARE Doric china in a beautiful hand painted 1930 floral set. The obscurity of Doric China Co. A tiny very short-lived firm sandwiched between around 70 other Longton makers most of whom were bigger and better known. Doric China was a very short-lived firm, particularly in comparison to some of its neighbours (Aynsley founded in 1780 and one of the few still remaining - standing proud - I saw them with my own eyes when I was in Longton the other day - May 2011 - my latest piece, a Staffordshire flatback of the Royal Wedding is being made nearby).

Doric China operated from the dates of 1924 to 1935. They used the Crown with M shown above from 1926 - 1935. In 1935, nearby firm Royal Albion took over the orders of Doric china and continued with their marks including the M Crown until 1948. The Royal Albion version of this mark had an M in a rectangle added below. I have no idea what the M stands for - which is another reason why it has taken so long to solve this mystery mark. They abutted onto the same building as Hammersley & Co. (Longton), Ltd although Doric China Co frontage was on the High Street to the north, whereas Hammersley's entrance was to the South on Sutherland Road. Nearby on Sutherland Road were John Aynsley & Sons and Paragon China. Opposite on the High Street were Gladstone China, Roslyn China and New Park Potteries. Hudson & Middleton's Delphine Pottery had a unit nearby off the High Street, Longton and a frontage off Normacot Road, with their associated unit of Chapmans the next unit down from Doric China. As you can see, the Longton potter fraternity was very close knit with many intertwining associations, not to mention rivalries.