Bossons

W.H. Bossons was a graduate of the Burslem School of Art and an honor student at the Stoke-on-Trent College of Ceramics. Following a career in the ceramic tile industry, he retired to Congleton, England in 1944. As a hobby, W.H. Bossons began making lead soldiers and Christmas figurines out of metal and plaster. In 1946, he purchased two rooms at Brook Mills in Congleton, where he trained young women as paintresses, young men as molders and began developing the production of plaster plaques. The very first Bossons model was a 14” plaque entitled, Village Scene, which was followed by Moreton Hall and other British scenes.

In October 1946, W. Ray Bossons, W.H. Bossons’ son, returned to Congleton after six years of service during World War II. Like his father, he had learned pottery making, but he was also professionally trained in advertising and publicity. Ray joined his father’s business, with W.H. concentrating on the technical and managerial side of the business and Ray developing designs, modeling and marketing. Following W.H. Bossons’ death in 1951, Ray Bossons sketched the ideas for the wall masks and figurines after extensively researching each character. The original models were executed in clay by highly trained sculptors. In 1958, Ray Bossons designed the first of the internationally recognized Character Wall Masks, the Snake Charmer, which was followed closely by Mandolin Player, Drummer, Caspian Man and Caspian Woman. The success of these first masks led to the rapid introduction of numerous wall masks and wall figurines of great variety, remarkably fine detail and considerable aesthetic merit. The factory produced its artworks until December 6, 1996, when after the death of Ray Bossons, his daughter, Jane Bossons Roberts, was unable to continue the company’s operation.