Wedgewood and Cambridge Team for Darwin-inspired Collection

Wedgwood has launched a new teaware collection inspired by drawings from the Darwin archive at Cambridge University. This collaboration brings to life the historic voyage of HMS Beagle and highlights the connection between the Wedgwood and Darwin families; Charles Darwin was Josiah Wedgwood’s grandson. The collection is available through Wedgwood’s global retail channels. 

Working closely with Cambridge University Library, home of Darwin’s archive, Wedgwood’s design team has carefully curated original drawings from the voyage by ship’s artist Conrad Martens and Darwin himself, into a teaware collection rich in history and expertly crafted in Stoke-on-Trent, England. 

“Wedgwood’s design interpretation of the source material has brought the Voyage of the Beagle to life in a beautifully storied way on both the teasets and mugs,” commented Len Dunne, CEO Curating Cambridge. “We’re thrilled to also be able to offer the collection through our own Curating Cambridge online shop for the University’s community and visitors to purchase and enjoy.” 

The six teaware sets illustrate ports of call that HMS Beagle made on her voyage of discovery. Brazil, Uruguay, Patagonia, Chile, The Galapagos, and Tahiti all feature on the sets, plus plant and animal life that Charles Darwin discovered whilst anchored there. Each set is lined in a unique pop of coloured enamel and has a special Voyage of the Beagle backstamp. 

Also in the Darwin inspired Wedgwood collection, are two different sized mugs decorated with drawings by Darwin’s children of battling fruit and vegetable characters, some of which appeared on their father’s original manuscript of ‘Origin of Species’. 

Proudly made in England at the Wedgwood factory in Barlaston, each piece of this fine bone china collection is packed in a Wedgwood blue giftbox.