At the height of the pottery industry, the skyline of Stoke-on-Trent was dominated by thousands of bottle ovens. Before the outbreak of war in 1939, more than 2000 had been documented.
The Clean Air Act of 1956 was the beginning of the end for these iconic buildings and by 1964 only 20 were still operable.
Currently, 47 bottle shaped structures remain in 27 locations.
Celebrating the heritage of The Potteries, this photographic book shows the dark beauty of a bygone industry in a modern world.
"Phil Crow has put together a remarkable collection of his photographs of the last remaining ovens and kilns in the city. Each photograph, many with a perspective never seen before, was painstakingly shot with a close attention to detail." Terry Woolliscroft- Pottery Historian, Stoke on Trent.