At first glance Paul Whiston, with his white beard, apron, and tools, might be mistaken for Santa Claus.

But he doesn't so much make toy cars and dolls for children, his offering is more expensive gifts for adults.

He is a Wedgwood master potter. Wedgwood, owned by the Waterford Wedgwood company, is known for its elegant blue pottery with white frosting, although it does make other colours and styles.

Mr. Whiston was on the Island this month to speak with Wedgwood customers at A.S. Cooper & Sons Ltd. and to give demonstrations.

In these troubled financial times face-to-face contact is more important than ever when it comes to the sale of what is a luxury item to some albeit, perhaps, a dust collector to others.

This February, as Wedgwood celebrated its 250th anniversary, Waterford Wedgwood was purchased by American private equity group KPS Capital Partners after going into administration.

It was hoped that around 1,700 jobs in the United Kingdom and Ireland would be saved by the sale.

"We are still in a state of change," said Mr. Whiston. "The company was in debt. KPS have an extremely good record of turning companies around. So we are hopeful that it will go on from strength to strength."

When The Royal Gazette spoke with Mr. Whiston he was busy selling Wedgwood to a couple he'd met at a nearby drinking establishment.

It was the first piece of Wedgwood for the Dudley family from Virginia.

"We don't have any at home," said Susan Dudley. "But it is our 35th wedding anniversary. We wanted something special to take back."

Mrs. Dudley, and husband Wayne, bought a limited edition Wedgwood piece designed specially for Bermuda. On the piece of pottery, white longtails flew stark against a backdrop of blue. The pieces are numbered.

To the Dudleys, choosing the right number was important. They deliberated for a minute. Thirty-five was gone, and so was 74, the year they married. So, for reasons known only to them, they chose 13.

"We have nothing before 91," Mr. Whiston told them. When their faces fell he said: "No wait, 13 is open. We didn't use it last year."

Mr. Whiston is the sixth generation in his family to be involved in pottery.

"We have always been on the art side of things," said Mr. Whiston. "My uncle was an engraver for Mason's which is part of Wedgwood."

His grandfather was a master painter for Minton's Pottery; and his great grandfather owned his own factory in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent.

"He was a Victorian," said Mr. Whiston. "He ran the factory, and when he had enough money together he would lock the gates.

"He would go to Ireland and buy himself a racehorse. He would run it until the money ran out. Then he would return, open the gates and everyone would go back to work."

Although it was in his family, Mr. Whiston said he didn't actually touch clay until he was 18 years old.

"I did English and History for A levels," he said. "At the last minute I changed my course."

He went on to achieve a fine arts degree in art ceramics, and also a teaching qualification.

He worked in schools for many years then took early retirement in 1997.

"But I made a big enough nuisance of myself at Wedgwood that they asked me to work for them," said Mr. Whiston. "I have been with them since."

This is Mr. Whiston's third visit to Bermuda, but he said there have been others from Wedgwood coming for a long time.

One of Mr. Whiston's tasks has been to design a Bermuda collector's item.

"When I came over three years ago I thought there was a need for a specific piece, other than the specific stock," said Mr. Whiston. "So last year we produced a bowl which was a limited edition of 50. Those sold out fairly quickly."

The bowl was popular enough that Premier Ewart Brown presented one to former President of the United States George Bush.

"I had to write a lot on the bottom," said Mr. Whiston with a laugh.

This year, to coincide with Bermuda's 400th anniversary and Wedgwood's 250th, 250 commemorative vases were made up with longtails emblazoned on them.

The special Bermuda vases are made in the Wedgwood Visitors' Centre located in Barlastone, England.

"I didn't make them all myself," Mr. Whiston said. "I am really there to develop ideas and so on. It would be impractical for me to make them all. I don't spend that much time in the Centre."

Wedgwood was first created by Josiah Wedgwood in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent in 1759. Like Mr. Whiston, Mr. Wedgwood came from a long line of potters.

He was known to be an innovator and thinker. In 1782 he perfected a tool for measuring the heat of kilns. He also introduced several new types of pottery including basalt ware, jasper ware, and Queen's ware, a cream-coloured, lead-glazed earthenware. It was so called because it was used to make a tea service for Queen Charlotte, wife of George III in 1765.

Mr. Whiston will be at A.S. Coopers until June 27.

To learn more about Wedgwood, check out their website: www.wedgwood.com/GB/home.