| Robert
Martin trained in sculpture at Lambeth School of Art and later at
the Royal Academy of Art. He set up the first Martin Brothers pottery
in the 1860s, where he made terracotta sculpture.
 In
1873, he set up a new pottery with his brothers, Charles,
Walter and Edwin Martin in Fulham, London.
In
1877 they moved to Southall, where they made salt-glazed
stoneware with Gothic Revival influences, now known as Martinware.
The Gothic Revival was an 18th century architectural style that
used the architecture of the Middle Ages as its model. 
European pottery was also influenced, incorporating neo-gothic
elements into design and decoration.
The Martin Brothers became famous
for their eccentric, grotesquely modeled Wally Birds and their wheel-thrown
and sculpted face jugs and gothic stoneware vases.
They also produced other items reminiscent of art and architecture
from the Middle Ages
In the early 1900's the company suffered
various difficulties, including a serious fire in 1910 and also
deaths in the family
The Martin Brothers Pottery company closed in 1915.
Martin
Brothers Pottery Marks :
 The
Martin Brothers marked their products using incised signature marks
and changed the mark when they moved their premises.
1873-1874 - with the address Fulham
1874-1878 - with London
1878-1879 - with Southall
1879-1915 - with London & Southall
After 1882 - the word Bros or Brothers
was added.
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