I am wondering though... if they were made in Australia by a Latvian potter post WW2, mainly because it seems odd to find a whole group of pottery by the same potter imported all the way from Latvia, and there were quite a few Latvian Artists came to live in Australia after WW2...Although I am not aware of any Potters. Also a fellow collector, Gail in Sydney, last year found an identical piece by the same maker.
I would love to here from anyone who might recognise the potters mark - or the motifs used. There are quite a few readers of this blog in Russia, Ukraine and the Baltic states - so I am hoping some of you might have some knowledge of this pottery :)
If from Latvia, (as opposed to Latvian Australian) they are most probably from the Latgale region of eastern Latvia where there is a large studio pottery industry. There are many different styles of pottery within the region - including lustre ware, blackened pottery, unglazed pottery, and pieces like the ones I have here. This YouTube video on some of the potters of the region is well worth a watch (ignore the patronising voice over though!). There are a few other videos, but this has the best production.
Wow - they look fantastic in a group! Thanks so much for everything you have done to solve the mystery! it seems like a definite possibility that they might have been made by a Latvian potter here in Aus given that between us we have found 7 of them in the last few months. Do you think the mark is UL or WL? I wonder if L could stand for Latgale? I do hope someone who can identify the mark finds this post! lovely photos of them too :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Gail, I was leaning towards WL for the mark but it could be so many things! Fingers crossed someone recognises them, FYI too - The Baltic Shop has them around $65 for the larger ones. I love the different colours of them too.
DeleteHi Ray, I've picked up a few pieces by this maker too, but have no idea who it is. The Latvian Maigonis Daga, who had a studio in Adelaide from 1954-1964,was more modernist in style.
ReplyDeleteHI Judith, thanks for the info. Had a look around and found the work Magonis did after moving to the U.S. in the 1960's - yes - interesting but certainly not traditional.
DeleteIt is likely to be UL as W is not used in Latvian words. Though it could be a W name borrowed from another ethnicity/language, it's pretty unlikely. There are not that many Latvian names which start with U either! Uldis and Ugis are two male names and Una is a female name.
ReplyDeleteI have two ceramic tankards made in Latvian style with the potter's mark 'N' (written in copperplate style), dated in the 50s. No idea who this is either!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/miss_sonia/6225577573/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/miss_sonia/6225576707/in/photostream/
Thanks Harpy, I think you are right. That narrows down the search a little anyway :) Your tankard is in our Flickr page I think?.
DeleteIts all pointing towards a Latvian potter in Australia by the look of it...one day someone will know going by past mysteries. Ray.
The thought comes to mind...you could contact the Sydney Latvian Society. http://www.slb.org.au/SLB_new/Pages_EN/Contacts_EN.php They have a strong arts focus and since they've been around since 1952 they may know someone who can help identify the artist. I think they also have a gift shop at their location which has books, arts and crafts too.
DeleteThanks, great idea.
DeleteThere are one big family of Latgale potters in Latvia Ushpelis (original Ušpelis) possible transcription Uspelis or Uspels
ReplyDeleteThank you Uldis, good information.
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