Some Vintage Australian Studio Pottery

I'm still always attracted to studio pottery when I see it, and a few weeks ago at auction I bought a box of various bits of mostly broken vintage studio pottery, as I recognised one of the stamps as from Sturt Pottery - an important Australian Pottery and training institution started in the 1940's and still going strong.

Some of Australia's top potters have either had residencies at Sturt, or have been head of the pottery.....including the images of the first few pieces by Paul Wynn who was head of Sturt Pottery 1978-80.

The teapot is by Christine Ball and the following is information from Judth's Australian Pottery site

Christine Ball began potting full-time in 1975, after obtaining a Preliminary Diploma of Art at Seaforth TAFE in 1971 and a Ceramics Certificate at East Sydney Technical College in 1972-73, then spending a year with Derek Smith at his Beecroft Pottery in 1974. She set up her first pottery at Wheeler Heights using a workshop grant from the Australia Council and, at that time began teaching part-time at Brookvale TAFE. She moved to Myoora Road, Terrey Hills , in 1978, and in 1981 moved again, this time to Uralla, where she opened the Myoora Pottery Craft Shop, renamed the Barking Dog Gallery in 1993. Ball marks her work with an impressed 'CB' that has changed case and style over the years. Myoora Pottery work is stamped 'Myoora Pottery'. Work made there by Ross Downie in 1978 is marked with an impressed 'MP' monogram

Paul Wynn - Sturt Pottery - Mugs, Sugar Bowl & Milk Jug -

Sturt Pottery stamp (left) and Paul Wynn Stamp (right)

Christine Ball , superb stoneware teapot

Mystery Pottery, Large lidded Urn

Salt Glazed Stoneware Teapot (would have had a cane handle)
Mystery Potter - possibly Alex Leckie - an important 1950's potter

Dümler & Breiden

Over the past few months, very slowly I have manged to pick up some Dumler & Breiden pieces, and they have become my favourite German pottery - now I know what to look for. You might have noticed these two pieces in the auction watch posts from the end of last year.

You can find out more about this D&B on Ginny and Forest Poston's Oddities and Antiques site HERE, and from their site here is a bit about Dumler & Breiden:

Dümler & Breiden (1883-1992) D&B was one of the many companies in the Höhr-Grenzhausen region, and they produced an enormous range of styles over the years, from very traditional to strong Pop Art.

What I love about the ones I have found is the strong emphasis on shape and form - the shapes are so organic and modernist (although not all D&B is like that of course), and beautifully glazed and decorated with interesting textures. The first one reminds me of a lot of the large ceramic murals of East Germany.

Have a look of some of the way out colours and designs on the Flickr stream of the West German Pottery group on Flickr HERE.

Auction Watch 3.2012

Slim pickings this week I'm afraid...hardly anything to bid for. I think due to Australia Day in the middle of the week, the auction houses didn't get enough time to get much ready for this week. The weather has also been awful and hot all this week which really puts people off.

After the auction images I have put a few things I've seen on eBay this week I would buy if I had the room (and and endless pile of money!)

Villeroy & Boch Acapulco - anything from $100 - $400

Interesting Scandinavian design - I need to check out who the maker is.

Love these old filing cabinets - it would make a great sock draw!

These old oak kitchen cabinets remind me of my Grandmother's kitchen

West German - Bay Keramic - Great Pattern -
colour a bit boring though.

Another  Junghams retro clock

  ITRIFA NORWAY - One I've not heard of before
found HERE

That's a great piece of Scheurich. Found HERE

Studio Anna (Australia 1960's) HERE - (Some great vintage Wallpaper in this store too)

Love it! Studio Anna again. Found HERE.

Denby Cottage Blue

You might remember in the Auction watch this week was a set of Denby Cottage Blue - well I managed to get it, and surprisingly no one else was bidding. A different case with other things  - like Genie Bottles which are now fetching over $100each at auction, and double that on eBay in most cases this week.

Anyway, the Denby Cottage blue I bought is a huge setting - about 75 pieces, of which about 7 were damaged - which is pretty good considering. Cottage Blue was introduced in 1926 and continued to be popular into the 1980's - the set I bought was made between 1950-1970 according to the backstamp.

Cottage Blue is typified by its blue mottled glaze (I would call it Imperial Blue - it isn't a bright cobalt blue) and lovely buttercup yellow interior. It was introduced on the traditional shapes Denby was using at the time - and it looks like more shapes were added as time went by. I've seen it attributed to Donald Gilbert - but I don't think that can be correct as he didn't join the firm until 1931.

So here are some of the lovely pieces from the setting:

Denby Cottage Blue Teapot - such a classic shape - love it!

Denby Cottage Blue Teacup

China Search has photographs of more of the shapes of their website.

I have all the main plates, entree plates and sides as well, but I haven't included them here -they are just plain blue rounds - looking quite modern for their period. 

Denby Cottage Blue Teapots

Denby Cottage blue - Open sugar bowl

This piece is listed as an open (tea) sugar bowl but being the same size
as the teacup could be used for many purposes these days.

Denby Cottage Blue - Milk Jug, Teapot and oval platter

Denby Cottage Blue - Hors D'ouvre Dish (part of a set of 4)
Originally on a wooden tray

2 Cottage Blue 8 sided Hors D'Ouvre dishes

Denby Cottage blue - baking dish - 3 sizes

Denby Cottage Blue - Gratin Dish - Multiple sizes

Denby Cottage Blue - Oval 2.5pt Casserole

Jaroslav Ježek - Modernist Czech Pottery

Pinterest has been providing me with some really interesting sources to follow up since I started with it a few weeks ago...and amongst them the amazing designs of Czech ceramicist Jaroslav Ježek ( 1923 - 2002).

I followed a link from Pinterest to a specialist Czech blog, which translates well enough in English to be able to follow. The blog is called Expo58 and is full of superb design based around the "Brussels Style" full of the most amazing goodies. Unless otherwise mentioned, the images in this post are from the Expo58 blog.

I know practically nothing about Czech pottery or glass, and in general Eastern European design isn't that well known here, and it rarely comes up at auctions. I've only had one series of Czech pottery which was totally different to anything I had seen before....so it has been great to find this whole world of Czech design which is all new to me.

ABOVE: pieces from the "loucky"range

Jezek has a comprehensive Wikpedia entry which is easiest to quote: 

Jaroslav Ježek, nephew of the Czech composer Jaroslav Ježek, was born in 1923 in the village of Podlesí near Příbram Between 1945 and 1949 he studied Art Education under Professor Sejpka, Cyril Bouda and Karel Lidický at Charles University in Prague but on the recommendation of Professor Eckert, of the Atelier of Porcelain and Ceramics (a department of the Prague Academy of Performing Arts he decided to concentrate instead on industrial production.

Ježek left Charles University for a scholarship place in the art department of the Thun porcelain manufactory in Klášterec nad Ohří, and remained there until 1954. In 1955 he was recruited by the new state-run industrial porcelain development center at Lesov near Karlovy Vary. 

In 1957 Ježek was invited to create designs for the Expo '58in Brussels His porcelain set Elka was exhibited there, and was awarded the Expo Grand Prix for Ceramics. Ježek also designed the porcelain set Asmanit for the Brussels' Expo restaurant.

The "Elka" set 1958 Brussels Expo Grand Prix

He was one of the leading exponents for the "Brussels style", which was characterised by the use of organic shapes, diagonal elements and surfaces marked by pastel shadows of yellow, purple, green, azure and gray. It later became a signature design style in many Czech households. Other exponents of the "Brussels style" applied it to synthetic materials such as plastics, laminates and Formica.

Continue to read the full article, including the production names of his designs HERE

"Bridget"design 1962

"Aurelia" 1967

"Elka" Tea Service from a fantastic  find on 100 Czech Design Icons - HERE

BLING! Love it. ...."Salky"? from HERE

"Orava" 1960

Art Deco Royal Copenhagen Coffee Setting - 'Fredensborg'

I bought this part dinner set, which now makes up a coffee set -  late last year and have been trying to find a name for it, but can't. The "pattern" number is 937 anyway, and such simple design in plain pale cream with a lovely and simple gold band.

Update: thanks Karen in Denmark for finding out the name Fredensborg on a Danish website.

I do know that it is a design by Thorkild Ohlsen who designed the famous Fensmark and Quaking Grass Designs I have posted about previously HERE.  In fact all the pieces are the same shape and size and colour as Fensmark and Quaking Grass.