Rare Doulton Lambeth Persian Ware Vase by Harry Simeon or William Rowe circa 1919 -36

This Doulton, Lambeth Persian ware vase is almost without doubt by Harry Simeon born 1871 - died 1953 (designer) or William Rowe who collaborated with him.

They both worked on the new Persian Ware introduced by Doulton on the back of William De Morgan’s highly successful Isnik inspired designs of a couple of decades or so earlier. Introduced by Doulton at the Lambeth works around 1919/1920. Harry Simeon left in 1936.

They are probably amongst some of Doulton's most beautiful  “new” art wares introduced at the turn of the 19^th Century to get in the modern groove.

This fine and very rare, early example is hand painted on a pottery body - rather than the later stoneware (somewhat impersonal and mass-produced to my mind and eye) vases and chargers.

These early examples were only produced in small quantities due to the amount of work which went into them and are extremely sought after.

For an identical shaped vase go to the Victoria and Albert Museum online gallery:

http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O150586/persian-ware-vase-simeon-harry/

A Stunning Doulton Faience Vase dated 1882 "White Opium Poppies"

This is a large vase of 33 cm in height and weighing in at 2 kg - it is in stunning condition and should be valued way higher than it is today. Tastes do change but quality will always win in the end. Beautifully hand painted with stunning white opium poppy flowers on a Royal blue ground with gold  branches and berries motif applied. The quality of the decoration is outstanding.

If you want any further information or prices on any of the ceramic pieces shown on this blog then please contact me at nickcashin@yahoo.com

Stella Crofts (1898 - 1964) An Ocelot or Dwarf Leopard - catalogued, wrongly*, by salerooms as a Clouded Leopard (*see note below)

Stella Crofts (a potter and ceramic sculptor) is best known for her ability to capture the characteristics of both domestic and wild animals. Her meticulous eye for detail, sense for movement and familial bonds are realised in her extremely scarce ceramic figurines, which are second to none in the 1930's. As an aside it is interesting to note that she was a contemporary of Henry Moore at the RCA. And yet her work is as "endangered" and as little known as some of her subject matter.

This work of an Ocelot* (perhaps observed in Regent's Park Zoo, London) can be dated some time after 1932 when she and her family moved to Billericay in Essex, England. Strangely enough and hugely appealing to me, this obscure town was also immortalised in the Ian Dury (of the Blockheads fame) song of the late 1970's which starts:

(spoken)
good evening i'm from Essex
in case you couldn't tell
my given name is Dickie, I come from Billericay
and I'm doing very well

Courtesy of: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/i/ian_dury_and_the_blockheads/billericay_dickie.html

* For more expert information on Stella Crofts and her work visit http://www.stellacrofts.net/ 

An 18th Century Slipware Cat of Great Charm

Modelled in a local red clay this amusing little cat is decorated in a Whieldon-style cream and orange dappled galze  and sits on a small octagonal base. An unsophisticated Saffordshire country pottery figure of great charm which has survived 250 years relatively unscathed and still retaining its appeal.

If you want any further information or prices on any of the ceramic pieces shown on this blog then please contact me at nickcashin@yahoo.com

CH Brannam (1855 - 1937) "A Quizzical Cat"

Another Great British Cat. This one was made around 1900 at CH Brannam's Devon pottery by James Dewdney. The monocled cat is modelled in the local red clay found near Barnstable and was made for the new discerning  tourists who began to visit the Romantic coast of North Devon in ever increasing numbers.Of great charm and humour it would have been an appealing memento of their visit returning to London or one of the rich, industrial cities of the Midlands or the North of England.

However these cats at over 12" in height and weighing in at nearly 4 lb were a very expensive souvenir. The "country" pottery was sold at Liberty of London, shown at international exhibitions and patronised by Queen Victoria - she was, in fact, "very amused".

For another great, witty example of the C H Brannam Pottery use the blog archive on your left and go to the entry for 15 June 2012.

If you want any further information or prices on any of the ceramic pieces shown on this blog then please contact me at nickcashin@yahoo.com

Ashtead Pottery "Genozo Lion" Designed by Percy Metcalfe

The Ashtead Pottery was founded in 1923 to create jobs for disabled ex-servicemen and closed in 1935. During its brief history many artists taught and designed for the pottery including EH Shepard, Phoebe Stabler and Percy Metcalfe.

The Genozo lion was designed by Percy Metcalfe (1895 - 1970) who is best known for his medal designs including the George Cross. He also designed the "Wembley Lion" for the 1924 Wembley British Empire exhibition and a model was produced by the Ashtead Pottery as a souvenir of this exhibition. Here the basic design has evolved into the much larger Genozo Lion.

All Ashtead Pottery figures are now extremely rare. For more information visit the excellent reference website: www.ashteadpottery.com

If you want any further information or prices on any of the ceramic pieces shown on this blog then please contact me at nickcashin@yahoo.com

Charles Vyse "A Big Cat"

Charles Vyse (1882 - 1971) was born in the potteries into a potting family and trained as a sculptor at the Royal College of Art. His abilities as a sculptor and modeller are evident in his figures which he produced as limited editions from the 1920s and through into the 1950s  at his studio in London. He was also an innovative potter and reproduced, through his own experiments, ancient Chinese glazes - the recipes for which had been lost for centuries.

The quality and scarcity of his ceramic figures and pottery make him one of the most sought after ceramic artists of the 20th Century.

This figure of a big cat in a Temmoku glaze brings together his skills as an exceptional sculptor and ceramic glaze alchemist, of extraordinary talent.