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.

Ruskin Egg Shell "Delphinium Blue" Lustre Bowl 1924

These very finely potted "egg shell" bowls produced in the early to mid 1920's are extremely fragile and very few have survived. This  beautiful, mottled delphinium blue lustre example is a mere 56gms (2oz); compare the weight with the monster Minton in the last post!

The inspiration for this vase is Howson Taylor's contemporary take on Chinese shapes and glaze effects, and examples of this type of ware began to appear around 1923. In 1924 the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley was opened by King George V and the Pottery Gazette at that time remarked: "We observed quite a number of new shapes, as well as new colour treatments. Particularly worthy of mention is a "Delphinium Blue - a mottled blue of rare distinction."

Quite!

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Minton Secessionist Vase: the "Numero Uno" # 1

This No: 1 Minton Secessionist vase, weighing in at a massive 1Kg 600 gms (3lb.8oz) and 32.5cm (13") in height plus 45.5cm (18") in circumference - is the "Big Daddy" of Minton Secessionist vases. More Neo Classical than Art Nouveau, this vase dates from the very early 1900's.

In 1902 Leon V Solon and John Wadsworth introduced the new ware based on continental developments in the decorative arts. This variation of the # 1 design was probably the first in the series of these vases introdued by Solon during his reign as the art director at Mintons (1902 - 1909) and reflect's his interest in classical style. After 1909 Wadsworth, to his credi,t as Solon's successor as art director (1909 - 1914)  continued with the tube-lined technique in a more art nouveau style -see earlier posts on this blog.

The tube-lined decoration using trailed slip would have required the utmost skill and the daring colour combinations of the coloured glazes give an added dimension to these striking vases. The tube-lining technique was, of course, used later by Charlotte Rhead and others to great decorative effect - also see earlier posts.

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A Rare William De Morgan Merton Abbey Vase

This stunning, simple vase of shouldered form is painted with stylised carnation flowers in a ruby, red lustre on a white ground with the impressed Merton Abbey “Mason” mark to base. Only 12 cm high and with chips to the rim and tiny, burst glaze bubbles to the body this vase has the presence and stature of larger vases in far better condition.

The decoration is similar to the “Moffatt” pattern in tiles from this period and, as noted by Jon Catleugh in his book on William De Morgan’s tiles: “A great many of the flower patterns were also adapted for us on three-dimensional surfaces, particularly those with a dominant central motif that could be placed two, three or four times round the surface of the pot, with the intervening spaces filled in with leaves and flowers, a useful economy of the designer’s time.”

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A William De Morgan "BBB" Tile

William De Morgan (1839 – 1917) a friend of William Morris was a real revolutionary in terms of design but largely self taught in ceramics and glaze effects. Despite this he quickly established himself as one of the greatest artist/potters of the period. His work is now highly prized and widely collected. The vast majority of his work was designing and manufacturing exquisitely decorated tiles but he also produced richly decorated vases and chargers.

This example is a stunning early Fulham period Sands End (1888 - 1897) six inch tile in the fabulous "BBB" design in a turquoise and mulberry colour way.

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Abstract Martin Brothers Vase 1907

This vase was undoubtedly influenced by the Martin Brothers' friend and admirer Sydney Greenslade, an architect, who met them in the late 1890s. Although the Martins had already started experimenting with vegetable and gourd shaped pots, Greenslade, who became firm friends with Edwin Martin the youngest of the brothers, was a fervent champion of the new, simpler more abstract aesthetic sweeping through Europe.

The close connection between this particular pot and Sydney Greenslade is even documented in a sketch by Greenslade of shapes for pottery and illustrated on page 121 of Malcolm Haslam's excellent  book "The Martin Brothers Potters". The sketch includes a vase of squat form with handles running from the neck into the body.

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A stunning, early Ruskin high fired vase Cica. 1901 -1905

A small high fired, early "Sang de Beouf" vase with stunning lilac blooming. This small vase of approximately 8cm in height has the very early impressed WHT monogram which dates it from between 1901 to 1905 - one of the earliest examples of William Howson Taylor's mastery of high temperature reduction fired glazes that I have seen. It guarantees his place in the history of galze development in Europe along with contemporaries in France and Germany who set out to recreate the 'lost' glazes from Qing dynasty potters produced many centuries earlier.

  

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