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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