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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Royal Doulton Chang vase by Charles Noke and Harry Nixon

During the 1920's Charles Noke and Harry Nixon continued to experiment with high temperature fired glazes, extending the research Noke, Slater and Bailey had done in the late 1890's and early 1900's, and in 1925 they produced Chang Ware which had a heavier body than Sung Ware and was brightly coloured with thick congealed glazes.

This stunning example is covered in a thick running glaze in shades of yellow, red and dark brown flambé and crackled white over a mottled flambé ground decorated with a band of berries and foliage. It is 12 cm high.

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A Bernard Moore Vase in the "oriental" style 1905

Fish as a decorative theme clearly connect this and the last vase posted below. They are very different in style and execution however.

The Moore piece is a stunning example of the Aesthetic style or "Japonisme" taste; the west's growing awareness, obsession and take on oriental design which was prevalent in all the arts around the turn of the 19th Century. Woodcuts from Japan were hugely influential on the post impressionists painters and Chinese glazes and techniques in the decorative arts were studied intensely by potters in Europe.

This flambé vase with various degrees of oxidation enhanced with gilt and enamelled decoration of carp is signed and dated 1905 and would have required several firings - a very expensive piece of the highest quality.

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A Wilkinson's "Oriflamme" vase painted by John Butler

John Butler was a very talented art director and painter working at the A J Wilkinson's pottery at the turn of the 20th Century. This miniature 9 cm high vase is a tour de force, demonstrating the highest quality of his work. Decorated with an all-over marbled gold and red lustre ground and highlighted with a finely painted fish; it dates from the early 1900's and represents the end of an era - Wilkinson's was Clarice Cliff's first employer.

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