A New Year Restoration

This jam pot (260/AS) has featured on my blog three times now. Once when brought from eBay, again when sold on eBay and now in the collection afterlife (they never really leave), complete with lid that was patiently waiting to be reunited .  It's not just a matter of finding any excuse to post a photo again, but I realised, before dispatching it, that I ought to get a photo of it looking complete (minus the wicker handle), with a matched EE pattern Jam pot lid.  And if does tie in nicely with the post below.  

So with some regret it's the last post for this AS bird and 2011. 

Happy New Year

A Break with Tradition

Slavishly following tradition, we're off to the sales later, braving the crowds.  But will have a nice mug of something hot to look forward to when we get back, served in my new Poole mugs.  

They were made, pretty recently, in a factory somewhere other than Poole (There's only a very limited production of more hand crafted pots in the town these days).   And there isn't much about these mugs that says "Poole" to me, other than the name on the base.  Being porcelain they're very practical.  I'm sure they will never craze, or crack, though the decoration might not be dish washer safe, and they must have been cheep to make, and cheep for me to buy too for that matter.   So I can comfortably use them (on high days and holidays), and of course what I do like is the nostalgic reminder of Poole's Heyday.  

Marked "Heritage Collection" and "Inspired by the Poole Pottery Archive" on the left is "Song Bird" based on the Art Deco AS Pattern designed by Truda Carter in the 1930's, and on the right "Corn Flower" is based on the YCS pattern designed by Alfred Read in 1953.

Delphis is not just for Christmas

This festive little bauble arrived from eBay a couple of weeks ago, and seems just about the most suitable pot I have for a final post before Christmas.  

Anyway, Angela Wyburgh painted this shape 49 Delphis pin dish in 1968.  She did a lot of symetrical flowery patterns, but this one has a bit more umph  about it, a little more explosive and space-age and  reminds me more of orbiting electrons than wandering stars. But, it'll do for the top of the tree and helpfully will keep shining long after the festivities are over.

All my birthdays at once

This is just part of a coffee set given to me by a friend, who wakes up early enough on a Sunday to find car boot treasures, and who's kind enough to give this one to me.  The whole set has cups, saucers and side plates too.  

This "Contour" tableware designed by Robert Jefferson in 1963/64 was a development on the earlier "Streamline" shapes that John Adams designed in the 1930's, and still used the "Twintone" glazes (in this case C57 - Ice green and Seagull).  However they have a much more modern and sculptural look with the elongated spout and the ergonomic handle shapes being particularly pleasing.

Alternatives to these velum Twintone glazes were latter made available in the form of shiny "Cameo" two colour glazes and several different printed patterns.

Birthday Pots

Here's the first of two Poole Pottery birthdays presents I've been given this year.  This one came as part of a weekend away to Chipping Camden.  I spotted it in Stuart House Antiques on the High Street and being my birthday my partner went and brought it for me.  So I'm feeling very lucky to own this lovely SP pattern spill vase (shape 205), painted by Margorie Cryer between 1927 and 1934.

Coincidently the last time we were in Chipping Campden I found this Poole spill vase in the same shop.

Poole Pottery Seagull

I thought this seagull would be mobbed on the Poole Pottery Pages of eBay last week, but it flew  into my collection with hardly any feathers flying. At 27 cm from claw to wing tip, this shape number 816/3 is the largest of 3 seagull wall plaques Poole produced.  The birds were designed and modelled by John Adams and Harry Brown in the mid 1930s and sprayed in new Picottee glazes.  I think, this particular bird dates from the late 1940's.  

Up close the bird is much bigger and more 3-dimensional than I expected, and is certainly big enough to worry anyone of a nervous disposition.  So if you didn't fancy seagulls on your wall, and prefer to eat your fish and chips in peace, you could also choose flying ducks or better still bluebirds.

Not quite so alike as two peas in a pod

The gorgeous pot on the right came from eBay last week to join it's rarer greener twin. Of the two, If I'm completely honest I prefer the full colour version, but also love seeing the two side by side.   More about the Green one here on this post from April, and the new vase is the same shape number 122 and TY pattern painted by Ruth Gough between 1927 and 34.

Star Vase

I had to save up to buy this vase from a fellow collector.  It's made from red earthenware and has an impressed hexagonal trial mark.  It's also is a little bit famous, as a photo of this very vase appears on  page 69 of Robert Prescott-Walker's "Collecting Poole Pottery", and now it has a staring role in my own collection.  Shape Number 440 (5 1/2 inches tall), PI pattern painted by Clarice Heath between 1929 and 1934.    PI is a rare pattern that works beautifully with this shape and has the advantage or offering a great view from above.

Hiking Bear

Now this bear isn't even Poole, though it continues in an animal theme.  Its a "Black Forest" Swiss carving from the early 20th Century, I think, that I found on eBay last week.  I tend to keep an eye out for these when I'm wondering through antiques fairs looking for Poole Pottery.  I thought this one was particularly nice with its rucksack and walking staff.  I just need to find a match box of the right size for him to carry.

Whoa boy

This pot looks like its trotted straight out of a Franz Mark painting.  I don't often rustle other peoples images, and I don't often get giddy over figurines, but this but this little Poole Pottery pony, currently on eBay, has me seriously champing at the bit. And going by the current asking price, one of us punters will certainly lose our shirt.

NP Pattern Art Deco Vase

This is the most recent eBay arrival.  It was painted by Marjorie Cryer sometime between 1934 and '37.  It's not quite as old as I like them to be, but it has a very satisfying shape (no.113, 5" tall) and relatively unusual pattern.  

Poole Studio Bowl

This is a Poole Studio bowl made sometime between 1964 and 1966, it has a shape that reminds me of some of the more impressive Studio vases but a price tag that is much more affordable.  I've posted this one on eBay also this week.

Poole Cucumbers

This old John Adams shape was brought bang up to date in the 1950's with a series of Ruth Pavely designed patterns, two examples ROC (top) and TNC are here.  Going generally against the general trend of recent years, I've been gradually selling off my Poole Pots from this period as I've started to focus more on Art Deco pots, but I resisted selling these for a long time because I loved their smoky colours.  But the time has come for the top one at least which is now up for sale on eBay.

Margaret Anderson 49er

Hears another 5 inch pin dish shape number 49 painted by Margaret Anderson between 1966 ans 67.  Now added to my updated 49er gallery

Cottees Catch Lot no 78

This vase came fresh from Cottees auctioneers most recent Poole Pottery sale, and it's the last of the three vases that got me all excited last week.  I love the subtle colours and the stylised flowers that look as much like cogwheels in a clocks workings.   I also really like the spill vase shape, that has the added advantage of making very economical use of shelf space.  GF/546 painted by Nellie Bishton, a vase that's both poetic and practical all in one post. 

Rare Old Bird

I've had this pot for a year or so but not posted it until now as I was waiting to match it up with a lid first.  I still haven't managed that, so now have decided to return it to eBay and give it a final showing before it goes.   Shape number 260 it's just 3 inches tall (7.5 cm) and the pattern AS was painted by Gwen Dry who painted pots at Poole between 1928 and 1935.

CR pattern Vase

I was reluctant to knock the last pot off the top of my blog so quickly, but I couldn't wait to post a photo of this pot either.  The second result of my recent spending spree, this time one from eBay.  It stands six inches tall, and the shape (no 976) is similar in shape to this wider and more common 974/CR vase, but then it flares out at the top.  It has an hexagonal trial mark and was painted by  Vera Bridle who worked at Poole between 1923 and '33.  

First of Three New Arrivals

The weekend started early for me with a call from the postie at 7am, and as soon as the light improved I was snapping shots of this new arrival.  I found a photo of this one on-line shared by the owner along with many more impressive pots, and he agreed to sell it to me.  The pattern (BY) is one of my absolute favourites and the shape (354) is the perfect fit for my collection and it'll sit proudly alongside my other small round vases. the vase is 8.5 cm tall and was pointed by Rene Hayes between 1926 and '34.

Another Egg Baker

The first of my more expensive than usual Poole pots arrived today fresh from eBay, and what a stunner it is, but at this time of year a photo will have to wait until the weekend, when I can be at home in daylight.

In the mean time here's a photo of a very inexpensive pot.  Another egg baker to add to my collection of Robert Jefferson designed Oven-to-Tableware in the jolly yellow coloured Herb Garden range from 1963, this one with a silkscreen printed decoration titled Caraway. More in the range can be seen here and the very eggy patterned "Lucullus" egg baker here.

PRB Pattern Vase

This has been an expensive week for me, the Poole Pottery results of which are all in various stages of transit and will be posted on here when they arrive.  But in the world of Poole ruthless decisions have to be made and this Alfred Read designed Freeform vase faces the chop eBay.  It doesn't seem  five minutes that I was proudly showing if off on an earlier blog post.  

Curious Chinese Green Glaze Vase

This vase is a revival of earlier heavily glazed green and blue pots designed by John Adams, an example of which can be seen here. It carries the 1952-55 "hand made, hand decorated" Poole factory mark and a stamped shape number 676.  Standing 5 inches tall it's made from a high fired red earthenware body similar to that used for the 1920's pieces. The mottled green glaze covers the inside of the vase also and contrast nicely with the red rim.  Any more information would be very welcome.

Delphis Vase painted by Andree Fontana

This vase has been in my collection for about 6 months now.  It was painted by Andree Fontana who worked at Poole from  1973 to 1979.  I love the shape of these vases, but they do take up a lot of space for their size, so I've decided this one needs to go to make room for others.  

Delphis shape 81 Shirley Campbell

Here's another eBay disappointment that arrived last month and I've now hidden it away somewhere to forget, but still it would be a shame not to post a photo of what looks like a great Delphis sweet dish.  

Until recently I'm sure this was a perfect plate, but having passed through the post it had 2 or 3 brand new hairline cracks when it arrived with me, basically from been packed too tightly in too small a box.  With so much Poole Pottery changing hands on eBay I often wonder how much more rare perfect examples will become as the get broken a few at a time in the post.

Early Stoneware Lidded Pot FE T293

This one I'm not so sure about.  I got it from eBay earlier this year. At the time it was clear that the lid and base didn't have matching decoration but once it arrived I began to doubt that the lid is even made by Poole.  It's made out of a very similar yellowish grey stoneware but it's more heavily thrown even than the bowl and it looks even more rustic in appearance with the inside feeling more like its been carved and modelled rather than turned as the base of the bowl is.  The bowl was made between 1921 and 22, and the lid, if it is Poole, belongs to an even earlier and I guess long broken pot.

Poole Pottery Art Deco CE 341

This vase came from eBay at the start of the month.  It was painted either by Grace Burge in the late 1920s or Marian Jones in the early 1930's they both used an X mark.  The 341 shape is a rounder version of the 361 shape and the same pattern is used with different colouring more commonly for the FK pattern.  I don't know if all that has any significance.

Dorset Constabulary

The back of the plate reads "Replica of the Commemorative Plaque presented to Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh by Dorset Police on 23rd March, 1979"

The one on display (I should hope) in Buckingham Palace was hand painted by Pat Summers, the one above is transfer printed and was made in limited numbers to be shared amongst Dorset's Finest.  

I really like the ?disproportionate focus on sheep rustling and the celebration of the very high-tech looking desk.  I don't think the back office functions of Dorset Police would feature quite so prominently if the plate was made today.

Freeform Vase PV 550

This freeform vase shape number 350 is painted in PV or "burst" pattern and came from ebay last month.

Just Like Hubble?

At the start of the summer my old camera died, and it's taken until now to finally get the best out of the new one.  I took theses photos as part of an update for my website. I thought the Delphis pages were looking a bit tired, and I was also starting to think that I was getting tired of Delphis.  But these photos have made me change my mind and realise what first drew me to collecting theses beautiful pots.  I couldn't wait to share them here.  

From the top down they're painted by: Jean Millership, Pamela Bevans and Patricia Wells. All painted within a couple of years of each other, between1967 and 1970.  Each a little galaxy of colour, 30 odd years before the humble space telescope and my camera finally got focused.

Bokhara Butter Box Bingo

My latest Bokhara jar, shape number 658, OHB pattern painted by Gwen Haskins has taken it's place alongside my other pots from this range.  With 2 lines so far, it will be a long game before I get a full house - See what I mean here

Making room

As much as i love the no 49 Delphis pin dishes I cant buy new ones without making a bit of space so there are 3 here that are going on eBay.  The top one is painted by Carol Cutler, in the middle Lynn Gregory and lastly Patricia Wells.  

Click here to bid

Gorgeous Delphis 49

I thought I had enough of these little 5" round pin dishes, but then I saw this one languishing on eBay in Alberta, Canada and had to help it back to my collection.  It was painted by Patricia Wells and has a blue dolphin mark that dates it to about 1966 or '67.

My Second Newark Pot

This little vase is shape number 684, and the pattern is QO painted by Phyllis Allen between 1928 and 1934. I'm trying to be more selective in the pots I'm buying, but with these little geometric patterned pots I think I'll still collect all that I can. It's always a treat to find them at fairs and in such lovely condition too.

And the winner is - Newark

My latests trophy collected yesterday, one of two lovely Deco vases I found at the Newark Antiques Fair.  I've been after a vase of this shape (no 461, 5" tall) with it's twin handles for a long time and its a definite bonus to find one in this QD pattern, with both of those fragile little lugs intact. Painted by Clarice Health it dates from between 1929 and 1934.

Swinderby Pin Dish

This 5 inch Delphis pin dish, painted by Margaret Anderson at the end of the 1960's, was the only pot I came away with from the Swinderby fair this week. Maybe all the best stuff was sold on the first day.  Anyway, wish cash still in my pocket maybe I'll have better luck at the Newark fair on Friday.

Early Stoneware Vase EP D353

Quite often I'll bid for pots on eBay and wont be too bothered if I win them or not, but I'd have been kicking myself, if I'd been outbid on this one . It was made in 1921 and so is quite a few years earlier in date than most of the vases on this blog.  It's made from a grey semi-stoneware, has an unglazed base and carries the first Carter Stabler Adams factory mark. There's an unusual shape number D353 and a painters mark I don't recognise (any ideas would be much appreciated).

V and LT shape no 117

I won these little (9cm tall) vases on eBay at the start of the summer.  I've got another couple of patterns in the same shape too.  It's a nice collectable shape, because it's small and easy to display lots of them together.  But there's a dilemma: Do I collect more pots in this shape - as many different patterns in the same shape as I can? or are there other shapes I'd prefer? It's all very confusing!  And I'm worried that the only answer is to collect them all, every pattern in every shape that I can find!  

It maybe that lots of things that people collect have the same bewildering range of variations.  These "Traditional" Poole vases were only made over a 10 year period, or there abouts, between 1924 and '34, in a small factory employing about 4 throwers and 20 or so painters, and 70 years on, after 5 years of collecting, I'm still seeing shapes and patterns that I've never seen before.  I rarely see the same pot (shape/pattern combination) twice and I'm sure there must be so many that I'll never see.

Poole Pottery Cheese Box 978/OG

Poole made a whole range of different lidded and domed pots.  Shape number 978 here is described in the Hayward and Atterbury book as a cheese box.   The lid is only 5 inches in diameter, and looks like it would hold little more than a "baby-bel", but maybe a small Camembert could be squeezed in.  The pattern is OG and it was painted by Hilda Hampton in the early 1930's and was sold to me at the Bakewell Antiques Fair this summer.

Mary Albon Pin Dish

It's a while since I bought any Delphis pots and I've had this shape no. 49 pin dish for a good few months now, so its high time I posted a photo.  This one was painted by Mary Albon between 1970 and 1972.  I had a similar yellow dish that I sold on eBay a few years ago, which was bought by Mary Albon herself.  Which is when she told me that the dates she is listed as working on Delphis in the Hayward and Atterbury book (1972-74) are in fact out by 2 years.

Robert Jefferson Mermaid Tray 1964

My collection of these Robert Jefferson trays is getting bigger slowly.  There are two others on the blog for anyone who's interested in searching under the tag for Robert Jefferson, and there are a couple of birds and a fish tray and plaque made about the same time.  Unfortunately these are the ones I really want, so I'll just have to keep searching.