Its Lloyd George!

The rather spooky pottery technique used on this plaque was developed by Wedgwood in the mid Nineteenth Century. Its was used by Carter and Co to produce a  patriotic range of plaques and teapot stands showing World War I politicians including Sir John Grey, Foreign Secretary, Field Marshall Earl Roberts and the Belgium King Albert. They came in a range of blues and also in sepia-tone which gives an even more photograph-like appearance.  They remind me of those miraculous vegetables which, when cut in half, reveal an image of Christ, or Gandhi or Elvis, or perhaps anyone famous enough to be referred to by only one name.

X factor

I'm so shallow. So when I saw this spear-shaped sweet dish on eBay, listed as the very plate that appears on page 86 of Robert Pescott-Walker's book "Collecting Poole Pottery", sucker for ceramic fame, I had to bid.  And here it is. Painted by Carol Cutler about 1970.

Airbrushed perfection

I was dead chuffed to find this super stylish, Midnight Blue glazed "Helios" lamp base, together with it's original perspex shade on eBay recently.  Designed by Robert Jefferson in 1964, this is one of six different lamps in this range, another of which can be seen here.

Pottery and Politics

I remember once a BBC TV "Bargain Hunt" presenter describing Poole Delphis patterns as looking like vomit.  Which of course is a rubbish opinion, and the Christine Tate 5 inch pin dish above is pretty gorgeous for anyone with eyes to see. 

But then looking at it today, of all days, I do feel a bit green. Having grown up in the North of England during the 1980's, seeing the devastation of factory closures, peoples lives and communities torn apart, described at the time as " a price worth paying". The hatred shown by the the the Conservative Party, in government then as now, to anyone who was different.  So gay men and lesbians in their "pretend families" were singled out in new legislation to prevent them from "promoting" their "lifestyles as equivalent",  and Nelson Mandela was condemned as a terrorist.... I could just go on and on really, but I'm still not convinced that politics and pottery mix well.  

But maybe we'd live in a happier country if people were a bit more willing to express their feelings, could be a bit freer in the patterns they paint on pin dishes and listened a little less to BBC commentary on pottery or politics.

Early Grey Stoneware

This little vase dates from 1922.  Shape no. 584, HG pattern, it has a decorators mark that I can't identify.

Pamela Bevans 1970 pin dish

One of the first Delphis No 49 pin dishes I owned was painted by Pamela Bevans.  Pamela only worked at Poole for 3 years, but signed her work with a different mark for each year she was there, which is very handy for accurate dating.

Laurel Trimmings

I've taken annual leave this week and been hard at work in the garden, getting it ready for when Spring finally arrives.  Gardening is about as energetic as I get, so the winner of these plates really has put me to shame.
I found them as a set of 6 on eBay, but I don't know how many years the Poole Marathon was held, or if Poole Pottery made plates for more than these six years. As a tireless collector, I won't be resting on my laurels until I know for sure that there are no plates dating from before 1986, or after 1992 and that the 1987 Marathon was cancelled.