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 Sarraguemines: Here's one of those pieces that helps us earn the "Odd" in Odditiques. This charger or plaque was made by Utzchneider & Co. in Sarreguemines, France around the turn of the century, but that's certainly not the odd part. The scene shows a German or Alpine beer garden, all nicely idyllic right down to the birds in the arbor. We have one guy with a pipe and hassling the server, one guy passed out while the server still pours him more beer, one guy off to the side not looking too happy, and a glass and cards littering the ground. Okay, nothing new in all that......until you pay attention to scale and detail and realize that these appear rather childlike. I don't know why they did it or what tradition they're playing with, and I'm sure people would through an absolute fit if a pottery produced this plate today, but it's still a quirky delight. You can have fun inviting friends over and waiting to see if they notice.
The primary decoration is transfer. It looks like there's some handcoloring, but I think that's more illusion and wishful thinking that reality. The metal rim is non-magnetic and fairly thin but has a neat Greek Key variant in the openwork. The metal rim is a bit of a mystery for me. Something had been splattered on it in the past, so it had to be cleaned. It doesn't shine up like silverplate but shines up more than pewter. It could be aluminum, which would be unusual for that time.
Size: The ceramic portion of this piece has a diameter of about 10" and the total with the trim is about 12 1/2". Price: $150 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Condition: very good, but there is a chip on the back rim. It doesn't hurt the aesthetics at all, and it also still hangs with no trouble. Of course, all our sales are fully guaranteed. |
  
  Arabia Pottery: Birger Kaipiainen: This is not your average piece of art pottery. The bowl is made and painted by Birger Kaipiainen, one of the top designers at Arabia Pottery in Finland for almost half of the 20th century. The bowl has a flattened pie crust edge and features a stylized image of two women. The art is signed Kaipiainen along the edge.Birger Kaipiainen bowl, back with initials Something that makes this bowl unusual compared to even most of the signed Kaipiainen items is that this one is also incised BK Arabia on the back, which suggests that Kaipiainen also made the bowl. I have not found another double-marked example (although some items i found online don't show the back, which I consider poor listing).
Estimated date on this bowl is 1940, which is fairly early in Kaipiainen's career at Arabia. It certainly qualifies as above average and hard to find.
Size: Diameter is about 15". Price: $1750 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Condition: The ceramic and decoration are in excellent condition with just some crazing. In the picture of the back, you can see areas where the top glaze has curdled rather than filling/spreading. I'm assuming that this is not intentional, and the price is reduced accordingly. Of course, all our sales are fully guaranteed. |
 Sylvac: These Zeeland vases are a lovely puzzle. The style and base make them look like Falcon Ware from Thomas Lawrence, but they were made by Sylvac. However, they actually were made at the Lawrence factory in Longton very shortly after Shaw and Copestake bought that company in 1938. I suspect that the Zeeland design may have even already been in preparation since it's so much in the Falcon Ware look. The shape almost certainly already existed.
Zeeland items seem to be uncommon to rare, which could be because of the war, which limited most pottery production in England, or it could be in part because so little is known that they just don't show up well in internet searches......maybe some of both reasons.
At any rate, I really suspect that these are rare because of the size and because they are still together as a "facing" pair. Form and decoration are traditional in many ways, but the bold colors still pull from Art Deco tradition, and the way the cobblestones separate as they come toward the front adds a very surreal, modern element.
Oh, and Zeeland is a province in The Netherlands, which explains both the name and the decoration.
Size: Height is about 14 5/8". Price: $325 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Condition: excellent with no damage, no repairs...fully guaranteed. |
 Majolica: TThis antique majolica figural centerpiece is large and lovely. It features a woman in "Classical" dress upon the rocks and holding a shell. It's clearly playing with mythological themes, but I don't recall any specific story or character that would fit.
Design and color are strong, great sense of line, but I've had no luck with an attribution. It's probably continental with Austria, Belgium, Germany, and France the leading country candidates, which clearly covers many companies and a significant part of Europe, so it isn't really helpful.
(Bianca was helping with showing perspective, but as usual, cats and batteries not included.
Price: $150 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: Height about 9" with a length of about 11 1/2" Condition: exceptional. There's a small glaze rub on the knee (pictured), and still a few traces of gold paint from where someone evidently painted the whole thing at some point. For majolica, that's exceptional. Of course, all our sales are fully guaranteed. |
 North Carolina Pottery: Based on form and color, this North Carolina pottery vase is attributed to the C. C. Cole company. It is, of course, hand made with unusual applied decorative handles and a green over a pale pinkish glaze. The incised horizontal bands add a nice touch as well. There is an ink stamp on the bottom, probably a location rather than company, but it's too obscured to read. Price: $125 plus shipping/insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: Height is about 9 1/2". Condition: excellent with no damage, no repairs...fully guaranteed. |
 Kupittaa: This vase was made by Kupittaa in Finland, and while the shape was used as early as the mid 1920s, based on clay color and marking style, this example is more likely from the 1930s.. It's like a brown version of the Geranium glaze from Royal Haeger or similar glazes from Red Wing around the same time. The ripply, rumpled body is fun and unusual, but it's the glaze that's most impressive. All in all, it's a great piece of Scandinavian mid century modern pottery.
Price: $125 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: Height is about 8". Condition: excellent with no damage, no repairs...fully guaranteed. |
 Belgian?: Based on the glaze and the bottom, this vase comes from the Torhout area in Belgium. What's unusual is the fact that this one has a signature, either Riss or Kiss. Unfortunately, I've had no luck tracing any permutation I can come up with. I can't even confirm if this is a company name or the artist, but the work is excellent. Likely date of origin is early 20th century.
Price: $125 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: Height is about 12". Condition: is good, but there is a fairly shallow chip right at the base. The good news is that with this glaze and clay, the chip is much less noticeable. See the detail picture....fully guaranteed. |
 Jean Massier: This French art pottery is marked Jean Massier & Cie. The company was formed by Jean and Henri, sons of Delphin Massier, but was only in business for about 3 years in the early 20th century. So to go along with this unusual form and coloring, the vase is almost certainly uncommon or rare. The glaze combines a lavender and pine green or teal coloring. It's not a combination I'd think of, but it certainly works here.
The mark isn't a clear impression, but there's enough to be sure of the origin.
Price: $150 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: Height is about 9" with a maximum diameter of about 5 1/4". Condition: excellent with no damage, no repairs...fully guaranteed. |
 >Royal Rudolstadt: This German vase with an embossed Oriental design was made by Lewis Straus & Son, particularly the branch in Rudolstadt, which gives the RW mark (Rudolstadt Works). The US import branch of the company is known as New York and Rudolstadt Pottery Co. The line has often been called Royal Rudolstadt, but that name was actually registered by a different German company. (Information comes from porcelainmarksandmore.com.)
The vase dates to around 1900 (possibly 1907 if the impressed mark is a date) and may well have been originally sold at Macy's since the two companies had a special arrangement. It's certainly a high quality piece and further proof that the work from Straus & Son deserves much more attention than it has received.
Price: $125 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: Height is about 8". Condition: One handle has been reglued, but it was a very clean break leaving little sign of the damage. You can see the condition in the detail shots. The price takes the damage into account on this exceptional, very hard to find item. Of course, all our sales are fully guaranteed. |
 European porcelain: This sauce dish or gravy boat obviously belongs with a fish set. The question is whether it's origin is Bohemian or Limoges. Based on the style of the transfer decoration, my guess is Bohemian around 1900. In addition to the fish images on each side (the same image), there are lobsters and snails, which I'm not used to seeing. Come to think of it, I'm not used to seeing anything except the plates. The whiteware features an embossed design as well, and the bottom is marked 0480, which is probably a decorator mark.
Price: $45 plus shipping. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: Height about 4 1/4", length about 7 3/4", width about 4 3/4". Condition: excellent with no damage and no repairs. There is a wobble along the rim, but that's under the decoration and clearly "factory original". ....fully guaranteed. |
 Belgian pottery: TThis vase was made in the early 20th century in the Torhout region of Belgium, although I haven't confirmed which company. The style is well known and typically rustic looking, but the form of the body and the three applied handles make this one of the better versions (if not as good as the decorated versions). The glaze is transparent, ranging from a medium green where the glaze is thickest to a yellow-green where the clay comes through more fully.Dimensions: Height is about 8 1/4, while max width is about 5 1/4". Condition: very good. There are minor flakes on the handles, very common since these glazes tend to be brittle and flake fairly easily. This is well above average condition for the type. There are some drying or firing cracks/lines in the applied handles, but they are in the making, not post-production damage.Price: $75 plus shipping and insurance. |
 Chelsea-type Plate: This hand painted English plate has a gold anchor mark like Chelsea, but the mark is a bit bigger than it should be, and the raised banner mark beside it is another indication that this is simply a fine imitation since I've found no indication that Chelsea used such a banner. The plate is old, but not old enough. There's a word inside the banner, but it's obscured by the glaze, and I've had no luck determining the actual maker. Circa 1875 seems a good guess for date, but guess is just what it is. Sampson is the best-known imitator, but I can't even confirm that it's their work, only that it's a fine piece.
The plate itself is quite nice, and the exotic bird decor is excellent, with colors and quality in keeping with the original work from James Giles' studio. Best guess on maker and date are Samson, circa 1890.
Dimensions: Height is about 17" with a diameter of about 8". Condition: very good on the front, but there is a flake/chip on the back that shows just slightly from the front. Decoration is unaffected. Of course, all sales are fully guaranteed. Price: $50 plus shipping. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. |
 Etelhem: This nicely made bowl was made at Etelhem pottery on the Swedish island of Gotland. I've seen one suggestion attributing a matching style to Erik Annervik, but there was no confirmation. I've also been told that "Iwan" is an acronym from the artist's name but no confirmation or additional information.
At any rate, it's hand thrown with a bark or cork-like exterior and a varied cobalt glaze on the inside.
Price: $45 plus shipping. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: Height is about 3". Condition: excellent with no damage, no repairs...fully guaranteed. |
 Prinknash: This miniature pitcher and bowl set was made at the Prinknash abbey, which ceased making pottery several years ago. This set is hand made and includes a half-moon symbol that may be an artist's mark.
Price: $35 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: Height is about 5". Condition: excellent with no damage, no repairs...fully guaranteed. |
 Noritake: This Noritake bowl has a classic garland design from the ealy 20th century to go with some very neat "handles". Someone has glued a hanger on the back so the bowl can become wall art, but it doesn't cause any rocking. I'll let the new owner decide whether to keep it or remove it.
Price: $25 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: Diameter is about 8". Condition: excellent with no damage, no repairs...fully guaranteed. |
 MZ Austria: This MZ Austria porcelain plate has an excellent snowflake form plus a lovely floral decoration. There's an impressed "24" on the back, but that's more likely to be a form number than a production year, particularly since this mark is only known to have been used until about 1917. (The MZ stands for Moritz Zdekauer.)
Price: $35 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: Diameter is about 10". Condition: excellent, although there is a chip on the back rim, nothing that's visible on display and of no real consequence. Decoration is undamaged and has no significant wear issues. Of course, all our sales are fully guaranteed. |
 Safi: This vase was made in Safi, Morocco, a region that has made pottery for a very long time (and still does). The style is traditional, which makes it hard to date, but I believe its age is measured in decades and could well be circa 1900, just guessing. The decoration is all hand painted and fired. In addition to "Safi" there's another marking on the bottom, but I can't translate it. It could be an artist's mark or may simply also say Safi.
Price: $95 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: Height is about 14". Condition: very good. There are some glaze flakes around the top, as is typical of most faience, but there are no cracks or serious problems. Of course, all our sales are fully guaranteed. |
 Ruscha: Ruscha was one of the rulers of the wall plate kingdom in the 1950's, and Torero is one of their fairly hard to find classics. Very mid century in style, like much work from the 50's, it also pulls from Art Deco and Cubist styles to a degree, a real "Deco Echo" item with additional style echoes.
Although there were patterns for these designs for artists to work from, each one is incised by hand, and the outcome can vary, sometimes by intent, sometimes not. Items are typically initialed by the artist, but most artists names remain unknown so far.
Price: $65 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: Diameter is about 7 1/2". Condition: excellent with no damage, no repairs...fully guaranteed. |
 Royal Worcester: This plate is by Royal Worcester. It features a gold encrusted rim with a raised leaf design with a deep cobalt inner ring. I haven't been able to find a pattern name. Based on the mark, it was made 1912.
Price: $50 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: Diameter is about 9". Condition: excellent with no damage, no repairs...fully guaranteed. |
 Pilkington: All four of these tiles were made by Pilkington around 1885. Three are marked with a P, while one is marked England. Three are a matching design, and that fourth one is similar enough to have some use.
Price: $35 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: each tile is about 4x4". Condition: fair, but the raised parts of the design do have glaze loss. No cracks at least. Of course, all our sales are fully guaranteed. |
 Signed studio pottery: This small studio or folk pottery vase has an unusual, watercolor-like glaze in greens and browns. You could get lost in the flow and swirls. It's marked AFB 47 Brown, and you'd think that would be enough to figure out who made it, but I've had no such luck.
Price: $35 plus shipping and insurance. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: Height is about 4". Condition: excellent with no damage, no repairs...fully guaranteed. |
 Prinknash: This lovely porcelain covered dish (chip and dip or veggie dip, or something like that) has hand painted blue and yellow butterflies agains the ultra-white background. It has an authentic rising sun Nippon mark and dates to the early 20th century (before 1921).
Price: $45 plus shipping. Shipping will depend on location. Contact us for a quote. Size: full diameter about 9 1/2"; covered area about 5" diameter; height about 3 1/4" Condition: excellent with no damage and no repairs, not even any chips inside the lid. |
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