Posts from the ‘United Kingdom’ Category

May 31

Midwinter Roselle

This very attractive pattern is Midwinter “Roselle”, and was produced just before the revolutionary “Stonehenge” series was introduced at Midwinter.

Contrary to what you will read elsewhere, this pattern was designed by Eve Midwinter in 1968 – Not by Jessie Tait. The design is on the popular “Fine Shape” series of forms.

Along with Spanish Garden (by Jessie Tait) Roselle was one of Midwinter’s best selling designs before the introduction of Stonehenge in 1972. It seems to be rarely found here in Australia, but is quite easy to get hold of in the UK.

The delicate border repeat pattern in blues and greens has alternating upright and inverted floral motifs on a bright white background.

The lids and saucers of the design are in a colour somewhere between Royal Blue and Cerulean Blue.

Mar 28

Denby Cheviot

This impressive and now very rare design is from the Cheviot range by Glynn Colledge at Denby, mid 1950’s.

I think this is one of the most impressive modernist designs from the hand of Glynn Colledge. It was released simultaneously with another outstanding series called Tigo Ware, designed by Tibor Reich.

I was fortunate to come across the piece below several years ago on eBay, but haven’t seen a piece since.

Denby Cheviot

About “Cheviot” the book “Denby Pottery 1809-1997”, Hopwood:

Cheviot was quite different from any of Glyn’s previous work. It reflected his awareness of the latest design trends and demonstrated his flexibility…..Glynn with his love of colour and decoration, could not resist embellishing Cheviot. He created one version with a matt finish, in black, dark grey or khaki, which was covered in finely drawn, abstract sgraffito, often including crystals, stars or simple stylised leaves. A second highly coloured version was glazed in yellow, blue or lilac with black tube lining, or in red or green with white tube lining. Some patterns were geometric, some herring bone and others were organic.

Denby Cheviot – Image via thesaleroom.com

Below is an image from the Hopwood Denby book, of a group of Cheviot Vases – featuring the most outstanding pieces from the series. Love to get hold of even one of these superb pieces of mid-century design one day!

Denby Cheviot Group – Hopwood

Feb 7

Midwinter Whispering Grass - Jessie Tait

Jessie Tait – Whispering Grass – Midwinter

What a charming design. This is “Whispering Grass”, by Jessie Tait for Midwinter in 1960.

It is a transfer printed design of the flowering whispering grass, hand coloured in lilac and yellow. As with all of Jessie Tait’s designs – beautifully drafted, detailed, and balanced – as well as sitting so well on the forms.

The hollow ware of all the series is in this very soft but vibrant lilac on the outside – a colour you rarely see on dinnerware. Whispering Grass seems to be quite a rare design, and hard to find now.

For the export market the lilac on the hollow ware was replaced with black instead – but I haven’t been able to locate any images of this variation.