C20Ceramics

Aug 18

Figgjo Turi Design – Village Scene

The delightful scene on this tall vinaigrette bottle form is by Turi Gramstad Oliver, for Figgjo Norway c1970.

It seems to be quite a rare design – depicting various scenes of village life. I have seen variations of it popping up very occasionally online – but I have been unable to find a name for the design – if it has one.

It may have been a design produced for decor pieces rather than a full production dinnerware line.

The line drawing for the design would have been silkscreened onto the clay, and the colours then hand painted to fill in the design.

If you have a piece in this design, or know any more about it I would love to hear from you.

Below, 2 variations of the designs I have found online: Read more

Aug 15

Rhonda Boehm Blossom Vase 1991

A recent find – a lovely, large stoneware blossom vase by Barossa Valley potter Rhonda Boehm, dated 1991.

This piece is typical of the style Rhonda became well known for – a carved sgraffito design of leaves and floral elements and a beautifully balanced thrown form.

The clay used was a whitish stoneware, to which Rhonda applied first a mushroom pink slip or oxide wash, followed by a blue grey slip.

The design was then carved trhough the blue grey slip to reveal the mushroom pink beneath.

Diana Australia, Fish Ramekin Set

Have a look at this fabulous and fun set of fish ramekins or bowls from Australian pottery “Diana” c1950s, possibly early 1960s.

They are made from slipcast earthenware, as most production pottery would have been at this time. Typical of the colours of this time – which all work so well together. I like the attention to detail like the grey shading on the exteriors, the hand painted eyes, and the fins which have managed to survive intact for about 60+ years.

The stamp you see on the base of one of them below is of course depicting Diana the Huntress (Roman Mythology), the logo of this pottery during that era.

If you are not familiar with Diana Pottery, see my previous post Diana Australia (which has further links for more of the history of this pottery)