C20Ceramics

Apr 14

Auction Watch 2018.1

On the previous incarnation of this website, I ran a very popular category called “Auction Watch” – of desirable, collectable or noteworthy ceramic items coming up in auctions around Australia, and around the world.

I have started up this category again on this site, starting with an auction coming up in Melbourne Australia, at Leonard Joel Auctions on 16th April 2018, at 18.30h. The auction is “Modern Design” and has a component of some very smart 20th Century Ceramics. The whole catalogue can be viewed online here

Below are some of the ceramic items from this auction which have caught my attention:

Italian Pottery Group c1950s – Leonard Joel Auctions

Italian Pottery Group c1950s- Leonard Joel Auctions

Gerd Hiort Petersen Denmark

My interest in the work of Gerd Hjort Petersen lies in the fantastical and imaginative pieces she created at Soholm Pottery, Bornholm where she worked 1961-1962. They have quite a surrealist/ancient vibe about them with their fantastic creatures - although these designs may be based in spirituality as Gerd is also very well known for her Church commissions.

Arabia Finland 100 year Anniversary Series

This series of designs from Arabia Finland were designed by Raija Uosikkinen to celebrate the 10oth Anniversary of Arabia Finland in 1975. As far as I know there are three designs in the series – 100, 101, and 102, and they were produced during 1971-1975 in limited numbers.

Each scene features a bucolic rural village drawing in cobalt blue, on a greyish white stoneware clay. The plates are dinner plate size – about 26cm diameter. The blue designs also have beautiful line patterns and decorative textures.

The plates don’t seem to be as well known as Raija’s “Kalevala” annual plates starting 1976 and her Christmas plates starting in 1978. This is possibly due to their more limited production.

On the back some designs just have the design number and the Arabia backstamp – i.e. 100, 101 etc, and some have in addition the number of the edition.