C20Ceramics

Apr 4

NGV International, ” A Modern Life, Tablewares 1930–1980s”

Melbourne based Artist John Hinds recently made a generous donation of 20th Century commercial tableware to the NGV International Melbourne which is large component of an exhibition running currently entitled “A Modern Life, Tablewares 1930s-1980s” . It runs 30th March 2018 to January 2019.

The collection began when John had amassed op-shop ceramics to construct tiered cake stands. Although they were fabulous, they sold slowly, and he finally abandoned the project. After he had cleared away the dross, remaining were about 100 boldly patterned plates (mostly English & Japanese) from the 60s & 70s. These were donated to The Powerhouse in Sydney and you can view them online HERE

As always happens, John kept on finding more objects, and the idea grew of donating a more comprehensive collection to National Gallery of Victoria.

The first donation was mainly ceramics. Names included Broadhurst, Wedgwood, Meakin, Mikasa, Midwinter, Arabia, Denby, Hornsea, Langley, Rosenthal and Portmeirion.

John worked on adding to the collection by amassing pieces from an alphabetical list of well known International Designers. Names such as Gerald Benney (UK) Susie Cooper (UK) Stig Lindberg (Sweden) Raymond Loewy (USA) David Mellor (UK) Keith Murray (NZ-UK) Jens Quistgaad (Denmark) Robert Welch (UK) Russel Wright (USA) and Eva Zeisel (USA).

Decorative Arts collections in most Australian museums until now have concentrated on the aristocratic and the rare, and none had a comprehensive survey of post war Modern Design – in particular tableware design.

The time had come to change this John believed, and with the collaboration of the NGV which is now more focused on design, and curator Amanda Dunsmore, the idea for the exhibition was developed with enthusiasm.

The result is this exhibition which provides an timely overview of Modern Tableware Design, 1930s to 1980s.

NGV International, ” A Modern Life, Tablewares 1930–1980s

Display NGV International, ” A Modern Life, Tablewares 1930–1980s

You can preview more of the items presented in the NGV Exhibition HERE

Mar 16

Italian Vase, To be Identified.

I have started up a new category of posts to this site for “Unidentified” pieces in the hope that eventually someone recognises the maker.

Often the country of origin can by identified, sometimes by style, sometimes by technique or decoration…… but sometimes that is where the trail ends.

Here is the first, a piece which appears to be Italian – but could also be West German. A slip cast, and hand painted vase, 17cm tall. There is a stamped number in the base of the clay, but it is not clear enough to read. The style of numbering though looks Italian.

Mar 15

Modernist Noritake Vase

I came across this very smart modernist looking Noritake Japan vase recently. It is a very impressive piece, about 25cm tall, in a stylised “tree trunk” form popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It has a timeless colour scheme and pattern, but its mark indicates it was produced from around 1953.

This pattern was never named or assigned a pattern number, which was not unusual for this era, and I have been unable to find any other examples of either the shape or pattern on any other Nortiake pieces.

As with all Noritake of this era, the quality and finish is very high.