C20Ceramics

Jul 24

Midwinter Red Domino

“Red Domino” was designed by Jessie Tait for Midwinter c 1956.

It was one of the most popular of the “Stylecraft” shapes by Midwinter (1953 + ).

The design made a feature of the rim on the Stylecraft shapes. It was so popular it was produced in a number of variants and colours over a number of years.

A hand painted design – It is one of those classics that just screams 1950s to me. Its interesting as well that anything with polka dots seems to be really popular – combine that with red – and you have a highly desirable combination.

It was so popular that 20 Paintresses were employed on this pattern alone.

Other colours released in the Domino design were Blue Domino 1956, and a Green (made in less quantities). There is also a Black Domino which is very rare and hard to find.

Red Domino continued to be used as a variation on the “Fashion Shape” and was also adapted for the “Fine Shape”.

Via LeGrenierLondon on Etsy

Midwinter Sienna

Jessie Tait designed a huge number of patterns for this shape - and Sienna became one of the most popular, continuing in production until 1978.

Colin Melbourne

Colin Melbourne (1928-2009) ranks highly along with the best of British Ceramic Designers of the 20th Century. It seems surprising that his work is not more widely known and appreciated outside the U.K, but many of his designs seemed to be ahead of their time.

The vase below I came across late last year is from Melbourne’s “Petra” – a series of several different camouflage style patterns for Royal Norfolk, Staffordshire, c late 1950s.

Colin Melbourne “Petra” Series Vase

Colin also produced a now very collectable series of animals for Beswick, another for Midwinter and one for Bossons. Colin also worked with David Queensberry on a series called “Drumlanrig Melbourne” with striking abstract patterns. You can see examples of most of these series on the UK website RetroSelect .

I think though, one of Melbourne’s most striking series was “Memphis”, for Crown Devon c1960. Read more