C20Ceramics

Mar 13

Annette From

Annette From, Denmark

I come across works by Annette From, Denmark c 1970s and 1980s from time to time, but not much has been documented about her work and life.

Annette was born in 1931 in Denmark, and passed away in 2016. She was active until the day she died. Annette exhibited widely in Denmark between the 1960s and 1990s – but surprisingly little of her work is seen on the market these days. Some readers of this website have kindly sent me some photos of her work though.

Annette studied at Danmarks Designskole after which she was a enrolled at the Royal Academy of Art in Copenhagen. Her training as a potter was completed in 1951 after having been taught by Nathalie Krebs (Saxbo) and others, and she set up her own studio in 1963.

The thrown forms I have seem made by her are from the 1970s and 1980s, and are solid, well made pieces with uncomplicated glazes. These thrown forms are made with have heavily textured clay as I find with quite a lot Danish Studio Pottery.

Her free-form sculptural pieces pictured below are also interesting, especially when grouped together in different ways – creating different interactions and small sculptural vignettes. While there are only 2 in a group below, they dont appear to have been made as “sets” and any number could be arranged in any manner.

If any readers of this site have work by Annette, I would love to see it – contact me via email or post to the facebook page for the website.

Annette From, Denmark, Studio Bowl

Annette From, Denmark, Studio Bowl , Top View

Frank Keramik Denmark

Frank Keramik got its name from owner Frank Rasmussen who operated this small pottery active in the 1960s-1970s.

Hostess Tableware Designs, John Russell

Hostess Tableware Staffordshire Designs by John Russell

These designs are stunning. British design at its best. They were all created by top British ceramics designer John Russell c1970s for a company called Hostess Tableware Staffordshire.

He designed a number of patterns for this company, but these are the standouts I think.

The company was formed by the merger of Royal Stafford China and British Anchor Pottery c 1970, which as far as I can discover, closed in the 1990s.

John Russell is primarily known for his designs at Midwinter Pottery, where he created Midwinter “Riverside”and numerous other Midwinter designs in the 1960s. These however are far much more impressive, bold, clean and resolved designs to me, than any of his Midwinter designs.