Crown Devon, Art Deco, Powdered Verdigris and Latte Palette, Tapered Vase, 1930s

This elegantly diminutive and subtly exquisite, handpainted work of late Art Deco design is by Enoch Boulton for the British Pottery Crown Devon. The baluster form is an excellent canvas for the semi-matt, satin glaze décor. The base glaze is a tone of Powdered Teal green, applied in the layered, overlapping scale manner characteristic of the Mattajade glaze technique pieces.

The handpainted featured decor is that of the Fairyland series, also sometimes known as the 'Fairycastle' series that Boulton designed. Mattajade Fairyland was a popular series during its time and the rarity of finding it now has since made it highly collectable. The scene-lets are of charming turreted buildings nestled in the fantastical fauna in tones of Powdered Teal green, Azure blue, Jet black, Coquelicot orange, yellow with stylised lineations of gold - all of which wake up the islands that rest on the stylized waves. 

The overall piece is finished with a hand-painted flora and fauna border that wraps around the external rim. The border is an echo of the main flora, with gold-edged black leaf clusters graduating into a band of Cerulean blue and Coquelicot yellow, finished with dotted blooms in orange and Verdigris. 

Timeless in style and when combined with the featured design; the size and overall condition of this piece make this an exceptionally rare find. 

CONDITION
Excellent. There are no chips or repairs. There is mild surface wear to the gold and hand-painted décor and movement marks on the underside of the base that are commensurate with the age of the piece. Please refer to the photos as they form part of the condition report. The underside of the base bears Crown Devon's stamp and the model number '2406'.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 6" / 15.3 cm (from base to rim) x c. 4.4" / 11.3 cm diameter (across widest point). Base diameter: c. 2.9" / 7.5 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 0.6 kg / 560 g

NOTES
Vase will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items. 

A BIT OF HISTORY
Enoch Boulton (b. - d. unknown) 
Little is known about the early years of the unsung hero that was Enoch Boulton, who has only now started to come into recognition for his contribution towards art deco design. Many accounts of his history begins with his apprentice years at the Grimwades factory and studying at the Burslem school of Art. Enoch, affectionately known as Ernie began to rise to significant fame when he became design chief in the early 1920s for Carlton Ware. A highly accomplished painter, Boulton is said to have created many of Carlton’s most collectible lines of the 1920s. The Tutankhamen ware is but one of his more notable contributions. The V & A Museum lauded Boulton's Carlton Ware Jazz patterns as the quintessence of British Art Deco design. The pattern 3352 is represented in the museum’s pottery collection and is dated by the museum as c1921-30.

Despite his success at Carlton, Boulton was said to have been lured to Crown Devon Fieldings in the late 1920s, and with him at the helm as design chief, designs were a harmonious yet contrarian merging of modernism with Sybaritic exuberance. Series after popular series of exquisiite were produced including Orient, Mattajade, Amazine and Mattitia adorning a myriad of geometric forms including ribbed bodies and mouldings that gave an asymmetrical look. 

Crown Devon Fieldings (1870 - 1982) The pottery was founded in 1870 by Simon Fieldings in Stoke on Trent but it would be 10 years later before they began to produce Majolica style pottery that was popular during the 1880s. Their product range began to expand in the 1890s, working with British United Clock company and they would continue to expand their product range as popularity flourished after successful world trade fairs in the 1900s. They sustained their success for over a century before sadly closing in 1982 at the time of the recession.

This gorgeous work of original Art Deco design is by the British company Beswick Pottery. From the softly geometric, chasing triangles in raised relief decor to the classic ginger urn form with the twist of added depressions of 'dimples', the form of this piece is clean and elegant and classically Art Deco. The excellent form is complimented by a semi-matte Pale-Grey dappled on Stone base glaze complimented by the handpainted, stylised flora decor in powdered tones of Teal, Buttercup, Cornflower and Lilac.

CONDITION
Excellent. No chips, cracks or repairs. There is natural and mild crazing all over and light use wear on the interior of the vase that is commensurate with the age of this piece. The underside of the base is inscribed with 'Beswick Ware, MADE IN ENGLAND' and the impressed model number '70'.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 7" / 18 cm tall (from rim to base) x c. 5.3" / 13.5 cm wide (across widest point). Base diameter: c. 3.5" / 9 cm. Weight: c. 0.8 kg / 750 g

NOTES
Vase will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured.
Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

A BIT OF HISTORY
The Beswick firm was founded around the 1890s by John Beswick in Staffordshire, UK. His son James would take over upon his death, introducing a new range of jugs, bowls and vases decorated with new matt glazes. Responding to the modernist influence in design, many of these highly distinctive shapes were designed by Mr Symcox and decorated in 'satin matt' glazes using soft pastel colours running into each other or arranged in striking modern geometric blocks and lines. Beswick would go on to become known for their ceramic animal figures before being taken over by Royal Doulton in 1969 and finally closing in the early 2000s.

Though it is said these pieces will never be worth thousands, still, there is revived and growing interest in these Art Deco pieces as they survive in very good condition.

This striking work of Art Deco design is by the English pottery Shorter and Son (estd. c. 1900 - c. 1964). The sculpted and abstract jardiniere form firmly displays architectural influences of Art Deco Bauhaus geometricism. The overall shape is that of an oval slice that is an excellent canvas for the tactile décor.

The décor is an alternating pattern arranged with the triangular ridges. The horizontal ridges stagger in height as they wrap around the body and are further complimented by vertical ridges of staggered height. Further elevating this piece is the sumptuous glaze that is a blended flow of Cream, Caramel, Mocha brown tones which are offset by the Steel grey-blue. The glaze palette is similar to that of Raw Ocean Jasper. The visual appeal of this piece is timeless in style but also very much a piece of Art Deco history.

CONDITION
Very Good. No chips, cracks, or repairs. The most notable wear are mild marks on the interior of the planter and a minor flake to the glaze on the underside of the base that are commensurable with the age of the piece. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the condition report. The base bears Shorter and Son's stamp denoting 'Shorter and Son, Stoke on Trent, Made in England".

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 3.3" / 8.5 cm. Width: c. 7.1" / 17.8 cm (across widest point) x c. 6.1" / 15.6 cm (across deepest point). Unpackaged weight: c. 0.9 kg / 860 g

NOTES
Jardiniere planter will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items. 

A BIT OF HISTORY
Before the 1920s, Shorter and Son (c. 1900 - 1964) produced Edwardian Majolica ware, creating a broad range of domestic and ornamental ware such as jardinieres, umbrella holders, bowls and vases. From the 1920s onward, their range only broadened however, they would adapt their designs to the burgeoning influences of the period. The design of their tableware and accessories for example reflected the Art Deco influences of the greats such as Clarice Cliff and Mabel Leigh designed for Shorter and Son from 1933 to 1935. 

Sadly, in the early 1960s, the company faced the death of a director Arthur Colley Shorter as well as the loss of a factory in Copeland Street to a road development scheme. Finally, there were significant expenses to convert to smokeless firing to conform with the Clean Air Act. These factors resulted in a decision to accept an offer from S. Fielding & Co. Ltd the owners of Crown Devon around 1964.

This beautifully stylised work of Art Deco design was made by English pottery Crown Devon. Designed and made during Clarice Cliff's Bizarre era. The stylised tree and landscape verdure décor in this piece echoes that of which appears in Cliff's iconic Orange Roof Cottage series. The décor is further elevated by the addition of the tube-lined and tactile dotted 'stitching'. The origin of design can be attributed to the Czechoslovakian pottery Ditmar Urbach, from which Crown Devon developed its own interpretation. 

The subtly striking décor sits against the canvas of the spherical globe form, displaying its timeless style and carrying its c. 85 years of Art Deco history. 

CONDITION
Very Good. There are 3 negligible chips to the glaze and light use wear to the underside of the base. Mentioned for completeness: there mild crazing all over. The light wear is commensurable with the age of the piece, please refer to photos as they form part of the condition report. The base bears Crown Devon's stamp and model number 'M206'. Length of cord: c. 70" / 178 cm and is fitted with a British plug. Lamp takes a 'B22' light bulb.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 6.3" / 16 cm (excluding bulb holder) height: c. 9.3" / 23.5 cm (including bulb holder). Diameter: c . 6.3" / 16 cm (across widest point). Base diameter: c. 3" / 7.5 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 0.9 kg / 945 g

NOTES
Lamp will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

A BIT OF HISTORY
Crown Devon Fieldings (1870 - 1982)
The pottery was founded in 1870 by Simon Fieldings in Stoke on Trent but it would be 10 years later before they began to produce Majolica style pottery that was popular during the 1880s. Their product range began to expand in the 1890s, working with British United Clock company and they would continue to expand their product range as popularity flourished after successful world trade fairs in the 1900s. They sustained their success for over a century before sadly closing in 1982 at the time of the recession.

This striking and highly-tactile work of Art Deco design is by British company Beswick Pottery. The form of this piece is clean and elegant, following the classic design principles of Art Deco. The simple form is enhanced by the carved décor that is a pattern of stylised spirals, flora and verdure, interlaced with overlapping circular segments, arcs and curves. The refined design is further elevated by Beswick's Satin Matt glaze applied in a manner of techniques, from hand painted to daubed. The radiant palette consists of powdered sherbet tones; including Peach, Turquoise, Lemon Yellow, Sky and Cerulean Blue, Tan and Heather. 

This beautiful work is stylistically timeless, contemporary but yet also very Art Deco making this work suitable for standalone display or for functional use.

CONDITION
Excellent. No chips, cracks or repairs. There is light use wear on the interior and underside of the base with mild crazing all over that is commensurate with the age of this piece. The underside of the base is inscribed with 'Made in England', model number '116M' and Beswick's back stamp. 

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 7.1" / 18 cm tall (from rim to base). Diameter: c. 6.7" / 17 cm (across widest point). Depth: c. 6.7" / 17 cm. Rim diameter: c. 4.8" / 12.3 cm. Base diameter: c. 3.1" / 8 cm. Weight: c. 1 kg / 1,020 g

NOTES
Vase will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

A BIT OF HISTORY
The Beswick firm was founded around the 1890s by John Beswick in Staffordshire, UK. His son James would take over upon his death, introducing a new range of jugs, bowls and vases decorated with new matt glazes. Responding to the modernist influence in design, many of these highly distinctive shapes were designed by Mr Symcox and decorated in 'satin matt' glazes using soft pastel colours running into each other or arranged in striking modern geometric blocks and lines. Beswick would go on to become known for their ceramic animal figures before being taken over by Royal Doulton in 1969 and finally closing in the early 2000s.

Though it is said these pieces will never be worth thousands, still, there is revived and growing interest in these Art Deco pieces as they survive in very good condition.