Currently held on consignment at Andrews Oakville
Presenting an eye-catching and highly tactile work of French mid-century Modernist design by Verceram Céramique. (c. 1940s - 1971)
The form of this piece is three evenly balanced and overlapping Ivory toned circles which creates the canvas for the highly tactile detail. Each segment contains the repeating stylised scallop detail that mimics the natural pattern and intricate detail of a clamshell. A carefully applied tone of warm and transparent Caramel brown is overlaid onto the detail to create a deeper 3D effect.
The sleek, Modernist design of this piece makes it timeless and suitable for display as a standalone piece or for functional use. The combination of the design, size, and condition makes it a particularly rare find.
CONDITION
Excellent. No chips, cracks, or repairs. The most notable wear are movement marks on the underside of the base and mild crazing all over that is commensurable with the age of the piece. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the condition report. The underside of the base bears Verceram's V-in-a-circle stamp.
MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 1.9" / 4.8 cm (from base to rim) x c. 12.6" / 32 cm in width (across widest point). Unpackaged weight: 1.1 kg / 1,140 g
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY
Verceram Céramique. (c. 1940s - 1971)
Precious little is known about Verceram Céramique. Verceram collectors and enthusiasts have determined that the art pottery was probably based in Montreuil, an Eastern suburb of Paris and owned by a Monsieur Caux. The workshop and factory were active from around the 1940s until 1971 during the decades of 'Les Trente Glorieuses' (the thirty glorious').
What is very well known are the other-worldly and style-defining art pottery pieces by Verceram during the 1960s. With striking contrast and avant-garde abstract shapes in iridescent metallic glazes of pearlised white and an iridescent blue-black, these glazes were notoriously difficult to master. The glazes scratch easily which makes it a challenge to find mint-condition glazed pieces today.
At its start, Verceram produced late Art Deco-inspired works in green and red enameling before moving to bolder colours and textured finishes drawing inspiration from patterns found in nature. These earlier experimental styles would be the precursor to Verceram's iconic iridescent and sleek form designs.