Let's Talk About Pottery & Collectables

Pottery => British & Irish => Topic started by: M on September 04, 2007, 10:23:23 PM

Title: Short-lived Ceramics Production
Post by: M on September 04, 2007, 10:23:23 PM

Is there any British studio or factory that lasted as short a period as the Colin Melbourne directed Beswick modern studio?
Opened in 1956, it closed in 1957, as Beswick were dis-satisfied with Melbourne's Scandinavian influenced patterns.
Marcus

Title: Re: Short-lived Ceramics Production
Post by: Elaine on September 04, 2007, 10:46:47 PM

Would be interested to see examples of what they didn't like, Marcus!  You don't have any pics, do you?

Leni xx

Title: Re: Short-lived Ceramics Production
Post by: M on September 04, 2007, 11:02:56 PM

Hi Leni,
I have but one piece, damaged, and bought because I was born in 1957, and the studio closed that year.
Images tomorrow.
Regards,
M

Title: Re: Short-lived Ceramics Production
Post by: M on September 05, 2007, 04:23:30 PM

Hi,
Images as promised:
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-8410
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-8409
M

Title: Re: Short-lived Ceramics Production
Post by: Lustrousstone on September 05, 2007, 08:22:13 PM

 :o That certainly is something.  :o Well ahead of it's time for the UK

Title: Re: Short-lived Ceramics Production
Post by: dantheman on September 05, 2007, 08:41:25 PM

The likes of Robert Jefferson & John Clappison were just begining to absorb the scandanavian designs by the very end of the 1950s so he had the jump on them.

Title: Re: Short-lived Ceramics Production
Post by: M on September 05, 2007, 10:08:36 PM

Colin Melbourne did go on to to create other important ceramics items, and his bull figurine is one such, and also a range known as "Memphis", influenced by the area in Egypt. (Not Tennessee).
Highly under-rated modellist and designer, and to my mind, as important in his time, to mass-produced ceramic design, as Murray to the 1930s.
M
(Other than the Harry Owen "Greenwood" dinner service, this is the only piece of ornamental English ceramics that I own.)