Traditional Art Deco Pottery
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The earthenware pots shown in the following pages (links above) all date from the mid 1920’s to the mid 1930’s. They're from a period when Poole Pottery really was in full swing and the culmination of a decade or so of development. They’re all hand thrown, in traditional Poole Pottery shapes, many of which would have been designed by either John or Truda Adams. And they're all hand decorated in Art Deco patterns designed mainly, by Truda Adams (Truda Carter). When Guy Sydenham joined as a thrower on a seven year apprenticeship in 1930, he joined a team of four existing throwers - Elsie King, Lily Brown, Bert Way and head thrower Gertie Gilham who made most of the big pots. Each thrower had an assistant, to weigh the clay and carry away racks of wet pots, so the throwers could work flat-out, producing as many as 180 small pots an hour! Halfway through the day the pots would be upturned to allow for more even drying and once the clay was leather-hard the foot rings and lids would be lathe turned by Jimmy Soper, who would also add the shape number and factory stamp to the base. Unfortunately, the throwers at this time didn't "sign" their work. The pottery expanded rapidly through the early 1920's and by 1924 there were ten paintresses working in the paint shop at Poole. The process of decoration as far as I know was this: After been fired, the bisque pottery would be covered in a white slip and and then dipped in a semi-matt clear glaze before been decorated with soluble metallic oxides. Once the pots were returned to the kiln for the second (glost) firing, this over painted decoration would sink into the clear glaze beneath, giving the pots a soft, almost blotting paper, appearance. This "Delft" technique was a process that would have left no room for errors and really makes you appreciate the skill of the decorators. These pots drew high acclaim at the time they were made and and were showcased at trade exhibitions and retailed through leading stores including Liberty's and Heals in London.
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Poole Pottery "Persian Deer" vase, SK pattern, shape number180 (7" tall), painted by Ruth Pavely, circa 1938.
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I've given this pot a page to itself. It's not as old as other vases you'll see in the next few pages, but I think this one looks really magical, less Art Deco and more like an illustration in a medieval bestiary, and it has a great pedigree as well. The shape was designed by John Adams and the pattern by Truda Adams, which dates back to at least 1924. The decorator, Ruth Pavely, joined Poole Pottery in 1922, and by 1950 was head of painting, and a design assistant, creating many designs of her own until her retirement in 1965. |
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