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Mother’s Day Gift ideas-

A small selection of Mother’s Day gift ideas for this up coming special day on 12th May 2024- still plenty of time to post !

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Fresh Stock – Torquay Art Pottery + more…

Toruquay Pottery Devon UK

Welcome to another Moorabool ‘Fresh Stock’.
This one features a collection of English ‘Art Pottery’ from the distinct Devon potters of Torquay. They’re always nicely made pieces, with a rich terracotta-toned body slipped in colours, often scratched-through or finely painted with stylish scenes, but most notable for their inscriptions. This gives rise to a popular nick-name, ‘Mottoware’.

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We have some pretty fun ones, and they read like a scroll through some Instagram memes –

There would be no shadows
If the sun were not shining
~
Empty vessels make the most noise
~
Don’t worry, it may never happen
~
To Have a Friend is to Be One …

Some were souvenirs – for example, the mini teapot is inscribed ‘The Oldest Chemist Shoppe in England, Knaresborough Est. 1720 ‘.

Among them are two particularly interesting pieces. One commemorates the friendship between Britain and the USA; the other is commemorating the Boer War.

May They Ever Be United-USA UK Torquay Devon pottery mug
“May They Ever Be United” -unusual commemorative USA & UK Torquay (Devon) art pottery mug c. 1917

This commemorative is a bit of a mystery; the inscription ‘May They Ever Be United’ suggests an event, such as the ‘Great White Fleet’ of 1907-09, where the US sent a group of their battleships around the world on a publicity cruise – including to Australia, where many souvenirs of the event were made. However, they never visited Britain!

Instead, the mug could have been made circa 1917, when America entered WWI on the 6th April. A thankful Britain hosted American ships & troops on their way to the battlefields, and a souvenir like this would have been readily sold to the visitors. They seem to be very scarce.

Aller Vale Torquay Pottery Boer War commemorative Tommy Atkins mug
Rare Torquay pottery Boer War Commemorative ‘Tommy Atkins’ mug, by Aller Vale, c. 1900

This unusual piece was made to commemorate the Boer War. Marked ‘Aller Vale’, it was made at the Aller Vale pottery, Torquay.

The Torquay Potters

A quick history.

Torquay Pottery
Torquay Pottery vase, c. 1910. This is reminiscent of Dresser designs of the 1870’s.

The Devon potters of the Torquay region were active back into pre-history, with a bountiful supply of rich terracotta-toned clay to use. In the late 19th century, the ‘Arts & Crafts’ movement arose, and the region came to support a flourishing industry into the 20th century of Art Potters.

The present industry was started by a Mr Allen, who established the Watcombe Clay Company Ltd on the outskirts of Torquay in 1869, with Mr Charles Brock of Staffordshire as the manager. In 1901 it merged with the Torquay pottery firm of Aller Vale, but continued to make ‘Watcombe’ marked pieces.

The styles of the group of companies in the area are often very similar – they were tapping into the same market, and the Arts & Crafts tradition provided a wonderful stimulus for shapes & decoration. Dr Christopher Dresser was the origin of some incredibly ‘modern’ designs produced at the Watcombe Pottery in the 1870’s, and this simplicity and elegance can be seen in the products of the Torquay potteries for the next few decades.

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Another line sometimes seen were terracotta plaques, complete with moulded frames, ready to hang on the wall. Some quite talented artists used these as their ‘canvas’, painting in oils.

An example we have sighted comes with an interesting provenance: it has theme of Beatrice Charlotte Henty (1867-1950) on the back, with her address at ‘Tarring’, Kew. She was the granddaughter of James Henty, who is regarded as the first of the settlers to arrive in what is now Victoria in the 1830’s. The painting, of a shipwreck with survivors struggling ashore, is very well painted, and as there doesn’t seem to be any evidence of Beatrice being such a competent artist, the inscription is probably one of ownership – in fact, pieces like this were brought out to the 1880 Exhibition in Melbourne, and continued to be available in the luxury stores of Melbourne in the late 19th century.

The Torquay Pottery Firms include:

The Torquay Pottery at Heel Cross, Devon, (known as Watcombe after the nearby Country House) commenced production in 1875, making terracotta vessels and plaques as seen above. It was after their merge with nearby Aller Vale that they began to make the ‘Motto Ware’, and used their ‘Royal Torquay Pottery’ mark from 1924.
The introduction of restrictions during WWII stressed the firm to the point of closure before the war finished, in the early 1940’s.

Aller Vale was one of the larger potteries in the Torquay group. Founded near Newton Abbot in 1881 by John Phillips, it was heavily influenced by the Arts & Crafts movement, and absorbed the Watcombe and Longpark potteries in the early 20th century, before being absorbed in turn by the Watcombe Pottery.
It gained a ‘Royal’ addition to its name after visits and purchases of the wares by Queen Victoria’s daughter, Princess Louise, and Alexandra, wife of Edward VII.
Liberty’s of London stocked Aller Vale slipware decorated pieces.
It closed in 1932.

Barton Pottery was founded by four workmen from other Torquay potteries in 1922, and made a variety of ‘typical’ Torquay-style Motto Wares. By 1926 this partnership had broken up, and a Limited Company established – reflected in the mark. It closed in 1935.

Longpark Pottery was founded in 1883, but it was in 1903 when Aller Vale Pottery took them over that they began making the slip-decorated ‘Motto Ware’. As well as ‘LONNGPARK’, they used the name ‘TORMOHUN’. The firm was still running after WWII, but gradually declined, closing in 1957.

There are more firms not mentioned here, but this short list covers the examples you’ll find below. They’re a rather cheerful, even inspirational thing to collect – I mean the advice alone is worth it!

‘All that Glitters is not Gold’…..

FRESH to STOCK

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Minton rarities, Australian Pottery, American Ceramics – and more, Fresh to Stock

Welcome to an interesting Moorabool ‘Fresh Stock Release’.

Featured are a small collection of early Victorian ‘Staffordshire Cottages’ – pastille burners that were made as mini houses with working chimneys to allow the smoke out!

Minton Majolica 'Chinaman' teapot, bright majolica colours, 1874
Our latest character to arrive at Moorabool….

There’s a couple of rare British Pottery pieces, the most noticeable being the Minton Majolica ‘Chinaman’ teapot. This remarkable design is a ‘Minton Classic’, chosen in the 20th century as one of their reproduction lines – but ours is original, and very early: the design appears in the early 1870’s, and this example bears the date code for 1874.

He’s an interesting character, dressed in a magnificent flower-decorated pale blue coat and green pants incised with bamboo. His hair is in a thick platt, and loops around as the handle. He’s holding a mask, a ferocious dark character, from whose mouth protrudes the green-glaze spout. His head lifts off as the lid, and his hair is held up with a tall comb that acts as the knob – which brings to mind the possibility that this is in fact a woman!

The other notable item is a pair of ‘Moon Flasks’, the name & shape borrowed from the Chinese. These are painted with cherubs catching butterflies amongst apple blossom – so very Victorian!
They are signed by the artist, and this opens up an interesting background: two sisters, Eliza J. and Rosa J. Strutt, were employed at the London workshop known as ‘Minton’s Art Studio Pottery, South Kensington’. Minton had set this up in 1870 in South Kensington. These flasks are by Eliza J. Strutt.

Pair of Minton Art Studio Moonflasks, painted by Eliza J. Strutt, 1873

This fascinating Art Pottery studio actually owes its origins to the establishment of the Victoria & Albert Museum, South Kensington. When this was being set up, the museum’s interior decorations were planned to include lavish tile panels, and Minton was commissioned to execute them. From this came the idea for a London based decorating studio; land was leased by Minton right next to the Royal Albert Hall – and they shared the smokestack used for their kilns with the heating apparatus for the hall!
The Minton Art Pottery Studio opened in 1871 with the great designer W.J. Coleman as the director. The blank pots were made at Minton, and decorated in the new studio by students from the Government’s ‘National Art Training Schools’. 3/4 of these were women, and a contemporary account stated ‘…it was worthy of notice as the only place in London devoted to the manufacture of high-class pottery’.
Unfortunately, a fire destroyed the complex in 1875 and it was never re-built.

An interesting Minton fact: there’s a change in the name/mark, illustrated perfectly in these two pieces: from 1873, the first mark ‘MINTON’ (as seen on the teapot) is changed to ‘MINTON’S’ (as seen on the vases).

MINTON MINTON'S marks, 1873 1874

British Pottery Rarities

Australian Pottery

Plus more!

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Fresh Stock – Australian Art, Indian Metalwares & Textiles, Studio Pottery, and more…

Welcome to our latest ‘Fresh Stock’ post.

It’s a great variety – Asian, Indian, and Australian!

We have a vast number of exciting English & Continental Ceramics coming in the next few weeks, for those who are looking for something a little ‘finer’ than today’s offerings….

Enjoy!

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Asian Items

Indian Items

The Dawn of Moorcroft…. a William Moorcroft teapot, Macintyre-made 1898

James Macintyre & Co employed the ceramic artist William Moorcroft in 1897, where he was responsible for the introduction of the slip-decorated designs they called ‘Aurelian Ware’. This was of course to blossom into the famous Moorcroft firm when William left Macintyre in 1913 and set up his own works, with the help of Liberty’s of London.

This piece bears the registration number 311,909.
The British Registration numbers for 1897 ended with 311,657;  the registration of this teapot design was the 252nd for 1898, indicating it was probably prepared in 1897, the first year of William Moorcroft’s employment at Macintyre’s works, and submitted early in 1898. Despite the damage to the spout, it is a desirable rarity illustrating the beginning of the epic Moorcroft art form that continues to this day!

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Fresh Stock – English Watercolours, Sterling Boxes, Corkscrews – and more….

Robert Hollands Walker (1852-1920)

Welcome to the latest Fresh Stock release on Moorabool.com.

This week, a wide variety of interesting items awaits.

There’s a fine selection of quality English watercolours, including a beautiful landscape by William B. Thomas, and a pair of enticing little gems with a pre-Raphaelite feel by the virtually unknown artist William Took.

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English Watercolours

William Took Watercolours
William Took Watercolours

English Watercolours

FRESH to Stock

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Fresh Stock, inc. The Grand Tour, a Wedgwood ‘Egyptian’ jug, Royal Collectables, a Marble Bust & more!

Welcome to our latest ‘Fresh Stock’.
This week, it’s a great variety, with some superb rarities in the ‘Grand Tour’ section, a fascinating selection of brass & bronze items, a marble bust, and a small selection of Royal Commemoratives.

Enjoy!

The Grand tour

The ’Grand Tour’ was the Englishman’s experience of travelling through the lands of the Ancient Roman & Greek worlds, and discovering the romance of Antiquity. It was philosophy, art, food, and culture, all very different to what was back in England – so there was naturally a desire to take some culture back as a souvenir. This could be a painting or two, or a piece of antiquity – even if it had just been made the week before….

The Grand Tourist: this fascinating watercolour by William Oliver shows the noted English artist on his ‘Grand Tour’, visiting the ruins of Hadrian’s fantastic Villa at Tivoli – resting amongst the crumbling brickwork, he is seen sketching some locals in their traditional Italian dress.
The bronze ewer below is a fine example of a ‘Grand Tour’ souvenir that was probably sold to an unsuspecting tourist… a familiar situation still confronts a tourist in many places today!

This fantastic Wedgwood rarity is also a mystery: marked ‘EGYPTIAN JUG’, it is clearly a GREEK style vessel!
It was made & marked by Wedgwood, for a Cambridge grocer, Woollard & Hattersley, one of a few examples where Wedgwood put on marks for their clients alongside their own.

Read More on this Jug

Royalty

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A Rare Wedgwood ‘Egyptian’ jug, 1854

Wedgwood 'Egyptian' Jug, registered 1854, at Moorabool Antiques, Geelong


This rare piece of Wedgwood came to Moorabool recently, and is quite a remarkable piece.

  • Wedgwood 'Egyptian' Jug, registered 1854, at Moorabool Antiques, Geelong
    Wedgwood ‘Egyptian’ Jug, registered 1854, at Moorabool Antiques, Geelong
  • Wedgwood 'Egyptian' Jug, registered 1854
    Based on a Greek ‘Black Figure’ jug of the 4th century BC
  • Wedgwood 'Egyptian' Jug, registered 1854, at Moorabool Antiques, Geelong
    Black body, added orange slip decoration
  • Wedgwood 'Egyptian' Jug, registered 1854, at Moorabool Antiques, Geelong
    The ‘Egyptian’ name perhaps due to the Greek Sphinx depicted.
  • Wedgwood 'Egyptian' Jug, registered 1854, at Moorabool Antiques, Geelong
    Made solely for Woodard & Hattersley, Cambridge, from 1854.

Rare Wedgwood ‘Egyptian Jug’, modelled in black basalt after an Ancient Greek oinochoe, with a faithful painted ‘black-figure’ style panel featuring a bird in flight flanked by two facing sphinx, defined by terracotta slip painted ground colour, with bands below to the foot & to the trefoil lip, the figures with white enamel highlights.

Large impressed registration triangle, with circular inscription “THE EGYPTIAN JUG / SOLD ONLY BY º / WOOLLARD & HATTERSLEY / CAMBRIDGE”. , also ‘WEDGWOOD” and modeller’s marks.

Wedgwood Egyptian Jug
Wedgwood Egyptian Jug

This rarity was made for Woollard & Hattersley, who had the design registered in April 1854 as ‘The Egyptian Jug’ (ref. British Museum’s description), and made at Wedgwood. Established in 1761, Woollard & Hattersley were grocers, who also listed themselves as ‘ University Providers’. Their adverts list the various beverages they stocked, no doubt in great demand in the many Cambridge University halls. This jug is sometimes listed as an ‘ale jug’, and would be quite useful as one – perhaps a promotional giveaway of the early Victorian period….

Greek original, Attic, 5th century BC


It is a superb example of the interest in re-imagining the classical world through the ‘revival’ movements – with one glaring mistake: although claiming to belong to the ‘Egyptian’ removal, it is in fact a faithful copy of a Corinthian Greek archaic style oinochoe, dating to the 6th century BC!

There were several versions made. Although apparently not in the literature, there are two examples in auction records that have a clue to the ambiguous ‘Egyptian’ naming: they are impressed-marked “THE CANTERBURY JUG” instead of “THE EGYPTIAN JUG” – but then the decorator of the jug has painted over the top of the impressed mark, with “EGYPTIAN” !

A- example @ Moorabool Antiques, solid black body with red painted background EGYPTIAN JUG
B- solid red ware example, the background painted in black – EGYPTIAN JUG
C- solid black, red printed registration diamond, red painted background CANTERBURY / EGYPTIAN
D- solid black, red printed registration diamond, red painted background CANTERBURY / EGYPTIAN

‘The Canterbury Jug ‘ was perhaps a reference to an example of a Greek oinochoe jug, in the collection of an antiquarian of the region, as yet untraced. The design was registered in 1854, but promptly re-named, as shown by examples with ‘Egyptian’ painted over ‘Canterbury’. The marking stamp was then modified for the following products, creating the inaccurate name ‘Egyptian Jug’. It is a rarity amongst Wedgwood products due to the registration & patron mark.

A curios example sold in America recently (C) bears the registration diamond for 1854, but also a painted inscription for the word ‘Egyptian’. Careful examination reveals a different impressed word beneath – ‘CANTERBURY’ – so originally it was inscribed ‘THE CANTERBURY JUG’. Another example was sold in America with the exact same feature (D), meaning it was not a unique production issue. We can conclude this mark was original, but for some reason, the name of the custom-order by Woollard & Hattersley was changed to ‘EGYPTIAN’. Subsequent productions also differ in the way the registration diamond is shown; one is printed on in red, while the other is impressed.

Wedgwood 'Egyptian' Jug, registered 1854
Based on a Corinthian Greek ‘Black Figure’ jug of the 6th century BC
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Tags – a Fresh way to browse our stock!

With over 10,000 items on moorabool.com, it’s always a struggle to find what you’re looking for.
For some time now, we’ve been adding ‘tags’ to every item – descriptive words that define the item.
We’re now pleased to launch our ‘Tag’ page…. a great way to see the variety we have in stock, and to find your particular areas of interest to browse.

You can access this browsing technique on any page in the main menu above – select ‘Browse our Stock’.

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Fresh Stock – from Children’s Chairs to Moser Glass

Welcome to the latest Fresh Stock release on moorabool.com . This is a terrifically diverse one, bringing together a series of small collections of interesting things for you to browse.

To start with: some Silver Brooches… wouldn’t they make lovely presents?

There’s some fine Ceramics, including superb quality Derby pieces from the early 19th century, one showing ‘ A View near Melbourn, Derbyshire’ !

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Asian Arts – Chinese & South-East Asian Ceramics

Welcome to our Asian Special.

We’re actually in Asia for this one! Paul & Glenys, your proprietors at Moorabool Antiques, are on a ‘China Expedition’ – visiting the sights & enjoying the unique culture that is China…..

Xian & Qin’s almighty ‘Terracotta Warriors’!… the Fake Factory of ‘Terracotta Warriors’

Of course, this is not a ‘buying’ trip: China prohibits the export of anything that could be considered Antique. Rather, it is a fact-finding visit: exploring some of the regions where the Chinese items we are familiar with came from, and spending some time in the numerous Museums & Galleries and their fine collections of Chinese Art & Antiques…..

On our return, we will have a wealth of knowledge to draw on when cataloguing the incredible items from Asia which Australians are well known to have collected over the past few hundred years……

Snow on the Great Wall of China, outside Beijing
Inside the Forbidden Palace, Beijing
Rooftops, Forbidden Palace, Beijing
Inside the Forbidden Palace, Beijing
Suzhou
Lingering Garden, Suzhou

This stock release includes several such local collections of interesting Asian ceramics, including some over 1,000 years old.

Enjoy!

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