Coffee cup and saucer, black ground, gilt rim, Florence Royce, c.1930

Excellent condition

Saucer 11cm W

This interesting female ceramic artist is local to our Geelong premises, with the castellations of the Gordon Technical College always on the skyline outside our front windows. Born in 1874 in Geelong, she took up china painting in the early 20th century, and by 1910 was teaching it at The Gordon. She received multiple prizes for her works at local exhibitions. In 1924 she embarked on an international tour of the ceramics industries of America and England. The art potters of this period were fond of lustre finishes, and she brought this concept, along with many other design influences back with her. Australiana themes were her point of difference, including Art Deco stylized kangaroos, koalas, and flora. She was elected a member of the British Association of Ceramic Art and invited to exhibit 'two or three…vases of Australian design’ in the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley in 1924. Several of her works were sold by us to the Geelong Art Gallery at the dispersal of the 'Morongo Girls School' collection late last century.