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Wade Ceramics Ltd was a manufacturer of porcelain and earthenware, headquartered in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Founded in 1867, it was run by various members of the Wade family until the death of George Anthony Wade in 1987 after which there was a succession of management buyouts. Despite substantial investment in 2009, the firm eventually went into administration in 2022. Wade produced a wide variety of ceramics, including the well known Wade Whimsies animal figurines. A pair of Art Deco green glazed ‘salts’ are also included in this sale. The ‘Bramble’ design was created in the 1950s and a wide variety of tea service shapes were produced in the pattern. Collectors today can attempt to assemble examples from the whole of the range, towards which these three pieces might provide some assistance.

The striking glaze effects seen here are usually attributed to the kilns at Shiwan, a district of the provincial town Foshan which is located near to Guangzhou, better known in the West as Canton, in the Guangdong province. But the place of manufacture is here clearly advertised by the mark on the base which attributes it to the well known potteries of Jingdezhen, for centuries one of China’s most prolific producers of porcelains for both the domestic and export markets. This particular glaze, though, seems to be a late twentieth century creation with no obvious precedents from the past. Just possibly it derived from an accident of the firing process which was then deliberately imitated. Certainly, the ‘look’ is modern and the interior of the neck reveals one of the hallmarks of the very late pieces made at Jingdezhen where the small but regular potting rings indicate manufacture by machine rather than the hand of a potter (see image 8). The sandy and slightly coarse paste of the foot is fully consistent with this.

By repute, similar vases were bought new in the 1980s so there is, at least, a degree of age here and the overall effects combine sophisticated techniques with inventive decoration to produce a piece of considerable and striking appeal.

(As sometimes happened with the manufacture of larger ceramic items, this vase emerged from the kiln with a slight ‘lean’ when viewed from certain angles, probably due to irregular shrinkage of the clay body during the firing process. Images (11) and (12) are intended to highlight the ‘fault’ but the final image (13) shows how this can easily be corrected with the addition of a wood stand built up inside to provide corrective support.)

Please note that the original double strap handle has been recently remodelled to a simple loop as being more practical and consistent with the overall design of the piece.

Heinrich Hoffmann (1875 – 1939) and Henry Schlevogt (1904 – 1984) were relatives as well as business partners, Schlevogt having married Hoffman’s daughter. They worked together on a variety of designs and from the moulds they produced came pieces exclusively pressed by the family glassworks of Josef Riedel established in Polaun (Polubný), Bohemia. The collection was marketed under the brand name ‘Ingrid’ and had an immediate success in Europe and the United States, being introduced at the Spring Trade Fair in Leipzig in 1934 and later in the same year presented at the Chicago World’s Fair. Hoffmann died around the time of the beginning of the second world war but Schlevogt remained in Bohemia until his capture by the invading Red Army in 1944. Eventually rescued through the intervention of influential friends, he settled in Paris and in the 1950s founded a highly successful wholesale business trading in crystals and glassware which he sold in 1972. The Czechoslovak government meanwhile nationalised the glass industry after World War II and some of Schlevogt’s moulds were reused with pressings known from the 1970s made as before at the glassworks of Josef Riedel.

Dating of the pieces is extremely difficult since the later versions resemble the earlier ones so closely and there are few firm guidelines. But the example here, even if there is the possibility that it does not date to the 1930s, is an extremely accurate reflection of the model types produced. The design is striking with the malachite effect glass formed into a two section box the deep base fitted with a shallow domed lid and both parts decorated with naked ladies swimming amidst waves in a swirling design of life and movement. The joins of the moulds can be clearly seen at the sides (see images 8 & 9). The style is quintessentially Art Deco and this is a ‘must have’ for collectors of pieces from that era.

An operculum is a calcareous structure created by many sea snails that serves as a little “trapdoor” to safely close them inside their shell. When, say, the tide goes out, stranding a sea snail too far from the water, the gastropod can draw itself deep into its shell and pull the operculum closed behind it.

Pieces combining glazed terracotta with polychrome enameling were one of the designs produced by the well known Watcombe pottery based in Devon. Production commenced in the mid 1860s when a fine red Devon clay was discovered in the grounds of Watcombe House near Torquay, prompting its then owner G. P. Allen to establish the Watcombe Terracotta Clay Company off Teignmouth Road, St. Marychurch in 1869. Classical styles of the period like terracotta busts, figures, urns and jugs were produced first, followed by terracotta glazed pieces some in the style of the famous designer Christopher Dresser. Not all of the pieces were marked and the appearance of ‘Watcombe Porcelain’ on some of their wares seems to post date the first years of production. Various mergers followed and the range of designs developed, adapting to changing tastes, but finally the business was forced to close its doors in 1962.

While the decoration is typical of Watcombe, the shape is typical of Dresser and also loosely follows a Chinese shape as did so many of his pieces. Allowing for the fact that the Devon potters introduced their own individual ‘twist’, one example of the Dresser prototype for this piece is included in the collection held by the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Watcombe, in common with other potteries at the time, aimed to produce pieces which, while they followed the ‘best’ designs were more accessible to a general audience. This vase is in no way inferior to the ‘real thing’ and maintains a charm of its own.

Bing & Grøndahl was established in 1853 by the sculptor Frederik Vilhelm Grøndahl and the merchant brothers Meyer Hermann Bing and Jacob Herman Bing. Their trademark, which can be seen on these two plates, was that of three towers, which was derived from the Coat of Arms of Copenhagen. Their designs proved popular and it is said that their dinnerware service in the ‘Seagull’ pattern could be found in one in ten Danish households in the 1950s. Eventually, in 1987 the company merged with its competitor, the Royal Porcelain Factory, under the name Royal Copenhagen, but some of the pieces produced thereafter still display the initials ‘B&G’ and the three tower symbol, as here. Originally sold with fitted boxes (not included here), these plates were probably produced in the early years after the merger and are sought after as collectors’ items today.

In Japanese folklore, the Takarabune or "Treasure Ship", is a mythical ship piloted through the heavens by the Seven Lucky Gods during the first three days of the New Year. Ceramic boat shape dishes were produced during the Meiji period (1868-1912) in both Arita and Imari porcelains. Paste of the foot rim and style of decoration suggest a circa date here towards the end of the nineteenth century.

The technique used is that of ‘niello’ work. (The word derives either from the classical Latin word ‘nigellum’ or the later mediaeval words ‘nigello’ or ‘neelo’.) Niello is a black mixture, usually of sulphur, copper, silver, and lead and used as an inlay on engraved or etched metal, especially silver. Added as a paste, it hardens to a black colour after firing and is then polished. Here it is the ground that formed from niello while the design shows though in silver, a less common version.

There is much skill in the craftsmanship here and the result is a piece of classic and timeless simplicity.

The Noritake compnay was set up by the Morimura family at Noritake near Nagoya in the early twentieth century. Called at first 'Nippon Toki Kaisha Ltd' on its founding in 1904, the business soon changed its name to 'Noritake' and began the manufacture of porcelains for the domestic and export markets. The mark seen here is interesting. It comprises a 'Komaru' symbol, crowned with "Noritake" and with the mark 'Made In Japan'. The centre symbol said to be taken from the Japanese character "Komaru", meaning "overcoming difficulties". According to the Noritake company tradition this mark was designed when contact with the different culture of the west early in the 20th century caused problems of adaptation. It is also known as the 'tree crest mark' which is the clan crest of the Morimura family. This mark is said to have been registered in London for the UK market by 1908. The curled up ends of the Komaru symbol seen here distinguish this mark from later versions and allow a dating of this piece to the early twentieth century.

Noritake porcelain became synonymous with finely potted tea and breakfast services made in great quantities for export. These vases are a rather more unusual production and show the factory capable of producing high quality pieces with decorative potential.

This bottle has the Breton gentleman on its front face and a fleur de lis to the reverse. The stylised lily, known as fleur de lis, became a symbol of the French royal family and France in general. It occurs, for example, on the Canadian flag but was also regularly used as a decorative motif by the Quimper potteries. These bottles can date to as early as the beginning of the twentieth century but a later time of production is probably a safer assumption here, perhaps to the 1950s. Few of these bottles survive with their fitted stoppers and the traces of cork to the top interior suggest that this stopper has been in place for some time and probably since the date of manufacture.

'Crackleware' glazed pieces, usually with 'bronzed’ bands, were a staple output of the Chinese potteries from the mid nineteenth century onwards and were produced in a wide variety of mainly vase shape forms, both in polychrome and blue and white and intended as decorative pieces for the Victorian rooms of the West. As with other ceramic types, the quality deteriorated and this piece is typical of the late productions with a more modest level of craftsmanship but still retaining a naif charm. As with many ginger jars, this one lacks its original domed cover which would have been decorated to match.

The colourings and style of work here clearly indicate the workshops of Kutani (the word means 'nine valleys') in the former Kaga province of Japan. By the nineteenth century the majority of their pieces were decorated in iron red and gold but sometimes with other colours in addition, as here. The ‘thousand faces’ pattern (an apocryphal term and this cataloguer has not attempted to count the number of faces appearing here) seems to have been evolved around the end of the nineteenth century and then continued in production until the mid twentieth. Both plates in various sizes and even tea sets are found in the design. The mark ‘Made in Japan’ was usually employed after 1941 (in the previous twenty years ‘Japan’ was the norm) but there are exceptions and the paste of the foot rim here does suggest a slightly earlier date, perhaps around 1930. In perfect condition, with very little wear to the decoration, this piece is a fine example of a rather eccentric decorative patttern.

The style of the dress suggests Burma which has a tradition of marionette puppetry (marionettes are a specific form of puppet where the figure is controlled by strings or rods) dating back to the late eighteenth century and still popular today with visitors to the country, now called Myanmar. Termed ‘Yoke thé’, the Burmese marionette tradition allowed political commentary under the guise of of an entertainment display. The standard ‘troupe’ comprised twenty seven characters, both animal and human, and this male figure is probably the ‘King’ (‘Mintayar gyi’). Dating is probably to the mid C20th and a little earlier than the female marionette figure also included in this sale. This figure is rather more majestic as befits his regal status.

Justo and Jorge Castillo come from the Los Castillo workshop. Los Castillo was an influential and ongoing design and manufacturing enterprise established in 1939 by Antonio Castillo and his brothers Justo and Jorge and their cousin Salvador Teran. Los Castillo is known for sterling jewellery and fine pieces in "married metals" combining various metals such as silver, copper and brass. Castillo who arrived in Taxco in 1923, began his long career working for William Spratling at Taller de las Delicias. He married Margot van Voorhies prior to opening Taller Los Castillo bu they were later divorced in 1946. (see The Little Book of Mexican Silver Trade and Hallmarks, 2013)

The Noritake compnay was set up by the Morimura family at Noritake near Nagoya in the early twentieth century. Called at first 'Nippon Toki Kaisha Ltd' on its founding in 1904, the business soon changed its name to 'Noritake' and began the manufacture of porcelains for the domestic and export markets. The mark seen here is interesting. It comprises a 'Komaru' symbol, crowned with "Noritake" and with the mark 'Made In Japan'. The centre symbol said to be taken from the Japanese character "Komaru", meaning "overcoming difficulties". According to the Noritake company tradition this mark was designed when contact with the different culture of the west early in the 20th century caused problems of adaptation. It is also known as the 'tree crest mark' which is the clan crest of the Morimura family. This mark is said to have been registered in London for the UK market by 1908. The curled up ends of the Komaru symbol seen here distinguish this mark from later versions and allow a dating of this piece to the early twentieth century.

Noritake porcelain became synonymous with finely potted tea and breakfast services made in great quantities for export. This vase is a rather more unusual production and shows the factory capable of producing high quality pieces.

The form here is a miniature version of the Chinese ‘Monteith’ first produced in the early to mid eighteenth century. The wavy rim was designed to hold the stems of glasses which were stood to cool in iced water placed in the interior. The style of the decoration is in Chinese Export taste as well, but dating here is to the C20th probably around the 1960s. Some similar examples have Chinese seal marks and one the name of a Chinese manufacturer implying that these pieces were most likely made in China but this does not assist with establishing their age. Purely decorative objects then with no intent to deceive but amusing creations in themselves and pleasing to a contemporary eye.

Shelley Potteries, situated in Staffordshire, was originally known as Wileman & Co. which had also traded under the name ‘The Foley Potteries’. The first Shelley to join the company was Joseph Ball Shelley in 1862, and it remained a Shelley family business until 1966, when it was taken over by Allied English Potteries. Joseph’s son Percy employed first the designer Frederick Rhead then Walter Slater who had worked with Doulton. It was Walter Slater’s son, Eric, who initiated the ‘Harmony’ range in 1932, at first with a series of banded designs as here and then with drip ware patterns which became enormously popular. Harmony ware was produced in a wide variety of colours and shapes, the plain ovoid form being typical and reflecting the Art Deco styles of the period, but this example is exceptionally large with a more unusual range of colourings.

Jade is usually divided into two types, nephrite jade and jadeite jade. The latter is heavier and slightly harder, making it more difficult to scratch. The weight of this piece suggests that we do have jadeite here. The stone was selected for carving on the basis of its attractive appearance and the finish, which bears no trace of machine tooled manufacture, suggests a pre twentieth century dating, but certainty in these matters is notoriously difficult

The size of this piece is unusually large, suggesting that it would have been intended for a male wearer. This too suggests an earlier rather than later time of manufacture. The stone is exceptionally pleasant to the hand and would have been an elegant accompaniment to any wardrobe.

It has been suggested that the form of the stone indicates it was intended as a handling token, some sort of a 'pass key', but this may well be apocryphal, although it does indeed sit comfortably when gripped. But the decorative qualities of this piece are clear and the maker clearly saw that this was a stone to be exploited and displayed. A contemporary wearer now would certainly attract attention! The weight and quality of the bronze suggest a reasonably early dating, perhaps to the late eighteenth century.

Shagreen is a natural hide, typically from shark, stingray or dogfish, worked through special processes to produce a granular surface effect. Known in China and Japan from the earliest times and popular in Europe in the eighteenth century Shagreen enjoyed its greatest popularity in the Art Deco period where it was used as a covering for writing desks and well-dressed cabinetry and smaller items such as the picture frame we have here. The clean lines of this piece and the palette of colours employed fit exactly with the ethos of the Art Deco period and a dating to the 1930s is extremely likely. A luxury item at the time it could be used now to provide enhanced presentation of a favourite image adding to it a hint of true elegance.

Bay Ceramics was founded by Eduard Bay in the 1930s and based in Ransbach Baumbach, the heart of the main West German pottery producing region. Their productions included vases in a wide variety of shapes and designs which continued in production until the 1980s. Bodo Mans was amongst their most famous designers working in the 1950s and 1960s. He seems to have concentrated on organic semi abstract designs and ewers in this form, with the same pattern number but in a variety of different glazes, are attributed to him. This monochrome mustard glaze seems particularly attractive and complements the design very successfully producing a striking and decorative item which might enhance a wide variety of interior settings.