Love Vintage February
Art Deco pottery, a fresh vintage stock drop and exhibitions to visit
Hello! I’ve got three things for you this week: a look at the artists at the forefront of Art Deco pottery, a fresh vintage stock drop and details of three exhibitions not to be missed.
This post is for all my lovely subscriber community. If you’d like to consider upgrading I’ve reduced my annual subscription until 28 February to £36, that’s just £3 per month. Your support means a great deal and helps me create these posts. Thank you, Michelle x
Art Deco Pottery
This week’s vintage feature takes a look at Art Deco pottery and the ceramicists at the forefront of the era. The 1930s saw some of the most influential designs of the last century and the UK had its fair share of talented surface-pattern artists. Clarice Cliff and Susie Cooper became household names. And although their designs are highly collectible the most creative pieces by Myott & Sons are amongst the most accessible and can often be picked up for a fraction of the price.
Myott’s vibrant colourways are easy to spot - clashing reds and greens or complimentary browns, oranges and yellows. And their trademark abstract patterns feature a playful mix of cross hatching, checks and zig-zags.
In 1949 a fire at the Myott factory destroyed their archives and pattern books and it’s possibly the reason why their products and designers aren’t as prominent as they deserve to be.
Images: Top left: Charlotte Rhead. Top right: Susie Cooper. Bottom left: Edna Best, Bottom right Bizarre Summer House coffee set by Clarice Cliff. Wallpaper by Ottoline
At her peak, at the start of the 30s, Clarice Cliff was art director of two factories: Newport and AJ Wilkinson. Her Cubist inspired Bizarre range, with its flat sided teapots and angular handles, marked her out as the rising star of the decade.
Another artist worth looking out for is Millie Taplin and her work for Wedgwood. Millie’s highly collectible 30s era pieces include brightly illustrated florals on creamware combined with graphic patterns. Millie Taplin went on to become one of Wedgwood’s most celebrated artists and spent most of her career within the company. Several of her hand-painted pieces are on display at the V&A Museum and her design Strawberry Hill, with Victor Skellern, was awarded the Council of Industrial Design's Design of the Year Award in 1957.
Susie Cooper, also at Wedgwood, was awarded Royal Designer for Industry in 1940. Her work, with its bold graphics and lively colours, was often set against dark backgrounds for maximum effect.
Ceramics by Charlotte Rhead are also well worth looking up. Different in style to her contemporaries of the time, Charlotte’s creations were less abstract and featured botanical elements and organic motifs. She worked in Staffordshire for Burgess & Leigh until 1931 - the factory is still operational as the Burleigh Pottery and based in Middleport, Staffordshire.
Further reading: The Story of Pottery and Myott & Sons
New Vintage Stock
As a paid subscriber to Love Vintage Etc. you get to see vintage stock before it goes live on any other platform and this week I have a lovely 1930s collection. If anything catches your eye just send me a message from the link button below.
The Fairground oil painting, above, could be any British town with its industrial buildings and skyline. Does anyone recognise or remember the Triumph factory in the background or the building in the centre of the artwork? I’d love to know if you can shed any light on the location. The fairground scene, with its stripy carousels and canopies and the gathered crowds in the centre of town make such a striking composition. Oil on wooden board, signed H Vincent and measures 58cm x 49cm.
If you enjoyed the piece above on Art Deco pottery you may be interested in this trio of Myott & Sons jugs. Each jug has been beautifully hand-painted in the style typical of the 1930s with geometric motifs, cross hatching and bands of colour. All with the authentic factory backstamp and Royal Warrant on the base. Sold separately the jugs are £55 each and are perfect for kitchen shelves or spring flowers.
Exhibitions
The Dulwich Picture Gallery, in south east London, is currently showing the work of Tirzah Garwood fine artist, printmaker and wife of Eric Ravilious. The retrospective is the first time her work has been shown, on this scale. Over 80 captivating artworks are on display and include paintings, prints and graphics. The exhibition: Tirzah Garwood: Beyond Ravilious, runs until 26 May 2025.
The Garden Museum, on London’s Southbank, is now taking bookings for snowdrop specialist John Morley’s exhibition of paintings. Morley (born 1942) paints his Suffolk garden which contains over 300 varieties of snowdrops, as well as heritage daffodils, fritillaries and auriculas. In the early 1970s he became friends with the artist and plantsman Cedric Morris and Morley’s own paintings have a lovely organic, midcentury feel. The exhibition runs from 19 March - 20 April 2025.
The work of Dora Carrington (1893-1932) is currently on show at Pallant House Gallery in Chichester, until 27 April 2025. Dora Carrington: Beyond Bloomsbury explores the British artist’s work for the first time in 30 years with paintings, drawings and prints from across her career. The exhibition also showcases photographs and film to illustrate her relationship within the Bloomsbury group and her circle of eminent friends as well as her own Bohemian way of life. Pallant House Gallery, 8-9 North Pallant, Chichester PO19 1TJ.
Thank you for checking in, it’s always so good to see you here. I’m busy compiling the March newsletter, to go out on the first of the month, so be sure to check your inbox in a couple of weeks. Until next time, bye for now,
PS Please feel free to leave a comment and do let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see more of, or if you have any ‘vintage’ queries. I’m more than happy to help x