Studio Pottery

Four pieces of Mal Magson neriage (coloured clay) studio pottery, the agate ware bodies forming abstract and geometric patterns, comprising two dishes with shaped rims, 24cm and 20.5cm diameter, and two bowls raised on small circular feet, 5.8cm and 7.5cm high, indistinct incised mark to one bowl. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014).

A Rosemary Wren studio pottery figure group titled Panorama, circa 1958, modelled in the round as a mother, father and three children standing in a circle holding hands, raised on a textured circular base with central aperture, impressed wren mark to base alongside word ‘Oxshott’, height 41cm. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014). This piece was part of a travelling exhibition titled ‘Panorama’, curated by Eric Mellon for the Mothers’ Union Christian Society Conference, Central Hall, London,1958.

A Rosemary Wren studio pottery model of a seated tabby cat, impressed wren mark to base, height 27cm (restored), four small Mary Wondrusch circular dishes brush drawn with pears, unmarked, diameter 12.5cm, and a group of Tessa Fuchs pottery each with seal mark, comprising a bulbous vase painted with pink flowers, height 18cm, two vases with narrow necks, tallest 12cm, a bowl decorated with grapes, another with a cow, diameter 17cm, a model of a ram, height 10.5cm, and a green glazed two-handled vase with stylized peacock stopper, height 12.5cm (some faults). Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014).

A Naomi Brandel studio pottery model of a cow, lying recumbent with raised head, painted monogram mark to base, length 34cm, a Roz Harvey small model of a seal, length 8cm, a similar snowman salt, a terracotta pottery tile, probably Mark Mann, decorated with a seagull and lobster, 19cm square, a pair of Japanese teabowls with white slip characters to the exterior and turquoise glazed interiors, diameter 7.3cm, two small Mexican pottery bird models and a group of probably Spanish terracotta small models of figures and animals, average height 6.5cm (faults). Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014).

Two pieces of Yolande Beer studio pottery, comprising a vase painted in cobalt with four panels of nudes and portraits against a dark ground, painted signature mark amidst decoration, height 16.5cm, the second a circular bowl painted in cobalt with Chinese style dragons against a cream ground, blue painted signature, diameter 11cm. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014).

A rare Margaret O’Rorke studio pottery vase, late 1980s, the baluster body incised, painted and moulded with two female nudes in raku glazes against a matt black ground, the interior with turquoise glaze, incised ‘MR’ initials to base edge, height 27.5cm. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014). Note: this particular vase is very much a departure from O’Rorke’s normal work. It was produced at the Slindon Summer Art School, a venture organised and run by Eric Mellon, during a session taught by Ruth Eisenhart. Ruth is an artist and teacher who led life drawing sessions at the summer school based on the teachings of Cecil Collins. This vase is a product of those drawing sessions, whereby pots already thrown at Slindon were used by the students to interpret the outcomes of their life drawing sessions.

Two pieces of Margaret O’Rorke studio porcelain, comprising a flared bowl with off white glaze, diameter 13.8cm, and a spherical pot and cover with pale grey glaze (base with haircrack), diameter 8.5cm, both with impressed seal mark, together with a studio pottery stoneware mug with vertical line detail, unmarked, height 10cm, and a Denis Moore studio pottery stoneware footed bowl with running ash glaze to the exterior rim over a brown glazed body, impressed seal mark to underside, diameter 13cm. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014).

A Stanislas Reychan studio pottery equestrian figure group, 1980s, modelled as two mounted military figures riding side by side, impressed mark, height 32cm. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014).

Three Stanislas Reychan studio pottery models, circa 1984, comprising a standing figure of a priest holding a bag and umbrella, height 24.5cm, a pale green glazed model of a guinea fowl, height 26cm, and a circus performer standing beside a lion on a circular plinth standing on its hind legs, height 25cm, impressed mark to each, together with an original purchase receipt made out to Eric Mellon from The Craftsmen Potters Association, detailing the titles and cost of each piece. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014).

A limited edition green patinated bronze figure by Ruth Eisenhart, titled ‘Woman Seated on the Seashore’, circa 2005, modelled as a female nude with windswept hair seated on a rocky base, No. 6 of 12, incised signature to base edge, height 18cm (with original bill of sale), together with a terracotta studio pottery three quarter length female nude by Ruth Eisenhart, incised ‘Ruth’ to base, height 23cm, and a grey stoneware model of a female nude with outstretched arms, unmarked, height  15cm. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014). Note: the terracotta and stoneware nudes were both produced by Ruth during her sessions at Slindon Summer Art School – a venture organised and run by Eric Mellon. Ruth is an artist and teacher who led life drawing sessions at the summer school based on the teachings of Cecil Collins.

Three pieces of studio pottery by Ruthanne Tudball, each with soda glaze and a mixture of manganese, iron and cobalt slip, comprising a two-handled flask of rectangular shape with vertical line decoration, unmarked, height 20.5cm, a jug with folded spout, impressed seal mark, height 16cm, and a pouring vessel, impressed seal mark, length 18cm. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014).

A Walter Keeler studio pottery stoneware two-handled dish, of circular shape with pulled handles, impressed seal mark, diameter including handles 26cm. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014).

Two pieces of Kitty Shepherd slipware studio pottery, the first a Christmas mug dated 1998, decorated with an angel, height 7.5cm, the second a jug, dated 1997, decorated with a foliate band against a trellis ground, height 14cm, painted and seal marks, together with a small group of Fishley Holland pottery, comprising a pair of cups and saucers, mug, beaker and a mustard pot and cover, another slipware beaker, height 10.3cm, and a stoneware mug, height 9cm. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014).

A four tile panel by Maggie Angus Berkowitz, circa 1980s, depicting a cat, each tile 15.3cm square, together with two other individual tiles by Berkowitz, one painted with a bird, framed, and the other with an owl holding a sprig of holly in its beak. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014).

An Yvonne Hudson Rusbridge studio pottery bead necklace, 1970s, formed from thirty differently shaped and glazed stoneware beads, unmarked, length 48cm, together with a stoneware group by Rusbridge modelled as a pair of wedded mice standing beneath an arch watched by seventeen other mice, raised on a wooden plinth base, incised mark to one end, total length 23cm. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014). Note: Rusbridge created a tile panel depicting Minerva which can be seen on the side of a building in Crane Street, Chichester. In the panel Minerva is wearing a bead necklace very similar to the one in this Lot.

Two David Frith Brookhouse Pottery square dishes, both raised on bracket type feet and with mottled blue glaze, the first with a central design of waterlily type flowers within pale iridescent geometric framing, the second with stylized white flowers within brown geometric framing, both 30cm square and with impressed seal marks to their feet. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014).

Three pieces of studio pottery by Gilles Le Corre, each with colourful painted glazes, comprising a circular bowl with stepped sides and notched rim, diameter 27cm, a circular plate with cobalt and iron geometric pattern, diameter 24cm, and a vase with ribbed body and trefoil shaped rim, height 12cm, each with impressed seal mark. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014).

A mixed group of stoneware domestic studio pottery, comprising a colander, diameter 29cm, salt pot, pepper pot and storage jar and cover by A & J Young of the Gresham Pottery, a Sidney Tustin Winchcombe jug decorated with a horizontal wavy band, height 19cm, a Warwick Parker two-handled circular dish, length including handles 37cm, three Winchcombe beakers each decorated with a wavy band, height 10cm, three David Lloyd Jones two-handled bowls, diameter 14cm, a jug probably by Michael Ray, with speckled glaze to the interior and neck, height 18.5cm, and a storage jar with cover and ladle and another storage jar and cover by Denis Moore. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014).

A large Sheila Fournier studio pottery footed bowl, oxidised stoneware, of circular shape with folded triple rim, pierced and torn to the edges, splashes of turquoise glaze overall, applied and impressed seal mark, diameter 37cm. Provenance: from the personal collection of the ceramic artist, the late Eric James Mellon (1925-2014).