Boyd ain’t necessarily Boyd
These ramekins are incised "Martin Boyd" to the base. Many people can be confused by this and think that Martin was another of the Boyds’, but Martin is actually one of Guy Boyd's middle names. Why did he choose to use his name on these items? Who knows. In 1946, while he was studying at the East Sydney Technical College, he worked at night with Norma Flegg in her basement pottery at 21 Waters Road Cremorne in Sydney. They originally used the name “Guy Boyd” incised on the base, but in 1948, they began using the name “Martin Boyd” after Norma’s husband Leonard joined the company. Don't think that Guy did much throwing either, Most of the work was done by Les Collins who had come across from Fowlers. Les kept working away at the same old wheel until they closed in 1964. Guy returned to Victoria in 1950 but the company continued to use the name until it ceased production in 1964. They developed their own high quality glazes and at its height, employed up to eighty people. They also used a variety of other names as they produced pottery for department stores and commemorative wares. Many of the ramekins I have that are signed as Martin Boyd are smaller than his "Guy Boyd" ones. There are larger ones with the same signature most with reverse matching colours. These are typical 1950's pastel coloured interiors that contrast with their coloured exteriors. So there it is folks. Just because it says Boyd on the bottom, legally they are still Boyd even though Guy never came within hundreds of miles of them. Collect them just the same, the signature will eventually be worth something, even though from 1950 on, no Boyd ever signed them .
For the past year or so, I had seen this boxed set of Martin Boyd ramekins in an antique market in Adelaide. I was not prepared to pay their asking price, but realized that I would probably never see another set like it, so on a recent visit, I haggled the price and got them for less. They were sold by Claude Phillips Sarre a Jeweler in
Adelaide, South Australia. He was born
in Adelaide in 1892 and died there in 1982, aged 90, having retired at age
89. Claude was a keen athlete and
sponsored the “Claude Sarre Cup” running event for many years. Claude’s son
Brian continued on before retiring and selling the business in 1997. The business continues in Gawler Place,
Adelaide.
I love these also and have quite a few. The glossiness of the glaze appeals to me as much as the colours.
ReplyDeletehi there rameking-----My name is Owen---I have been collecting ramekins for about 15 years---they are fantastic---particularly the aust ones---they crop up fairly regularly around the tip-shops of Hobart.Im interested to read that Hoffman is a woman--I found an interesting Isobel the other day--only one --I think the thumb groove in the handle is exquisite---the ultimate in comfort.I have a whole room full of ramekins that I intend to exhibit one day!--trouble is I have trouble actually getting into the spare room to look at them.Love your photos etc.Cheers.Owen
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. Its nice to know that there is someone else out their in blogland that appreciates these little bowls. I don’t know where you got the idea that Hoffmans was started by a woman. As far as I know they were started by Jenkin Collier, David MacKenzie and brothers Barry and William Owen who in 1870 established the Hoffman Patent Brick and Tile Company (later renamed the Hoffman Patent Steam Brick Company) . There was no Mr Hoffman in Australia associated with the company. The name came from the Hoffman steam brick making process invented by Freidrich Hoffman in Stettin, Prussia, now in Germany.
ReplyDeleteI have found that the Rameking Central Archive is best stored in those plastic six compartment underbed storage containers with the little wheels underneath that can be purchased fron the el-cheapo stores.
I am always interested in growing my collection so if you have anything that is surplus to requirements that you cannot see on my blog, I may be interested. One of the makers that I do not have but would love to get is John Campbell. I was in Tasmania a couple of years ago which cost me a fortune in excess baggage fees to get my finds home, but no Campbell.
Hello Rameking, we have three ramekins up for sale on ebay, they are the same as the yellow one in your picture with the distinctive flared and low slung hande, however all of ours are signed Guy Boyd and we have advertised them as pre 48 instead of post 52 ( as you know he went back to having 'Guy Boyd' instead of Martin Boyd on his pottery made in his Melbourne factory) for the simple reason I have not found a single image of a post 52 ramekin signed 'Guy Boyd' with the same distinctive handle and inward sloped bowl shape. Are you able to help confirm the pre or post issue with this particular ramekin shape at all please, as I do like to advertise products accurately, I have done a lot of research and yet cannot find anything specific. Thank you for your time. Kind regards. Ric.
ReplyDeleteI will have to get quasi-legal here and say that at best, my answer is on the balance of probability, rather than beyond reasonable doubt. On the balance of probability, it is reasonable to assume that because Guy sold the rights to the name "Martin Boyd" along with his share in the pottery in late 1952, early 1953, he would have retained the rights to "Guy Boyd" which he used in Bentleigh. Therefore, Norma and Leonard would not have been able to mark their ramekins as "Guy Boyd" after this separation. I suspect that the reason for him selling the name "Martin Boyd" was so that each pottery could still produce works with the Boyd name. I hope this is of help.
ReplyDeleteI have a set of 6 with matching saucers too. Not in the original box like yours. Hardly ever see the ramekins with the saucers.
ReplyDeleteCan you please advise if the Martin Boyd ramekins are oven proof and whether there is a temperature limit for them.
ReplyDeleteThese ramekins were made back in the pre-microwave era. The materials used were not the same as those today. To be safe, I would not use them in an oven. I never have. They are best used these days for chips and dips and nuts and provide a good talking point at parties.
ReplyDeleteHi Rameking
ReplyDeleteMy friend has a collection of these lovely ramekins with saucers, that belonged to her late mother. Given their petite size & shape could you tell me what type of food or meal these were intended for & what the modernists at the time used them for?
Boyd produced around three different sizes of ramekins over the years. Back in the day, these were used as a soup bowl for an entree. Sizes were different then and a small amount was considered sufficient, not the bucket sized bowls used these days. These days, they can be used as bowls for nuts and / or dips and chips, as well as being a great talking point when the conversation starts to lag.
ReplyDeleteJust picked up a beautiful signed set of four, with saucers over here in Honolulu at a church thrift shop! Thanks for this informative page!
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