Jan Gluch

Designer	Frank Rock
Maker	Jan Gluch
Material	Ceramic
Manufacture	Moulded
Marks	“Jan Gluch” incised to base
Description	Fish Shaped earthenware. Clear glaze over brown highlights brushed on head and tail. Harlequin glaze to interior with 5mm over top edge. Good condition for age. One with chip to tail.
Number	B3 Incised to base
Production Date
Width	130mm 5.3/8”
Depth	37mm 1.1/2”
Length (with handle)	176mm 6.7/8”
Weight	250gm 9.0oz
Volume	230ml
Acquisition	Adelaide, South Australia, October 2009

Jan Gluck was born in Denmark on the 19^th of December 1919 to Polish parents.  He was part of the great post war migration, coming to Sydney, Australia in January 1957.  He arrived with wife Erna, born 12^th February 1919, son Ivan born 17^th December 1943 and daughter Bente born 18^th February 1945.  They arrived in Sydney on that famous migrant ship the “Castel Felice”.  Jan had been a well-known potter in Denmark, having worked at the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain works. 

He worked at Pates Pottery at 61 Lakemba Road Belmore while living at the nearby migrant hostel at Villawood.  The original “Frank Rock” moulds for these fish ramekins were still at the Easton Pottery in Willoughby, Sydney, when Jan began renting it in 1958.  Henrietta Easton had stopped working there in 1957. 

Jan produced these ramekins with almost identical glazing to Frank, except for the hole in the tail.  He also did some work for Irene Kalmar during this time.  European migrants to both Sydney and Melbourne brought skills with them that enhanced the Australian art pottery scene.  Jan also had potteries at Brookvale and later Blaxland.  He also demonstrated pottery making in the early days of television in Australia.

Jan, having trained in Denmark was one of these talented artists from Europe who were employed by local manufacturers.  Some then went on to form their own potteries such as Kalmar Pottery (Australian Art Ceramic Products).  In 1960, Jan started his pottery school at Brookvale, another Sydney suburb.  It closed in 1967.  He died in Sydney at the age of 50 in 1969.  Son Ivan began in the plastics industry but later also became a talented and highly qualified potter who went on to re-establish his fathers’ pottery in 1973 at Blaxland in New South Wales.

Photographs copyright Commonwealth Government.