Charles Wilton

Designer	Charles Wilton
Maker	Charles Wilton
Marks	Incised “C Wilton” to base
Description	Echoing ancient South American bowls, these heavy hand thrown Terra Cotta bowls have hollow conical handles. Matt brown glaze with lighter drip glaze patches to the sides.
Condition	Very good. No chips cracking or crazing
Number
Production Date	Late 1970s, early 1980s
Width	120ml
Depth	70ml
Length (with handle)	150ml
Weight	365gm 13 oz
Volume	500ml
Acquisition	Camberwell Sunday Market

Charles Wilton was born in Glasgow Scotland on 4^th August1916. After migrating to Melbourne Australia, he studied ceramics at the Melbourne Technical College, now the RMIT and began working with Eric Juckert at his studio in Caulfield. Eric had recently started this studio after working nearby with Una Dearbon, who had been making homewares for Melbourne department stores. Charles worked with Eric for about four years before moving to the then outer suburb of Croydon in 1940. He joined the Australian Air Force in 1942 and served as a corporal in the No 2 radio unit, eventually being discharged from a hospitals unit in 1946. He returned to Croydon but moved to Warrandyte the following year. He was a founding member of the Potters Cottage, this being a co-operative founded in 1958 for the purpose of making and selling handmade Australian pottery. These potters produced studio pottery intended to blend the old with the modern. The five founding members from 1958 were Reg Preston, Phyl Dunn, Arthur Halpern, Gus McLaren and Charles Wilton with three additional members joining in 1961. These were Sylvia Halpern, Elsa Ardern and Kate Janeba with the final member, Peter Laycock joining in 1969. Charles was a prolific producer of all types and colours of earthenware, stoneware and ceramics and he was a master of all forms from the naïve to very refined pieces.He moved to Phillip Island in the early 1970s and continued producing a variety of small ceramics until he retired in 1992. Charles died in 2001.

Jedda

Designer
Maker	Jedda Pottery
Marks	“F” underglaze on one with “.” On all. The maker's name, "Jedda" is no longer visible, but would have originally been a paper stamp adhered to the base.
Description	Off white slipware with faux aboriginal motifs in earthy brown background with black and white line drawings to inside of bowl. Closed ended cylindrical handle, upturned slightly on the outer end.
Number
Production Date	Around 1960
Width	110mm
Depth	45mm
Length (with handle)	150mm
Weight	150gm 5.1/4 oz
Volume	250ml
Acquisition	“The Collector” auctions Murrumbeena

Beautiful set of 6 well made studio pottery ramekins, made in Australia, circa 1960s, by Jedda. On the Monday 3^rd January 1954 the world premier of the film “Jedda” took place in Darwin, Northern Territory. Released by Columbia, it was Australia’s first colour film. While the film got huge publicity, Jedda pottery did not. Arriving in Sydney after the film, Jedda pottery was set up to cash in on the success of the film. Established in Sydney’s Neutral Bay in 1955, it was one of the numerous works that did not last past the 1960s, which was longer than many.

They have superb faux Aboriginal motif designs in an earthy brown setting with stylized animal and human figures. They are in excellent condition, with age related crazing but no chips or cracks. One has a bee sting chip to the base. These fake aboriginal designs were popular on a range of homewares and tourist items in the sixties and are experiencing a revival lately. Aboriginal motifs were popular in Australia during the fifties and sixties. These patterns were the closest most Australians came to anything to do with the indigenous culture. Just what the Aboriginal people think of these unauthorized uses of their cultural images has been well reported over the past few years.

Some people think that these designs were painted by Daisy Merton. I do not. She certainly decorated much of their output but these are neither her colour or style.