Belltower Pottery

Designer	Probably by John Stroomer
Maker	Belltower Pottery
Marks	Stamped “Belltower Pottery” in oval cartouche to base.
Material	Clay
Description	Heavy wheel thrown, hand made recurved earthenware bowl with flat unglazed base and looped strap handle.  Matte brown glaze to interior and exterior with darker brown flecks and stripes.
Condition	Very good
Number	No number
Production Date	1980s
Width at rim	118mm
Width at Base	67mm
Depth	60mm
Length (with handle)	160mm
Weight	360gm
Volume	500ml
Acquisition	Purchase E-Bay 14th April 2013.
Rameking Reference Number	BEL 001-002

These ramekins were made by the Belltower Pottery, set up in 1974 by Robert Richard Rudolph Dybka in the Victorian Country town of Kyabram.   Known as Rudolf (Rudi) Dybka, he was born 11 mar 1935- and his then wife Anna, a glass engraver, came to Australia in 1968 from France on the migrant ship “Toscana”, one of the few Italian ships to survive the war,  through the Australian Post-War Assisted Passage Scheme.  He first set up a pottery studio in his backyard at Rydalmere, NSW.

Rudi

While working at the Crown Crystal Glass Company, Anna met sculptor Vladimir Tichy and introduced him to Rudolph.  Ceramicist Vladimir Tichy, a Czech was born 14^th September 1926 arrived in Australia on a migrant charter flight with his wife Jirina and daughter Marcela after leaving Vienna on the 9^th of December 1968. 

 Vladimir

Following World War II, Australia took advantage of the instability in Europe to encourage refugees and displaced persons to migrate.  Populating Australia was seen as a way of ensuring our safety and guaranteeing our future.  It was argued that by increasing our population, Australia was less likely to be a target for invasion.  The two set up Studio Dibka-Tichy in Paramatta soon after they met.  Rudi left to move to Kyabram in 1974 where he began “Belltower Pottery”, that later moved (in 1987) to the old Kyabram Butter Factor, 1 Eddis Street.  

Kyabram Butter Factory

With Rudi, it was never a financial success and he and new partner Judith Anne left in 1977 to manage the Albury Pottery where he stayed until 1983.  A Ceramicist still operates in a tin shed next to the factory. 

Rudi’s Belltower Pottery had been bought from the Recievers by John Stroomer, a local Shepparton boy.  John was more successful, building up the business.  I think these ramekins were made during his stewardship.  Now with a significant international reputation, John Joseph Stroomer has operated a pottery in Shepparton since early 2000 and works in high-fired, hand thrown stoneware and porcelain, specializing in crystalline glazes.

John

Moving north, Rudi began Four Winds Ceramics Pty Ltd are located at 12 Bowers Road, Everton Hills, Queensland to produce hand painted vitrified stoneware. This time the business flourished and Rudi still oversees every aspect of the production process.

Weatherly, Lilia Weatherly

Designer	Lilia Weatherly
Maker	Lilia Weatherly
Marks	Painted initials “LW” to base in black
Material	Clay
Description	Heavy rustic look hand made wheel thrown wide mouthed ramekins.  One ramekin larger than the other.  Matte grey glaze with mottled blue and brown glaze banded over to exterior rim.  Short handle with dimpled top.  Slightly pinched inward under rim.  Unglazed footring.
Condition	Good.  Slight chipping to rim of smaller ramekin
Number	No number
Production Date	1970s
Width at rim	140mm
Width at Base	76mm
Depth	65mm
Length (with handle)	188mm
Weight	480gm
Volume	750ml
Acquisition	Purchase Waverley Antique Market 13 Apr 2013
Rameking Reference Number	LWH 001-002

Lilia Margaret Weatherly born 16^th May 1927 in England, migrated from Manchester, leaving Southampton on the 18^th of November 1958 to Australia with her husband John, a Doctor together with their two daughters, 4 year old Candace and baby Tamar. A son, Cathcart was born and raised in Tasmania.  He moved to Western Australia in 1992 and has deep involvement with environmental issues and social justice.  They lived at Austins Ferry, Tasmania.

Lilia was a foundation member of the Tasmanian Potters’ Society (Southern branch) Inc., established 2 July, 1973. The first meeting was held at Domain House when Eileen Brooker was elected President and Penny Smith Vice President.  Eileen recalls a particularly significant time in the early days of the Society when she was invited by the Government, with Lilia Weatherly, Peggy Coombs and others, to tour what was then called the Peacock Building to see whether it would be suitable as an Art Centre.

Lilia Weatherly was also made a Life Member in 2002.  Her early very active role as committee member included hosting a two-day raku firing with Joan Campbell in New Norfolk which included attendance from prisoners at the Gaol Farm.  Lilia was also the instigator of a grant (along with Peggy Coombes) from the Crafts Council for setting up clay production at the Gaol Farm where she taught for 12 years.  She built the first gas kiln in Tasmania (after deciding on the model which had the most pictures to follow in Daniel Rhodes’ book!).  In the 1980s, Lilia supplanted her pottery by becoming a professional award winning rose breeder.  She will be remembered for her breeding a pink sport of an Iceberg rose later named “Burgundy Iceberg.”

Margaret died on the 3^rd of December 2012 after a short illness, John having predeceased her.

Sone (Japan)

Designer
Maker	Sone Japan
Marks	No marks
Material	Stoneware
Description	Straight-sided press moulded bowl with dimples spherical knob short  handle attached to upper side of bowl.  Banded two-tone brown glaze  applied to exterior with speckled dark colour to rim.  Interior is lighter burnt-orange gloss glaze.  Unglazed foot ring to base.
Condition	Very Good.  No chips cracks or crazing
Number	No number
Production Date	1960s
Width at rim	100mm
Width at Base	53mm
Depth	40mm
Length (with handle)	130mm
Weight	220gm
Volume	250ml
Acquisition	Purchase Waverley Antiques Market 3 Apr 2013.
Rameking Reference Number	SON 001 -004

These ramekins are unmarked.  The original stamp to the base has been lost through washing over the years.  They were made by Sone Ceramics of Japan and would have been stamped “Apollo Ware Atelier Sone Japan”  They were likely to have been designed by famous Japanese ceramist Kyoki Yamazaki who was working there at the time.  They are available in a variety of designs but only one pattern.  Sone also produced the popular “Kiyomizu” traditional Japanese design, not to be confused with the Kyomizu yaki ceramic ware.

I don’t know if they are the same people or not but The company Sone Kogai Co Ltd are wholesalers of Brown-Ware and were founded in 1944.  It is located at 4-6, 3-Chome, Tatsumi-Minami, Ikuno-Ku Osaka, Japan.  Although they are leading wholesaler of specialized tableware, Sone also develop original products to meet their customers needs.  They now sell a range of ceramic piggy-banks and Japanese lucky (maneki neko) cats.