It's The Pits

As well as ramekins, I have recently been writing a story about the old brick, pipe and tile works in Oakleigh, Victoria.  This key industry was also once prevalent across many area of Melbourne but is now restricted to a couple of super plants.  Almost everywhere, the old brickworks have been demolished and the land converted to other uses.   Councils used the pits to dump our rubbish for decades and those areas most  thankfully have been converted to public open space.  

Over the next few months I hope to convert my work so far and publish it on my other blog "IT"S THE PITS".  If you get the chance, have a look.  It's the pits has heaps of other people using the name, so I had to find a name that was not used, so key in "wuxtiple" and you are there.  No, it doesn't have some secret meaning, it's just a combination of letters that wasn't taken.  There is not much there at the moment, but be patient.

KMK Kupfermuhle

Designer	Kristiane Wener
Maker	KMK Kupfermuhle
Marks	Paper stamp “KMK Manuell” on base
Material	Glazed terra cotta stoneware
Description	Low profile bowl with moulded short handle protruding from rim.  Hole in handle for hanging for display.  Pale grey matte glaze with unglazed foot ring.  Abstract floral pattern in off-white to interior of base.
Condition	Very good
Number	No number
Production Date	1990
Width at rim	110mm
Width at Base	75mm
Depth	36mm
Length (with handle)	148mm
Weight	245gm
Volume	250ml
Acquisition	Purchase Savers, Frankston 17th June 2013
Rameking Reference Number	KMK 001

This stoneware ramekin was made around June 1990 by the German company KMK Kupfermuhle (Coppermill).   (Keramik Maufactur Kupfermuhle GmbH & Co KG 25551 Hohenlockstedt DE.)  This ramekin is from their “Décor” Series 40000 (40,914 Ascher) designed by Kristiane Werner, the series began production in December 1987.   This pattern came out in June 1990.

This company began in 1949 with five people in an old World-War II ammunition shed in  Schleswig-Holstein in the municipality of Hohenlockstedt.  By 1960 they had bought their own premises and were hand-painting their wares.  They were one of the many German companies making that revolting technicolour pottery that seems to have become collectible lately.  The company ceased production in 1998.

Redbyrne Potteries

Designer
Maker	Redbyrne Potteries Shepparton
Marks	Stamped “Redbyrne Potteries Shepparton” to outside of footring
Material	Glazed blue clay
Description	Wide hand thrown bowl with narrow base and pronounced unglazed footring.  Knob handle  with steam hole at outer end.  Brown matte glaze to interior and exterior excluding footring.
Condition	Very Good
Number	No number
Production Date	1980s
Width at rim	120mm
Width at Base	50mm
Depth	70mm
Length (with handle)	165mm
Weight
Volume
Acquisition	Purchase Savers, Frankston 17th June 2013
Rameking Reference Number	RBY 001

Pickings have been a bit slim at the op-shops lately, I see stallholders from antique markets trawling Salvo shops and it has become difficult to get in first.  Thankfully, most of them have not got a clue about anyone other than the top makers.  Anyway, I found this piece today, just the one.  Redbyrne Pottery was operated in Shepparton, a rural city, north of Melbourne; by Robert and Dawn Waterson, between 1975 to 2005.  It was well known throughout Victoria, supposedly at the time, being our largest producer of hand thrown pottery and probably in Australia.  A number of different potters worked there, some using their own marks, others stamping “Redbyrne potteries Shepparton” on their work.  They also hand-made pottery plaques that were placed under the garden seats of the Shepparton International Village to recognize the local groups and businesses who donated benches to the village. 

Redbyrne Potteries was located at 225 Old Dookie Road, Shepparton. They   produced a wide range of well-thrown functional stoneware, mostly with a satiny red-brown glaze.  Potters who worked there included Gilbert Buchanan, Chris Cheer, Graeme Day, Steven Elliott, Robert Henderson, Mark Lepp, Cathy Thompson, Noel Townsend, Robert Waterson and Craig Willis. Works were impressed ‘Redbyrne Potteries Shepparton’ or ‘Redbyrne Potteries’ preceeded by the individual potter’s name. (Thanks Australian Pottery at Bemboka for this para)

When the property was sold, Rob and Dawn donated a whole lot of remaining pottery items to the Life shop in Mooroopna that is run by a local church and the profits went back to the Mooroopna community so if you want to get a piece of history before it’s all gone, head over there and see Steve.  Maybe there are still a few pieces left.  If you pass the old pottery site you’ll see a bit of work taking place with the demolition of the pottery and clearing of land completed.   The site to be known as “Redbyrne Estate” is being developed into a twelve-lot subdivision.  You can pick up a block, for a pre-release price of $200,000.  That’s a lot of ramekins.

Another product was something that you would not really think of, Clay Targets.  Everybody has heard of them and somebody had to make them.

The Shepparton Art Museum has, since the 1970s begun to collect and display  historic and modern ceramics. An extensive and impressive collection it includes work by the first convict potters through to individual studio potters and commercial potteries.  There is some wonderful stuff there, but unfortunately, most of their collection is not to my taste.  I believe in utilitarian ceramics, not the trendy wanker crap that passes for “art” pottery, hence, my collection of ramekins.  Decoration is secondary to function and some of it is not even good decoration.  The Emperors New Clothes are alive and kicking.  One thing that I am happy with is their small display of Boyd ramekins.

Designer	Robert Waterson
Maker	Redbyrne Potteries
Marks	Stamped “Redbyrne Potteries Shepparton” to outside of base
Material	Glazed Earthenware clay
Description	Wheel thrown conical bowl with flared rim at top.  Unglazed foot with indent.  Brown matte glaze to interior and exterior.  Knob handle angled upward from centre of exterior.  Air hole at end of handle.  Darker highlights to bottom of bowl.
Condition	Very good
Number	No number
Production Date	1980s
Width at rim	130mm
Width at Base	50mm
Depth	60mm
Length (with handle)	170mm
Weight	280gm
Volume	300ml
Acquisition	Purchase E-Bay 22 October 2014.
Rameking Reference Number	RBY 002-005

If you want to read more, see this in his own words.
https://www.flickr.com/groups/austpots/discuss/72157629662786291/