Arabia

Designer	Ulla Procopé (1921-1968)
Maker	Arabica
Marks	Stamped “Arabica Finland” to base Flame motif above
Material	Glazed stoneware
Description	Mould formed, heavy brown matte glazed to inside and outside of bowl.  Indented pourer to outside of rim.  Flattened rim extending outwards from bowl.  Hollowed straight stem handle angled slightly upward from outside of rim.  Unglazed flat circular base.
Condition	Very Good
Number	No number
Production Date	Late 1960s
Width at rim	130mm
Width at Base	65mm
Depth	43mm
Length (with handle)	192mm
Weight	288gm
Volume	250ml
Acquisition	Mill Antiques, Daylesford Victoria. 18 Dec 2016
Rameking Reference Number	ARA 001

This ramekin is shown in the Arabia catalogue as a “Sauce Boat”..  It is more appropriately considered a “saucier”, or as they refer to them in some of their literature as “open sauce boats.”  The closest in design to those in a catalogue is the “Ruska” design.  This isn’t one, but is similar, so it was probably made in the 1970’s.

The Arabia factory was set up near Helsinki, Finland, in 1873 by the Swedish company Rörstrand. They chose Finland for its close proximity to Russia, where they wanted to expand their market. Within a few years the Arabia factory was producing half of Finland's total ceramics output. The Arabia factory was managed by Gustav Herlitz who had previously worked for Rörstrand in Sweden. The range of wares was expanded to include art pottery, domestic and utility wares, sanitary wares, tiles and even bricks.

During the first World War Arabia passed into Finnish ownership and by the outbreak of the second World War was larger than any producer of porcelain in Europe in terms of output.  Expansion continued during the war and into the second half of the twentieth century. Affiliations were forged with other companies and by the end of the century Arabia and Rörstrand were again part of the same group.  Rather than me stealing from their website, it is probably better if you go there and see their story for yourself.

The designer of 'Ruska' series was Ulla Procopé (1921-1968), who worked for Arabia from 1948 to 1968.  She's also creator of the beautiful and practical - unfortunately also discontinued - fireproof 'Liekki' (Flame) series, (see next para) and the gorgeous hand-painted 'Valencia',  'Anemone', 'Rosmariini', 'Koralli' and the colorful 'Purpurinjenkka' pattern.  Production of 'Ruska'  discontinued in 1999.

The stamp to the base is not shown in any of the lists for Arabia.  Above the three crenelated crown is a flame motif.  The stamp is only partial and the word “Arabia” is only partially legible.  This sauce-boat is most likely from the later part of her career.  The simplicity of design is classic scandinavian.

Aviemore Pottery

Designer	James Gillon Crawford
Maker	Aviemore Pottery
Marks	Very faint logo impressed into base
Material	Glazed slip
Description	Small pinched bowl with pouring lip to one side, Curved blade handle from lower third of exterior of bowl, curving upwards.  Matte white glaze to interior and exterior with hand painted pattern in brown oxide to mid section of exterior.
Condition	Very Good
Number	No number
Production Date	Possibly early 1970s
Width at rim	67mm
Width at Base	32mm
Depth	50mm
Length (with handle)	110mm
Weight
Volume	125ml
Acquisition	Purchase Re-Store Ballarat 21 June 2016
Rameking Reference Number	AVI 001

Sometimes something completely different crosses my path.  This is one of those somethings.  It is difficult to find much information on this company, other than pictures on EBay.  What I have found out is here.  If there are any corrections, please let me know.

Aviemore Potteries was a brand used by Castlewynd Studios Ltd Gifford Gates, Inverdruie Aviemore Scotland PH22 1QH.  Castle Wynd Studios began in 1950 at Castle Wynd Edinburgh.  As the business grew, they began to move to better premises, first to Gifford, East Lothian in 1954, then to Aviemore in 1964.  They moved to Kingussie in 1976 to produce fine bone china using the name “Highland China (Scotland) Ltd”.  It was incorporated in 1976, some ten years after Aviemore Potteries began.  James Gillon Crawford began the company and was their Ceramics Designer.  They then became  “Highland China (Scotland) Ltd but ceased trading in the 1980s due to the economic downturn at the time.  The company was finally dissolved in 2015, although James’ daughter has recently opened a galley back in Aviemore. 

Highland China (Scotland) Ltd Co No SC055232

Kingussie Pottery

Off Ruthven Rd Kingussie PH21 1HP

Incorporated 13^th March 1974

Inverness Shire

They began producing a range of Cairngorm animals in 1950.  You may know their most famous design, the three-piece Lock Ness Monster “Nessie” in black.  The sales of the Nessie design almost single handedly kept the pottery going.  They divided this into two streams, this one, the Domestic Range consisted of highland cattle and sheep.  Tom Mackie remodelled them and also modelled a cow, calf, lamb, and a collie dog for the range.   The second range was their Wildlife range, comprising a bear, otter and stag, also modelled by Tom Mackie and using an oxide finish, giving a more natural look.     

This item has been variously described as a Butter Warmer, a Cream Pourer and a Porridge Bowl.  The makers described it as a “Luggie”, or Ear in Scots Gallic.  It was made in two sizes.  This one, the smaller was a cream container.  These items were made for the tourist market and this one was sold through the gift shop at Edinburgh Castle.  A Luggie was a common household item in Scotland and was traditionally made of wooden staves, then hooped. The lug was formed by one stave extending upwards to form the “lug”.  The Luggie was used in conjunction with the Coggie when supping porridge.  The luggie held the cold milk into which each spoonful of hot porridge was dipped.  This, according to the Scots is the correct way to eat porridge.  Traditionally, the spoon was made of horn.       

Aviemore is a Scottish Highlands tourist town in the Cairngorms in Scotland.  Aviemore Pottery began in the Scottish Highlands in 1964.  They produced a variety of modern versions of traditional Scottish pottery, such as Saut Buckets, Coggie or Quaich, Luggies, Bellarmine and Bicker.

A little explanation;

Saut Bucket                           Saut is Scots Gallic for Salt.  Known as a Salt Pig these days.

Coggie or Quaich                 Scots Gallic for a bowl or Drinking Vessel

Luggie                                    Scots Gallac for Ear or handle.  Any wooden container with a handle (or Lug)

Bellarmine                             Also known as a Witch Bottle, used to keep a counter to magic spells.  Made from stoneware.

Bicker                                     Possible a corruption of “beaker.”  Scottish for any vessel containing liquor for drinking, a porridge dish or bowl.         

Pravda, George Pravda

Designer	George Pravda
Maker	George Pravda
Marks	Hand painted with various faux Aboriginal designs incised through brown glaze to interior of bowl.  Striped design incised to top of tab handle.
Description	Shallow square bowl with rounded corners tapering inward to flat base.
Condition	Very Good
Number
Production Date	Between 1949 & 1954
Width	100mm
Depth	35mm
Length (with handle)	125mm
Weight	155gm
Volume	230ml
Acquisition	E-Bay
Rameking Reference Number	PRA 001-004

Sometimes I get it wrong and I am grateful to you out there when this is pointed out.  These ramekins were shown as being from another maker.  This maker is much more obscure but just as interesting.

This time, it was by misreading a signature.  Thankfully, some keen eyed person on the Internet was able to put me straight.  These ramekins were made by a post war immigrant to Australia by the name of Georges J Pravda.  Professionally he was known as George Pravda, an actor of some renown.  But that is not appropriate for me to pursue here.

George was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia on the 19^th of June 1916.  Czechoslovakia was then still part of the Austro- Hungarian Empire.   He began his acting career there at the Prague Realistic Theatre under the name Jiří Pravda.  He was fluent in six languages.  In 1946 he met Hana Alexandrova, an Auschwitz survivor.  He helped her to deal with the horror of the loss of her husband and her family.  Romance blossomed and they married in 1948.  They remained a devoted couple until his death.

At the end of the Second World War, he and Hana obtained false identity papers that allowed them and their son Alexander to escape to Paris where they tried unsuccessfully to obtain residency.  On the 24^th of June 1949 they arrived in Melbourne aboard the “Surriento” a migrant passenger liner where he continued acting in their own “Tana” company and also set up a small pottery in Caulfield, a suburb of Melbourne that operated for seven years.  He met Dame Sybil Thorndyke on her visit to Melbourne in 1954 when she saw Hana’s production of “Of Mice and Men.”  Persuading them to go to London, she wrote a reference for them and he left for London with his family where he lived for the rest of his life.

This letter of introduction to renowned actor Sir John Gielgud helped to establish themselves in the London theatrical scene.  They moved to Kensington and Hana became a Director, working at the “Leatherhead Repertory Company.”   She also continued acting, appearing in many 1960s favourites, such as one of my favourites “Danger Man”, “Catweazle”, Dad’s Army” and “Z Cars.”  

He appeared in numerous British films and Television series including Thunderball and Hopscotch.  He also made several appearances in the perennial Doctor Who.  He usually played various Eastern European types, including spies and scientists.

Pravda produced mainly slipwares decorated mainly with faux Aboriginal motifs, like these ramekins.  Slipware is a decorative technique using slip, a liquid mixture of fine clay and water. The slip can be coloured with oxides or coloured clays and applied to the vessel by dipping or painting, or trailed on like icing on a cake.  This is what has been done to these ramekins and the design incised through the slip

Cultural appropriation is the term we use now.  Aboriginal people are very particular about designs, their jurisdiction and use in their works, but in the fifties, our potters were not.  These fake aboriginal designs were very popular with homemakers of the time and for about fifteen years they appeared everywhere.  This caused offence to the Aboriginal people who at the time did not have voice in national affairs.  Sometimes an Aboriginal artist must serve a long “apprenticeship” before they can even begin to paint.  Copyright was something they knew little of and protection of a design was unheard of and difficult to establish.  Now, Aboriginal people are concerned with the mass marketing of tourist kitsch by their own people.

George died in London on the 30^th of April or the 1^st of May 1985.