Colourware Pottery

Designer	Hans Wright
Maker	Colourware Pottery
Marks	Incised “Colourware Pottery” to base
Material	Glazed slip lustre glaze
Description	Shallow rounded bowl angled inwards at top.  Unglazed footring with lustre glaze to outside and spoon handle angled upwards form centre of bowl body.  Matte cream glaze to interior.  Banded brown glaze to exterior.  Slight overspray of lustre glaze to interior rim of bowl.
Condition	Very good
Number	No number
Production Date	Late 1980s
Width at rim	110mm
Width at Base	70mm
Depth	50mm
Length (with handle)	165mm
Weight	220gm
Volume	375ml
Acquisition	Salvo stores Brandon Park 29th May 2013.
Rameking Reference Number	COL 001-002

Colourware Pottery seems to be a brief continuation of Hanstan.  Hanstan Studio Pty Ltd ceased as a company on the 8^th of January 1988.  Like “Diana” producing later versions  (Dana) and Nefertiti, or someone from Southern Aurora, Hanstan, or a person associated with the works, continued with the production of a limited range of pottery.  This lustreware came in a small variety of patterns from ashtrays to kitchen canisters.  “Lustre” is an effect produced by a second (reduction) firing of the body with a metallic oxide glaze (bismuth oxide) in a slightly cooler kiln.  This gives the product a metallic gold, silver or bronze appearance.  The design, size and shape of these ramekins is identical to those made by Hanstan, only the glaze and signature are different.

Hanstan were mostly made on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula,in the 1960s to the early 90s.  I have been told that their pottery was located at Mornington in the Industrial area.  Starting in 1962, most of their considerable output was domestic or kitchenware so they don't appear on the radar of most of the trendy wanker collectors. Have a look in any op shop and there is sure to be at least one piece.

 
Hanstan output was originally mostly marked with a large incised signature "Hanstan" to the base. Other later works had either a black stamp or a black and gold sticker. These were used after Hanstan moved from hand painting to transfer designs.  These are incised “Colourware Pottery” in a similar script.

 Hanstan on the left, Colourware Pottery to the right

Hanstan refers to Hans Wright and Stan Burrage. The partnership apparently didn’t last long as I was told the two had a falling out in the early sixties with Hans and Mrs Wright continuing the pottery.  Hans Earle Wright was a salesman turned potter turned archer. He was born in the mid 1930s and completed an art course at the Melbourne Technical College, now RMIT. He started out helping a fellow student make jewellery. He married Patricia, a nurse and then moved from Sandringham to Mount Eliza.

Hans had more than one string to his bow, being Australia's best archer, he won about fifteen Australian Championships. Hans would train archers in the factory, believing that the noise of the pottery would make the archers less likely to be distracted in competition. Good for the archers but somewhat off putting for the potters. There is no record of anyone being hit by an arrow. I wonder what the Health and Safety people today would make of this. Mrs Wright would manage the pottery when Hans went off to the many archery competitions he took part in.

For two years from age 19 to 21 well known former graffiti artist Arjuna Watson worked at Hanstan Pottery Studio, hand-painting floral Christopher Vine designs. (Afterwards he makes himself a promise: “I will never paint an iris again”.) Christopher vine would come to the pottery whenever he came up with new lines. Thanks AJ for the info. If anyone has more information about this pottery, I would be pleased to hear from you. I know you are still out there Hans.

The Stan was Stanley Leonard Scud Burrage who was born in Robinvale Victoria on the 7^thof December 1935 and was christened at Traralgon, Victoria one year later. Like Hans, he originally worked in sales but together they began Hanstan pottery at his parents, George and Elsie (Weymouth) Burrage’ home and poultry farm on Springvale road, Springvale, Victoria in 1962. 

The partnership dissolved in 1964 and Hans then continued the business in Mornington,  Stan and wife Helen went overseas for two years then they moved to the bayside suburb of Mentone, where they ran a hardware shop in Hampton for two years. then back to Vinifera near Swan Hill to be an Orchardist betweenn 1972 to 75.  Later, in the early 1980s, Stan worked as a contractor in Dingley, Victoria.  Stan died too young at the age of 52 in Montrose Victoria on the 1st of March 1987

The Wrights lived in Mount Eliza and worked in the neighbouring town of Mornington. Hans is reputed to have been a bit of a workaholic. The pottery was run as a fully commercial operation, producing mainly domestic wares.  Staff served a form of "apprenticeship" doing routine process work before graduating to more involved work. Starting in the sanding booth, cleaning up the bodies from the moulds before moving on to glazing, then if you were good enough, or had lasted the distance, decorating.

Fry, Stephen Fry?

Designer	Stephen Fry?
Maker	Stephen Fry?
Marks	Painted initials “SF” to base
Material	Glazed earthenware clay
Description	Heavy rounded sided bowl with large open-ended trumpet handle angled upward from top side of bowl. Flat base.
Condition	Very Good, small chip to inside of handle on one ramekin.
Number	No number
Production Date	Early 1980s
Width at rim	125mm
Width at Base	60mm
Depth	50mm
Length (with handle)	177mm
Weight
Volume
Acquisition	Purchase Salvos Store, Hastings 21st May 2013
Rameking Reference Number	STF 001-005

Well, another milestone, one hundred and fifty posts.  These are a bit of a mystery.  The nearest I can come to identifying these is Stephen Fry.  No, not that Stephen Fry.  I think these are an early example of the work of this Stephen Fry who trained at the Salisbury College of Advanced Education in South Australia. The initials on the base seem to be very close to those of his later pre-ant stamp.  He was a resident potter at the Cransley Craft Centre in Campbelltown, NSW, before establishing his own workshop and teaching facilities at Couridjah, NSW. In 1981, approximately 30 people were using the Couridjah Pottery facilities. In 1985, Fry had recently worked in Japan, exchanging a studio and getting a chance to use a Bizen kiln. This information all comes from Fry’s entries in the 1981 and the 1985/1986 potters’ directories. Fry marks his work with an impressed ant or with his incised initials.  No, this information comes thanks to “Australian Pottery Marks.”

So, if I am wrong, please tell me who it is.

Still Going Strong (Ray Cook)

This morning, as is my habit, I called into my favourite coffee shop Cote Terra in Oakleigh, Victoria for my caffeine hit. As I stood there waiting for Joe to make it with his usual artistic flair, this vision appeared before me. Isn’t it great that after sixty years, some Ray Cook (Raynham) ramekins are still going strong. And yes, there are baked beans in it.

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.

Yeaman, Greg Yeaman

Designer	Greg Yeaman
Maker	Greg Yeaman
Marks	Incised initials GY to edge of base
Material	Clay
Description	Hand made, wheel thrown straight-sided bowl curving inwards slightly at top.  Thickened rim and flat unglazed base. Flat handle from centre of bowl side. Clear matte glaze to interior and exterior, brown glaze band to lower third of bowl exterior.
Condition	Very good
Number	No number
Production Date	2012
Width at rim	95mm
Width at Base	100mm
Depth	55mm
Length (with handle)	153mm
Weight	370gm
Volume	260ml
Acquisition	Purchase From the Artist Camberwell Market 31 March 2013
Rameking Reference Number	GYE 001-006

Hooray! The Australian studio rameking is not yet completely gone from our tables.  These are experimental pieces from new pottery artist Greg Yeaman.  Greg has a studio in Knoxfield, Victoria where he produces a variety of domestic earthenware art pottery.  He operates an electric kiln and is experimenting with his own glazes.   

Greg, any further information would be appreciated.