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/

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.