Poole Pottery/ Freeform, 1950's

An example of Freeform vases by Poole Pottery, designed 1950's

Left: Promotional plate used as signage in stores for Freeform, Right: Freeform vases

Left: pattern Trail vases, Right: Totem pattern shallow bowl by Diane Holloway

Left: Artists at work in the Poole Factory, Dorset, England in the 1950's
Right: The Freeform collection of Poole expert John Clark

Left: Unusually shaped Freeform bowl, Right: Platter, owned by myself

Left: Freeform vase owned by myself, Right: Another design in the same silhouette 

Left: lamp bases designed in Freeform range, Right: platter

Left: Tiles designed by Poole in the same period to promote Dorset, Right: Freeform vase

Left: Some quite unusual colors for Freeform in vases, Right: Freeform bowl

Often the most sought out and the most pricey to collect is the Freeform range from Poole Pottery, based in Dorset, England. Designed by Alfred Read and Guy Sydenham, Poole Pottery launched the Freeform range in 1956-57. Consisting of nine slip-cast 'freeform' shapes decorated in eight new patterns and some hand-thrown shapes, with ten additional new hand-painted patterns all designed by Ruth Pavely and Ann Read.

Influenced quite heavily by Scandinavian studio Pottery of the period such as Gustavsberg and their work with one of my heroes Stig Lindberg, Scandinavian design was well ahead of the pack in the 1940s and it was in the mid 1950s that UK and USA began to catch up using shapes colours and glazes being produced by the leading Scandinavian factories.

I love the patterns that are used on the silhouettes of these vases and bowls, The soft but structured designs that were largely produced in dusty pastels, It's amazing that they are all so intricately painted by hand. 

I am lucky to own 2 pieces that I have acquired over the years but these guys are not easy to find and if you do, you have to be prepared to pay premium prices. 

Please note: Some of these images have been kindly supplied by John Clark, who generously reached out to me to share his knowledge of this period of Poole Pottery. I am afraid in my first post I did not get all the information right, This general post of Freeform also cover the Contemporary period that John pointed out is in fact often mistaken as Freeform but actually encompasses 2 periods of Poole.


For interested collectors of Poole, There is also good information in a catalogue from the 1997 “Poole in the 1950s” exhibition that John Clark co-hosted with Richard Dennis at his gallery in London. The catalogue is still in print and can be purchased through the Richard Dennis Publications website, as can the best book on the pottery “Poole Pottery” by Hayward and Atterbury which has information on all periods.
http://www.richarddennispublications.com/shop/category-46-book-list

Oh those swedes!/ Stig Linberg

I have never owned a Stig Linberg! There I said it, It makes me a bit sad. The number of times I have been outbid on a “Stig” on E-Bay is staggering. His work is incredibly collectable, Out of all the Swedish ceramic artists, He is probably the best known, although he also in his time became renowned for his designs in china, enamel and textiles and also achieved prominence as an illustrator, sculptor and even furniture designer.

Born in 1916, Stig Lindberg was one of the most prolific designers in Scandinavia. For many Swedes, he is representative of the playful design of the 1950’s. In Swedish homes you can often find various objects which he created, Lindberg studied at the Swedish State School of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, hoping to become a painter. After graduating in 1937 he accepted an employment as a faience painter at Gustavsberg Pottery where he mainly contributed up until 2 years before his death in 1982.

I love his textiles, but it is his ceramics that I find truly amazing, The organic shapes are like no other and his use of color is after a palette of my own heart, I just love his play on color and the combinations he uses, He has influenced me a lot that way as a Stylist.

Don’t you worry, my collection of Stig will happen, of that I am certain, I just need to be even more E-Bay savvy. Either that or a trip to Sweden will be on the cards.

  

Oh those swedes!/ Lisa Larson

With my next installment of "Oh those Swedes!", I continue to explore my love of Swedish design with a longtime favorite of mine Lisa Larson who from her home in Sweden she still creates in her later 70's, inspiring ceramics that revolve largely around figures and animals. The Japanese are crazy for her, her whimsical touch and the characterization she develops in her figurines must touch a chord, There is a recent Japanese book published by Pie books www.piebooks.com on Lisa, It is worth getting if you love ceramics as much as I do! In the book you can even see pictures of her studio and even some candid portraits.

Originally she was encouraged by fellow Swede and ceramic artist Stig Lindberg (another favorite of mine and worthy of a future post in his own right, keep posted!) to develop her craft and for over half a century she has been developing for well known companies such as Gustavsberg, Rosenthal and Goebel. Her work has become incredibly collectible and fetches high prices these days, I am lucky to be the owner of one of her pieces I found in a thrift store many years ago, it still has it's original sticker. I would love to own more though, My single piece is very endearing but as a collection, it would be even more impactual.

I have found it really difficult to get much personal information about Lisa, Her work certainly speaks for itself but perhaps she is a very private person or perhaps not enough is known about her yet? I hope to see more information emerge about her and to see even more great work be produced, It really is one of a kind and although she has had many imitators, the strength of her work shines through.