Flower Frogs

After a long, wet and cold winter, the trees and bushes are budding and early flowers are virtually leaping out of the ground.

This puts me in mind of the flower frogs I used to make for shows. One of those fill-the-corners-of-the-kiln things that "paid the rent".

Definitely a niche item. I wouldn't have even thought of making them if a lady hadn't described what a pansy frog was and requested I make one for her. Since she was a friend, I made her one and then tried including some at a show. They were great little sellers and fairly easy to make.

You know how it is. Every show you have someone who wants you to make something for them and usually I  take a dim view of this having been stung a couple of times stuck with a piece I had made and the buyer having evaporated.

I still have a custom made salt and pepper dispenser set designed to fit a particular stove niche......

Anyway

the flower frog request sent me off on a mission to expand my knowledge about their different shapes and history. I remember seeing them at my grandmothers' and aunt's houses. We had a few in the house I grew up in.


I have a couple of antique flower frogs I've picked up along the way.

The first is a Japanese one made to suggest lotus leaves. It is designed to sit inside another vessel and support either a grouping of flower stems for each hole or quite large stems like iris or lily plants.

Large, tall flowers and this small frog might present a problem. I have never understood why frogs are so short. This one makes more sense.

The pink example is currently on eBay for $12.00.

The other piece that was in my mother's things. For years I had no clue about what it was. It is a variation of a pansy frog.

The slots are for tiny blossoms with stems that are too weak to support themselves. They are threaded into the slots and into the water reservoir  filled from the top.

This one is a McCoy Pottery piece and can be found in antique shops.

Flower frogs might work as kiln fillers and could be successful for sales in garden shows, at nurseries or art fairs.

More about frogs in the next post.

Happy Easter

India or China?

I inherited this unusual vintage pot from my husband's family. I'm guessing from the design, it was made around 1920-30. This pot was made in many different colors and sometimes with an applied gold trim.

The divided pot was so the hostess could offer her guests either tea from or China.  Very elegant, yes?

Beside the Twinspout Tea Master make, the Hall Tea company made a lot of teapots that look like this, although they were usually made without two chambers.

The last time I checked, this pot is worth around $200.00 because it is in perfect condition.

There is a kiln mark on the foot, but these are usually overlooked in evaluations. And evaluations vary according to how they are framed. Insurance evals are higher because they refer to replacement values. Auction prices are much lower because they are for a quick sale. The real value is somewhere in between. Also prices will vary according to the way a market swings.

So once the pot is filled with tea, how do you tell which side has which tea? 

There are very subtle 'touch and sight' clues that aren't apparent at first sight.

The handle has very slight ridges over one spout. Some other pots have a more obvious 'thumb stop' or knob on one side or the other.  

And you can barely see an impressed arrow on the left-hand galley pointing to one chamber. It is the chamber closest to the ridged side of the handle.

Also, you would think the lid would fit no matter which way you put it on. But it only fits one way. The clue is also a subtle arrow impressed into the claybody.

Next time you see one of these in an antiques store, check it out.

More Teapots

I haven't seen this book yet, but I'm sure it's as good as the first one.

Below:

Ann Hirondale's two pots. I never get tired of looking at these.

She offered a great class some years ago.

These pots are surprisingly light when you pick them up.

Unfortunately, I don't know who made this beauty.

Or this one, but it looks like a commercial pot. Nice shape all the same.

A Fine Mess Pottery.

A gaggle of teapots?

No, that's geese.


Maybe a Twitter of Teapots.

These last two are by Sequoia Miller.

Teapots, Teapots, Teapots

I love looking at teapots.

While cleaning out my 'dirty old computer' (that commercial just cracks me up) I ran across a file of nothing but teapots.  Enjoy!


By my friend, Gayle Bair, absolutely beautiful work.

Lisa Quals

Haven't figured out the spout, though. 

Meryl Ruth

I'd love to see one of her pots for real.

By Nils Lou

This silver pot is in the Renwick Museum in Washington, D.C.  Sometimes silver pieces can be great inspiration for potters. I love the handle.  And the handmade look of it.

Unfortunately, I don't know who make this lovely thing.  Beautiful positive and negative space and symmetry.

Tiny Tea, one of mine.

Tim Storey

Selling

I've just been reading an interesting discussion on CLAYART* email about selling on Etsy.  Some potters evidently are doing well--especially if they are offering those "Make your Rent" kinds of things that sell for around $20.00.

Even though it rankles me to do it too, I have also make those little kiln-fillers for sale. I'm not saying anything about individual's potter's choices. I'm speaking for myself totally.

As a matter of fact, it always amazes me that a lot of show patrons will buy several little things like this when, at the end of the day, they could have spent the same amount and come away with a single treasure.

Anyway, back to the discussion.

It seems that I've heard this kind of sales song before. Those who make the "Make your Rent" stuff and work out a simple plan are doing okay. But, like shows, it's patchy. And, it seems, the fees for listing, and other special features can add up in a hurry.

Shows offer space at a price. Shows attract buyers. Artists set up booths and sell their work and if they are lucky, they make a profit. Seems like the same thing happens with sites like eBay and Etsy. The venue is offered, artists make stuff and the promoters are the ones who really make the money.

There must be a better way.



*CLAYART is an international discussion group open to potters, suppliers, etc. of all things clay. If you want more details, comment and I will send you the information. I learn something new every time I read it.

Piping and Sideboys

The following post has absolutely nothing to do with ceramics or clay or art.  It is the result of my cousin sending me an email about Navy traditions and our shared experience of spending years associated with same. And this reminded me of a bunch of experiences. So please indulge me. 

Piping and Sideboys on Navy ships

The custom of 'piping' a distinguished visitor 'over the side' dates to the time of wooden ships when senior officers would come alongside in their small launches. As the launch approached, the ship Boatswain, who was a warrant or petty officer in charge of the ship's deck crew, rigging, cables and anchors, would use his bos'n call to muster a party of men to assist the senior officer coming aboard.

 Hence, the term "piping."  

He arrived at the quarterdeck, the ship's 'front door' and assembled a working party of sailors to take their stations on either side of the senior officer who would be lifted from the launch via a 'sling'. The sling would be lowered to the launch; the officer would be strapped in and hoisted to the quarterdeck of the ship.  

As the seniority of the officer was often an indicator of his bulk, the more senior the officer, the larger the number of men would be assigned to hoist him up  and lift him "over the side"

 The more senior the officer, the more likely the bulk. Hence more sideboys were needed to assist him onboard. The same operation in reverse was performed whenever the officer returned to his launch.

Today, distinguished visitors are not hoisted aboard ship, but the sideboys and the piping functions still remain.

The above reminded me of the odd experience of being "piped" aboard a ship.  And my resultant wonderment about whether my experience was a singular one or not. I still don't know. 

I attended many Change of Commands aboard ships while my husband was serving in the Navy, but on one instance, I had arrived via a launch, my husband had already been there as part of the ship's company. I climbed aboard and as I set foot on the quarterdeck, I heard the pipe. So, either I was supposed to be piped aboard or someone mistook me for somebody else. It required me to pause at the quarterdeck

The other memory this little article spurred was the fact that before leaving Japan, I bought a nice Boatswain's pipe just as a souvenir. 

It lay in a drawer for some years until we moved to a beach community. Our children had lots of room to run, but were difficult to call home in a place where the sea roared and the wind blew nearly all the time. 

The perfect solution was for me to stand on the front deck of our house and blow the Boatswain's pipe. The sound carried perfectly.

Christa Assad

Christa Assad needs help.

This talented potter has had a disastrous house fire and has been injured in the process. Her friends have arranged this website and raffle to raise money to help her on the long road to recovery. 

The site is clearly laid out and if you choose to contribute, note which piece you would like to win by writing the artist's name in the comments section in the contribution process where you place your name and comments.

http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/help-christa-assad-get-muddy-again-/143960

Puzzle Jugs

http://www.dump.com/puzzlejug/

Check out this outstanding video that explains how to make a puzzle jug.

Definitely want to try my hand at this some day.

Hiatus

Angry Cat - Quick brush drawing using stain.





















Sorry I haven't posted anything for a while....Life has an uncanny way of interfering with, well, Life--- A lot of 'outer' life has interrupted 'inner' life for the moment and I don't have a full studio to work with yet..........let alone a full deck.

Badda bam.

We sold our house. And the building my studio was in. And we moved it ALL into a smaller house.

Nuff said?  I've been sorting, shuffling, packing, donating, unpacking sorting, moving, repacking, selling, ever since. You'd think I would lose some weight, wouldn't you?

Come spring, it's going to be one big garage sale, I can tell you.

So, in the meantime, I am doing some research and a lot of thinking and writing; just not a lot of art.  Do I need to say it's a bit frustrating?

I am, however, working toward getting a studio reassembled and also on designing renovations for the new house.

See you soon.......