Distinctive Geometric Deep Plate

Another purchase that went a little wrong - I was certain that this was by Chris Jenkins - but nothing like the mark, the mark looks like EB or EA Perhaps... weird raised outline to the mark - was bought from a collection in Wales so could be local to the cardiff area... but thats a bit wild speculation. Quite a distinctive pattern to the inside decoration and a nice glaze...







Any ideas... I'm 1 out of 4 over the last couple of days...  

I like that.It looks quality.
But...Isn't there always?
If you cannot recognise it. Don't buy it.

The Studio Pottery market nowadays is a VERY conservative one. The big hitters-and the lesser ones- are basically the same as they were 20 years ago. If you are in the studio pottery market you should be able to recognise them. If not, why are you buying?
Its really is a great, great pity. There are soooo many fantastic potters who are worth zilch on the secondary market.
Beware the gorgeous piece that you cannot identify. You will end up giving it to a charity shop!
And I have been buying for 24 years now!

Agree to a large extent if its purely investment.... absolutely 100% spot on from a dealers perspective, and great advice.

But got to be a first principle  do i really like it, is my heart in the piece.. thats where the joy is for me - does it augment my other pieces and sit well with them (and it was in an auction lot with a couple of names so i was hedging my bets somewhat, I've been lucky that way in the past).

Definately wont find this in a charity shop down the line - but then again wont find it in the York Museum either

p.s. I'm not exactly a beginner... 20 years +

Heart?
Head?
Purse?
Whatever.
As a collector.I you love it. Fantastic! Enjoy it, luxuriate in a piece of an individual with immense skill, craft and endeavour. There are hundreds of such potters who have produced fantastic beautiful work. As a collector,enjoy them and luxuriate in them. They can-and indeed are- an utter joy. There are some potters worth nothing who I love as totally amazing. There are others(a lot fewer mind you,as the top end is a small world) whose work I personally find sterile and boring.
But if you are going to buy at auction for some sort of return use your head and not your heart. On the one hand with your heart you can find gorgeousness for peanuts. On t'other hand you can find yourself buying wasting a lot of money.
Know your market.

totally totally agree - its a tough juggling act heart and head and quite addictive - and there's some mistakes along the way, reduce the risk by following the advice you give, definately.

I don’t recognise the mark. I’m wondering if it’s from the US or Canada

Do you think the inside is reminiscent of a crop circle / aztec influence perhaps...

Might simply represent a sunrise

Worth trying The Marks Project for US Studio Pottery Marks

Is there any remote possibility that this could be by Bernard Forrester the only reason i ask is that 90% of the auction lots were by either him or andrew crouch and definately not crouch... there are long shots and there are LONG shots... (please be gentle )

philpot wrote:Heart?
Head?
Purse?
Whatever.
As a collector.I you love it. Fantastic! Enjoy it, luxuriate in a piece of an individual with immense skill, craft and endeavour. There are hundreds of such potters who have produced fantastic beautiful work. As a collector,enjoy them and luxuriate in them. They can-and indeed are- an utter joy. There are some potters worth nothing who I love as totally amazing. There are others(a lot fewer mind you,as the top end is a small world) whose work I personally find sterile and boring.
         But if you are going to buy at auction for some sort of return use your head and not your heart. On the one hand with your heart you can find gorgeousness for peanuts. On t'other hand you can find yourself buying wasting a lot of money.
        Know your market.

I started buying pottery as an investment so I bought very collectable pottery but while I was looking for that I saw some pottery that I really loved so I bought that too.
Most of the stuff I bought for investment is now worth very little but most of the pottery I bought from the heart has appreciated in value

I was a little 'seduced' by concentrating on the name before weighing up the merits of the piece - with hindsight it would have been wiser to concentrate the spending on a really important piece of theirs.

No, it is definitely not by Bernard Forrester. Got a number of pieces by him. He never used an impressed mark. Its always been a painted stylised F, either in Black or gold.

cheers phil - i'll put that longshot to bed

Could this be by Elsa Benattar?

MCWebs wrote:Could this be by Elsa Benattar?

It might be an EB mark but not one of hers - you lettering is impressed where as hers is raised