Rye Pottery Bird Water Dropper??

Trying to identify this object... Looks like a water dropper. Impressed Rye Pottery Sussex on base. In the form of a bird. Anybody seen one before?

I haven't seen one before and was involved in an early exhibition of Rye Pottery that Harry Lyons held at New Century in London in 1995. I then had an exhibition myself at the Harlequin Gallery in 1999, which also had the book launch of Carol Cashmore's "The Potteries of Rye". Therefore I was quite involved with it around that time.

It might fall into their "miniature" range that had originally been produced by the previous pottery in the 1920s/30s. When the Cole brothers took over the premises in the late 1940s, they "inherited" Edwin Twort (wonderful name), who had made them pre-War. He was allowed to produces miniatures using the new standard clay and glazes. After his retirement, Raymond Everett took over their production at the Cole's Rye Pottery.

Thanks for the info... interesting. I’m wondering whether it could be late 40s - early 50s and by Wally Cole? The impressed mark suggests it could be.

Could it be a oil lamp? Or is it know they were water droppers?

I guess it could have had a wick and been an oil lamp, although, not sure how safe/practical that would be?? Thanks

I see what you mean... The Romans made similar pottery oil lamps... could be

CharlieC wrote:Thanks for the info... interesting. I’m wondering whether it could be late 40s - early 50s and by Wally Cole? The impressed mark suggests it could be.

It looks as if it could be the date you suggest but Wally wouldn't have made them.

The information regarding Twort and Everett came from Pam Goddard, who was an apprentice at the time and stay at Rye for longer than all of the male apprentices. Therefore I would think that it is accurate.