Alan Wallwork

I suppose from a glaze point of view it is likely to be from his time at Abbotsford. I first went to see him at Whitty Down Farm around 1992/3, which is after Abbotsford, and I don't recall seeing the like there, although his workshop and garden were never what you might call tidy.

I have had a couple of unsigned pieces in the past (other shapes) and on both occasions they were items that he didn't make many of.

Maybe when he was experimenting he didn't bother to sign the pieces, as he wasn't planning to sell them.

Found a nice cylinder vase at a Fair on Saturday, labelled "Troika?"   

11.5" high probably Marnhill period .

Weren't the ones marked 'W' alone produced by the whole team at Marnhull?

By the whole team ? they are hand thrown or hand built so each pot is still individual, I don't know too much about that period at all , but I cannot see what's not to like about those pots .  

its just that they look like lots of the other designs from that era

philpot wrote:Weren't the  ones marked 'W' alone produced by the whole team at Marnhull?

There were people assisting Alan at this time but they were either tile decorators or people who produced the basic pot, in this case the cylinder. Alan did all the surface decorating and the glazing.

For a short period he did try and pursued these assistants to put their mark on as well, which is probably what the other mark is, on this cylinder.

Yes , Hudson , Rooke did similar style markings , but you could say the same about lots of pots , doesn't make it any less desirable to some , i'm not saying this is ground breaking stuff but this pot has a great feel and look in the flesh imo , maybe not as fashionable but hey ho never mind   

dantheman wrote:its just that they look like lots of the other designs from that era

 That's because Alan was selling so well that others nicked his ideas to make money themselves.

Hudson Rooke and Dawe all made this sort of design so for me it lost all appeal

dantheman wrote:Hudson Rooke and Dawe all made this sort of design so for me it lost all appeal

I prefer Wallwork's versions. Hudson's ones lack individuality, Dawe seems to be a late-commer to the show. I would like a Rooke, though.

Quote from Allan Wallwork on the 'Marnhull' part of the Alan Wallwork website.

'Some of the girls now turning out tiles at Marnhull proved equally adept at working on the simple coiled repetition of vases and lamp bases'

I'm aware of the girls work there I had some pieces with only their marks on , of course it's a repeated process as are many pots , simple forms decorated slightly different that's pottery in the majority of cases .

NaomiM wrote:

dantheman wrote:Hudson Rooke and Dawe all made this sort of design so for me it lost all appeal

I prefer Wallwork's versions. Hudson's ones lack individuality, Dawe seems to be a late-commer to the show. I would like a Rooke, though.

I agree the Wallwork & Rooke Pieces are best imo , some Hudson pieces handmade are fine , moulded stuff leaves me cold , the Dawe pieces are ok to but very small scale for my liking.

Alan Wallwork and Bernard Rooke came up with much of the decoration together when they were in Greenwich - many of the marks are based on letters in their surnames.

That was a good idea to do that , they get described today as runic symbols   

we should start an Alard Wallrook thread

big ed wrote:

11.5" high probably Marnhill period .

I contacted Joe the hat , who got in touch with Alan , Replied-
Hi Ed,
Here's what Alan sent about your pot......
The answer, Joe, is, I'm afraid lost in the mists of time! I made a lot of those simple cylinder vases in the early days, making them a "bread and butter" line with some of the processes carried out by assistants, I did the finishing. That one though is unusual, slightly bigger and with the blue gaze inlaid into the lower band of symbols. That would have been tricky to do, I usually just rubbed oxide on to all the bands of rouletted decoration, quick and easy. The " t" therefore may have meant this was a test piece which probably wasn't repeated because of the extra work. This was fifty years ago Joe probably! Cheers, Alan

It was quite out of character, me referring to the symbols as 'runes'! Must have been the pills (just had an operation on my foot).
All the Best

Joe

Hi

Two 6 inch ceramic place mats with cork backs. I thought Surrey Ceramics, then Hornsea and then Isle of Wight for some reason, sure I used to know. From the colour and style I was thinking most likely 1970's

denbydump wrote:If you don't mind sacificing tha cork backing, they are often ink stamped
Wallwork on Johnson's blanks.

If the cork backing had been put on by Alan's ladies, which is quite likely, they wouldn't have bothered to stamp them. So best to keep it on.

Mrs. S-P went out shopping alone last Friday and came back with this: -





It's 12 inches (30.5 cm) in diameter.

Recently purchased , and in perfect condition as so many pieces seem to have small amounts of damage I was pleased to find this one damage free , signed standard AW aprox 5" high.

" />