Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
+13
Bitsnbobs
MCWebs
r-and-f
slopingsteve
Annette
Mordeep
studio-pots
climberg64
skipposal
Potwurm
NaomiM
big ed
tenpot
17 posters
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Re: Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
Not sure exactly when the mark changed but the earlier (1950s/early 1960s) Abuja pieces had the mark in Arabic script. Therefore a late 1960s date for your vase seems correct.
As for something similar on the internet being ID'd as being by Ladi Kwali but without her mark, my answer is that is what the owner would like it to be.
Ladi Kwali had been a village potter before going to work with Cardew at Abuja and she was skilled at decoration of a traditional nature e.g. stylised birds, reptiles and traditional patterns similar to those on native fabric.
On the other hand your vase has patterns that appear to be based on Cardew/OBrien patterns i.e. introduced from the UK and then not terribly well executed, so, if anything it points to the vase being made by anyone other than Ladi Kwali.
Sorry about that.
As for something similar on the internet being ID'd as being by Ladi Kwali but without her mark, my answer is that is what the owner would like it to be.
Ladi Kwali had been a village potter before going to work with Cardew at Abuja and she was skilled at decoration of a traditional nature e.g. stylised birds, reptiles and traditional patterns similar to those on native fabric.
On the other hand your vase has patterns that appear to be based on Cardew/OBrien patterns i.e. introduced from the UK and then not terribly well executed, so, if anything it points to the vase being made by anyone other than Ladi Kwali.
Sorry about that.
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Now you should know by now that Potty and I need to see your bottom - we're funny that way!
slopingsteve- Number of posts : 304
Location : Cambridgeshire, England
Registration date : 2013-08-24
Re: Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
Second mark may be Abuja
Edited to add, TA mark could be Tanka Ashada
Edited to add, TA mark could be Tanka Ashada
Last edited by NaomiM on October 9th 2021, 10:41 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Carrot cake is just fake cake
Re: Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
I like that thought....
Thanks.
Thanks.
slopingsteve- Number of posts : 304
Location : Cambridgeshire, England
Registration date : 2013-08-24
Re: Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
The jug has what appears to be two glazes on the surface; a grey glaze, and a tenmoku brown(without the darker breaks). I have made similar colour glazes to the grey glaze in the past with ash from my coal-fired boiler. Mine was coarser because I didn't strain it as well as they have but it was exactly that shade.
slopingsteve- Number of posts : 304
Location : Cambridgeshire, England
Registration date : 2013-08-24
Re: Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
Helps to have a photo of the base. Abuja bases are very distinctive
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Carrot cake is just fake cake
slopingsteve- Number of posts : 304
Location : Cambridgeshire, England
Registration date : 2013-08-24
Re: Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
I have had a couple of Abuja in the past and the bases looked like chocolate, very dark clay. The second mark you have on this jug after the T.A does look them.
Mordeep- Number of posts : 847
Age : 56
Location : Richmond Surrey
Registration date : 2015-06-05
Re: Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
There is often a circle of glaze on the slightly concave bases of Abuja pots. This base looks less concave but there is a trace of glaze in the middle. I think it's right for Abuja. The bluish glaze over the brown glaze is also similar to Abuja
_________________
Carrot cake is just fake cake
Re: Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
This is definitely a keeper then. Apart from the Abuja connection it is a thoroughly sound piece of work. The spout pours well, the neck is wide enough to get your hand in to clean it properly and it holds a sensible amount of milk for early morning tea-for-two. It is well thrown and even in the body, well glazed in a subtle mix of colours and has no damage.
I will continue to look for the potter on the Abuja sites although I have had no luck yet. Whoever made it was well-practiced and confident: it is an understated little gem, and I thank them.
I will continue to look for the potter on the Abuja sites although I have had no luck yet. Whoever made it was well-practiced and confident: it is an understated little gem, and I thank them.
slopingsteve- Number of posts : 304
Location : Cambridgeshire, England
Registration date : 2013-08-24
Re: Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
It's not a typical Abuja base but the second mark plus the shape look right. I don't know the potter's mark.
_________________
Now you should know by now that Potty and I need to see your bottom - we're funny that way!
possibly Stephen Mhya, Bwari, near Abuja
Nigerian jug. No stamp but handwritten and numbered (dated?) on the base. Classic Cardew shape but Michael OBrien has suggested "the clay doesn't look like Abuja or Maraba, but it does look just like the clay Stephen Mhya uses at Bwari, just outside Abuja". I'm sending him some photos for confirmation
Last edited by NaomiM on August 21st 2023, 1:20 pm; edited 1 time in total
_________________
Carrot cake is just fake cake
Re: Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
In case anyone's interested, I've posted a new blog piece on my Random Treasure blog comparing an Abuja Pottery jug by Tanko Mohammud with a Winchcombe Pottery jug by Pat Groom.
You can read it here
You can read it here
Re: Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
thanks for thatr-and-f wrote:In case anyone's interested, I've posted a new blog piece on my Random Treasure blog comparing an Abuja Pottery jug by Tanko Mohammud with a Winchcombe Pottery jug by Pat Groom.
You can read it here
MCWebs- Number of posts : 725
Location : GB
Registration date : 2017-09-24
Help with Abuja potter please
Hi
I have this rather handsome Abuja coffee pot from the late 50’s.
Despite much searching for the potter, I can’t find a name. Please can anyone help with this? I’ve been looking for CBG but this may be incorrect.
Many thanks
I have this rather handsome Abuja coffee pot from the late 50’s.
Despite much searching for the potter, I can’t find a name. Please can anyone help with this? I’ve been looking for CBG but this may be incorrect.
Many thanks
Last edited by Bitsnbobs on October 2nd 2019, 8:30 am; edited 1 time in total
Bitsnbobs- Number of posts : 133
Location : U.K.
Registration date : 2018-08-24
Bitsnbobs- Number of posts : 133
Location : U.K.
Registration date : 2018-08-24
Bitsnbobs- Number of posts : 133
Location : U.K.
Registration date : 2018-08-24
Re: Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
Abuja potters and their marks:
Bawa Ushafa
BAWA
or BUA
Dr Ladi Kwali
LK
(died about 1983)
Lami Toto
LT
Kande Ushafa
KU
Asibo Ido
AI
Tanko Mohammud
ATM
(became Pottery Officer)
Abu Karo
AK
Gugong Bong
GB
Bala Yawa
BY
Danlami Aliyu
DA
Peter Gboko
PKG
Hassan Lapai
HLP
(became Pottery Officer)
Bawa Ushafa was the senior potter at Abuja and was one of the first trainees. Kande Ushafa became a trainee
Bawa Ushafa
BAWA
or BUA
Dr Ladi Kwali
LK
(died about 1983)
Lami Toto
LT
Kande Ushafa
KU
Asibo Ido
AI
Tanko Mohammud
ATM
(became Pottery Officer)
Abu Karo
AK
Gugong Bong
GB
Bala Yawa
BY
Danlami Aliyu
DA
Peter Gboko
PKG
Hassan Lapai
HLP
(became Pottery Officer)
Bawa Ushafa was the senior potter at Abuja and was one of the first trainees. Kande Ushafa became a trainee
philpot- Number of posts : 6635
Location : cambridge
Registration date : 2010-11-06
Re: Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
Hi,
Thank you for the info. I had already found a list similar to this, but I couldn’t match the initials on mark to list!! I have found a similar mark (can’t decide if similar enough!) for Gogong Bong. Would you think this mark could be a B inside a G???’thanks again
Thank you for the info. I had already found a list similar to this, but I couldn’t match the initials on mark to list!! I have found a similar mark (can’t decide if similar enough!) for Gogong Bong. Would you think this mark could be a B inside a G???’thanks again
Bitsnbobs- Number of posts : 133
Location : U.K.
Registration date : 2018-08-24
Re: Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
Looking at those initials again, they do not look as though they are written in English. There are numerous languages spoken in Nigeria!
philpot- Number of posts : 6635
Location : cambridge
Registration date : 2010-11-06
Re: Abuja Pottery, Nigeria
Yes, I wondered if that might be the case! Thanks again
Bitsnbobs- Number of posts : 133
Location : U.K.
Registration date : 2018-08-24
PotteryLover123- Number of posts : 341
Location : United Kingdom
Registration date : 2020-07-13
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