On February 17th, the Chinese Lunar New Year will begin, ushering in the Year of the Horse, specifically the Fire Horse, an animal of independence and freedom. Although I don’t have any equine artwork from China in my collection of retro ceramics and glass, I did find this ‘Beswick’ plate, featured above, with a design … More Year of the Fire Horse
This is the Chinese Year of the Tiger but lacking a tiger I have featured another feline, a stylised lion from my collection of mid-century ceramics. The Tiger is known as the king of beasts in China and the Tiger sign of the Chinese Zodiac symbolises strength, courage and the defeating of evil. This modernist … More Year of the Tiger
The Chinese Year of the Ox begins on 12th February, so to start 2021, here is a piece from my collection of mid-century ceramics, a very decorative modernist stylised cow by Aldo Londi of Bitossi, in Rimini Blu with incised patterns. Not quite an ox but fairly close. It’s been some time since I posted in February … More Year of the Ox
These retro, stylised black birds are some of my favourite ceramic pieces, simple elegant shapes cast in earthenware with a black, satin or matte glaze. The tallest is about 12cm high. Unsigned, they probably date from the 1950s/1960s and are similar to pieces by Midwinter and Hornsea. I’m not sure if they represent a particular species of bird but I like to think … More Blackbird has spoken…
A small majolica storage jar by Giovanni DeSimone. This is a lovely little work of art from the DeSimone Pottery, Palermo, Italy. Born in 1930 into an aristocratic family, DeSimone chose to study ceramics and some time after World War 11 opened his own ceramic studio, where production continued until 1992, a year after his death in 1991. Usually depicting … More Mid-Century Italian Style
Personal Musings and Thought Experiments
fine stationery & artists' supplies
art and photography
independence - self-determination - autonomy
mostly painting
Reflections on Canadian Culture From Below the Border
featuring West German art pottery, Fat Lava and more 20th century ceramics
collecting retro
Purveyors of Bijouterie, and Beautiful Bits and Bobs.
the intersection of graphic design + picture books
Retromode 