Transferware Collectors Club Bulletin 2014, no. 3

8/10/2019 Transferware Collectors Club Bulletin 2014, no. 3

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4 TCC Bulletin, Vol. XV, No. 3

When one thinks of the Englishtown of Bath, one thinks of the

stunning Georgian architecturetypified by The Royal Crescent, orthe Roman history that lies encrustedwithin its very heart. From a transferware

perspective, Bath, and more specifically,Pulteney Bridge, brings images ofSwansea Cambrians famous PulteneyBridge wrap-around scene usually seenadorning high-quality hollowware pieces.Recently, Dr. Paul Scott added his ownflavor to Bath and indeed transferwarewith his amazing Confected, Borrowedand Blueexhibition, which opened on

October 31 and will run through January18, 2015, at the beautiful HolburneMuseum on Great Pulteney Street in Bath.(http://www.holburne.org/ )

For the exhibits opening, a fullhouse was treated to a talk by Dr. Scottand a glimpse of the exhibition. Uponentering the large gallery space, visitorsencountered a huge table, enclosed ina clear protective box. Dr. Scotts work

was carefully arranged on this table. Asa testament to his attention to detail, the

exhibition table was covered with a runnerthat subtly incorporated more than 800Spode pattern names.

Of striking note, visitors will discover,is Dr. Scotts re-appropriation and up-dating of the William Adams Palestine

pattern. To the foreground of 3 redtransfer Palestine plates, Dr. Scott hasadded modern images of the Holy Landin disarray. The juxtaposition of the oldand the new is obvious and typical of theattempt to think about transferware in thecontext of the political and social events

dominating the world today.Dr. Scotts approach to the medium is

fearless. He fuses pieces together in a veryinnovative fashion. For example, there isthe joining of the Wild Rose platter withone in the Italian pattern to create theWild Italian pattern.

Another such combination is a 9pottery silhouette of a cow standing ona platter, titled Cow in a Meadow after

Thomas Bewick. Bewicks engravingswere used as source material for many

printed wares, with Mintons BewickStag being perhaps the most familiar. A

bifurcated cow creamer forms the basisfor another display: Cow in a Meadowafter Damien Hirst. Hirst, prominentin a movement known as Young BritishArtists, is known for works featuringdead and dissected animals. Here Dr. Scottshows his sense of humour and doffs hiscap to contemporary British art.

Scattered around the exhibit table areceramic trees, modelled after those foundin popular transferware images. These

free-standing trees challenge everyoneto be aware of our surroundings in thenatural world.

Dr. Scott uses the anti-slavery imagesseen in late 18thand early 19thcenturyceramics to remind us that the slavetrade is still very much alive, primarilyin the form of the exploitation of illegalimmigrants. He created a tribute to the21 Chinese cockle pickers (shell fish

Something borrowedBy Richard Halliday

With Assistance from Sue Wagstaff

Dr. Paul Scotts Exhibition Table: Confected, Borrowed and Blue.


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Tea set recalling the Chinese cockle pickers washed away in 2004.

Scotts reinterpretation of the Palestine pattern by Adams

The Wild Italian platter.Holdburne Museum, Bath.


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harvesters) who drowned in NorthwestEngland in 2004 when caught by theincoming tide. All, apparently, wereillegals forced to face extremely difficultcircumstances to eke out a meagre living.This tribute could easily be extended backin time to represent the working conditions,

poor pay, and short life-span of the potteryworkers in the early 19thcentury.

Dr. Scott lives in Cumbria in theNorthwest of England and has long been amajor name in the world of ceramics and

print. His research and artworks can beseen in the Victoria and Albert Museum,London, The National Museum, StockholmSweden, The National Decorative ArtsMuseum, Norway and The Museum ofArt and Design, New York. In addition tohis many exhibitions, teaching roles, and

prolific writings, Dr. Scotts book, Ceramicsand Print,is an essential volume in any art,historical or ceramics library.

It is amazing to see what Dr. Scott doeswith our transferware and how he re-uses,re-works and re-invents already establisheddesigns and thinking. His new collageworks will be on show and available for saleat the New York Ceramics and Glass Fair,January 21st- 25th, 2015. On January 23,Dr. Scott will be giving a lecture there. Ifyou can, visit the exhibition and be preparedto be moved.

Cow in a Meadow after Damian Hirst

Cow in a Meadow after Thomas Bewick

Free-standing ceramic trees, similar to those found in popular transferware patterns.


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Transferware Collectors in Review

Editors Note: In August, 2014,

Loren Zeller, TCC President, was

invited by Richard Halliday to visit

the transferware collections of several

TCC Members in the United Kingdom.

Loren was permitted to photograph

these extensive and important private

collections during a whirlwind 3 days,

and his hosts graciously gave him

permission to share these photos with

the TCC membership via the Bulletin.Space does not permit showing more

than a few highlights from each over

the course of the next few issues of the

TCC Bulletin.

By Loren Zeller

The Parkes collection of late 18th

and early 19thcentury blue printed

wares is vast and focuses primarily

on early Chinoiserie patterns and

19thcentury British landscapes, as

well as otherpatterns in a varietyof thematic categories. Their lovely

home is filled with these marvelous

items. Space only allows me to show

some of their extensive collection. I

hope you will enjoy seeing it!

I. The Collection of

Patricia and Colin

Parkes, Hertfordshire:

Colin Parkes (left) sharing one of his favorite patterns with

Richard Halliday.


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Vol. XV, No. 3, TCC Bulletin11

Transferware Collectors Club Bulletin 2014, no. 3

Documents

Transcript of Transferware Collectors Club Bulletin 2014, no. 3