A tale of two kitties.

I recently did a blogpost on a Carltonware cat-shaped money box and a Tigris cat vase. Writing those two posts reminded me of two more cats in the collection. One about which I know very little and one about which I know a little more.

This is the first of the the two kitties. A vintage white ceramic cat in an elegant shape. The cat is nicely painted in red and black and has an elongated neck. Other than that, I can't really tell you much more about it. I don't know who designed it or when it was made but it does have a 1950s or 1960s look about it. Any ideas?

Stand by for kitty number two.

Let's face it. These cruets are absolutely spiffing

And to follow on from the Carltonware cat, I think these amusing face cruets are just fab.

Made by Carltonware in the 1970s, I have an idea they're from a range designed by Vivienne Brennan.

The monocled gentleman is a pepper pot, his hat is the salt pot. The maid salt pot has the butler's face on the reverse and the butler pepper pot has the maid's face on the reverse.

The three-colour illustrations are beautifully done and they work so well on the simple shapes of the white pottery.

Carlton Ware cat money box.

My last blogpost featured a cute pottery dog, the one before that an elegant Tigris cat, so to keep the theme going here's another cat.

This time the cat is in the form of a pottery money box. Made by Carlton Ware (or is that Carltonware?), I would guess in the early 1970s, I think the money box is from a range designed by Vivienne Brennan.

The bold illustration on this money box is in bright red and orange. I've seen examples of the same money box in different colour schemes.

There are some more good images of Carlton Ware money boxes from the 1970s on Pips Trip, here: Carlton Ware on Pips Trip

Briglin Pottery dog

Sorry. It's been quite a while since I did a blogpost so here's a cute little dog to look at while I dig out some more Potshots goodies.

The dog is by Briglin Pottery, remember this: Briglin Pottery

I like the texture of the carved hair and the way that those hollow eyes give him (or her) a comical blank expression.

Schmider Tigris cat vase

Dating from the 1950s and 1960s, these striking black and yellow pots are easy to spot. The shiny glaze and the painted wavy yellow lines on the black background make them unmissable.

The range is Tigris, designed by Anneliese Beckh for West German pottery manufacturer, Schmider.

The shapes and colour combinations are so typical of the 1950s, remember Elegance by Hornsea Pottery, England from the same era: Hornsea elegance

I like the stylish, simplified shape of the cat vase.

Barovier & Toso Murano glass. Gold and silver to Italy

If there were Olympic medals for glitzy glass, Italy would win gold and silver with these flashy glass creations.

These eye-catching glass forms are by Italian makers, Barovier and Toso. And when it comes to making glass, they've been at it a good while: Barovier founded in 1295.

The large vase in the top picture is a wonderful deep red colour and has gold leaf crackle inclusions. The smaller bowl again is in red but this example has silver inclusions. I have an idea they date from the 1950s. I particularly like the flowing lines and wavy edges.

Barovier and Toso are still going strong today and have a smart website here: Barovier & Toso