Scandinavian glass vases. Easy on the eye.

I found a couple of coloured glass vases recently. I was attracted by the simple design and softly curved shapes.They were very reasonably priced so, even though I didn't know who they were by at the time, I decided to buy them.
The vases look good on display. It was only later that I did some research on the vases and discovered that they are Scandinavian. From Finland, actually. The vases were made by the Riihimaki or Riihimaen glassworks, I would think in the 1970s. I'm not certain but I think they may have been designed by Tamara Aladin.

I have a feeling that, now I have these two, I'll have to add more – if I can find any.

Hornsea slipware vases. Smart zig-zags from 1963

Elegant shapes, cool pastel colours, and simple zig-zag designs combine to make these vases so distinctive - and so stylish.

They were all made in 1963. Known as Slipware vases, they were made by Hornsea Pottery. Each has a painted grey band which is hand-decorated with those fabulous zig-zags in white slip clay. It's nice to display a single vase on its own but they look even nicer when displayed in groups. I can't decide if groups of mixed colours look better or groups of vases all in the same colour. I suppose it would depend on the decor of the room. Either way, I love these vases. In my opinion, this Slipware range is one of the best looking designs ever to come out of Hornsea Pottery.

These Hornsea Beaded pots deserve a closer look

This delicate surface pattern is known as Beaded. The pots are by Hornsea Pottery. The graphic designer, I think, is Jack Dadd. The range is from the early 1970s.

To me, the design has a wonderful lace-like quality and the black linework on the ivory-coloured background looks clean and bold. The look is further enhanced by the slight irregularities that occur in the hand-drawn design.

I understand that the range was not a good seller for Hornsea. It's a pity. Because I think this is a design that deserves a closer look.

I found another example of Jack Dadd's work in the V&A museum. You can see it here Jack Dadd mug

Limoges. A miniature plate with a mysterious Paris scene

I found this tiny little china plate and, to be honest, it's a bit of a mystery to me.

The plate measures just over 6cm (2 and a half inches) in diameter and is marked Limoges, France on the base.

The plate has a stylish illustration of a Paris street scene at night. But what is going on? A man walks with his hands in his pockets past a shop window. A lady stands, smoking a cigarette, in the pale yellow light of a street lamp.

I've seen lots of Limoges china plates before, many are decorated with classical romantic garden scenes by Fragonard. Although they are quite decorative, they don't really fit in with my collection.

But this Limoges plate, I like. So if you do know anything about it, I would be delighted to find out more.

A Scheurich vase with subtle decoration. Surely not?

Just a quick blog-post to show you this good looking vase from West Germany.

I'm fairly sure this is by the Scheurich factory. I would say that the vase dates from the 1970s. As far as these West German vases go, this one has quite a restrained, dare I say subtle, decoration. There are repeated motifs in red 'lava' glaze on a deep blue background.

Collectors of 'fat lava' seem to have waited a long time for it to happen, but I get the feeling that this type of pottery is slowly becoming desirable and that prices are beginning to gradually rise.

For more detailed information on West German pottery and some great pictures, there's an excellent blog here: Blurat blog

Soholm Joseph Simon wall tile. What a relief.

One of my first blog-posts on Potshots was on a selection of ceramic wall tiles by Soholm, Denmark. Some were designed by Noomi Backhausen. You can see the original blog-post here: Soholm wall plaques

Here's another Soholm wall tile, this time designed by Joseph Simon. I would say the tile dates from the mid-1970s. The simplified and stylised illustration is wonderful and the rich red and blue glazes are intense and rich. One really striking aspect to this wall tile is the depth of the relief molding. There's a real three-dimensional feel to the tile. When it's displayed on a wall, it gives an impressive effect – a piece of art that's both a picture and a sculpture at the same time.

I have this wall tile hanging in my work room and it's a constant pleasure.