Posted 6 years ago
TheIbbit
(17 items)
Found this serving bowl a couple years ago, and have yet to be able to identify the maker (no markings). It's a large serving piece (17" long). The glaze makes me think of Frankoma pottery, but cannot find anything like it after searching the internet off and on over the past couple years. Wish I could include more pictures to show with lid off. If anyone can tell me anything about it, I'd be thankful to finally solve a mystery. I love the handle of the lid, which I think is a crawfish and makes me think of good ol' Louisiana cooking. Help!
Got to be Frankoma. Perhaps a piece made for a restaurant. Never seen one before and I know Frankoma very well. Can you add a picture of the bottom?
Went through both the Bess and the Schaum Frankoma texts, nothing shown. You might contact the Frankoma collectors society, I’ve heard they respond quickly to questions. Frankoma collectors are avid (sometimes rabid) and an unknown or rare piece should be quite desireable.
I agree that it most definitely appears to be Frankoma. Unfortunately, I can only post 4 pictures, so I cannot add another picture showing the bottom. I can say that the bottom is unglazed, and shows the clay to be a white clay. If I remember some of my research on Frankoma (I am also an avid collector of Frankoma), when they first started making pottery they did use white clay? Later on when they moved they then used a red clay? I should also note the interior of the piece is glazed with a soft green glaze, which has fine crazing in it. Thanks for your comments! I will look into the Frankoma Collectors Society, which I was unaware of.
If you go to your original post you can edit one or two photos out, and replace them with new ones.
Thanks, Gillian, but I didn't want to remove any of the pictures. However, since you are the 2nd person to show interest in the bottom. I will swap out a picture with the picture showing the bottom, which I think is the "Alda" clay from the earlier days of Frankoma.
The last photo now shows the unglazed bottom of the tureen, and the interior glaze of the lid. Looks like there used to be a paper label, or something, on the bottom. Enjoy!
Hmm. Frankoma did use a pale tan, sometimes called “honey-colored”, clay mined from an area near Ada Oklahoma. This clay was used in the early pre-Frankoma years and into the 1950s. Frankoma later switched to a brick red clay and finally to a pinkish/tan clay which can look much like Ada clay depending on the glaze. Ada and the late color clay can be differentiated with a simple test. Ada clay will not darken appreciably if touched with a wet finger, the late production clay will darken noticeably.
If the clay is indeed white, we can rule out Frankoma. Looks like the interior is clear-glazed? Another clue that it’s unlikey your piece I’d Frankoma. Frankoma really never did much with clear glazes. I’d expect the interior to match the exterior - or perhaps be done in another complementary Frankoma production glaze.
Without writing a book in this post, there’s a chance your item might have been produced by Gracetone pottery during their transition to Frankoma ownership. Unless someone here has more info, this is one for the Frankoma collectors group. Please let us know what you find out. I’m very interested to find out who made your covered dish.
Re-read your last post. The translucent celadon interior glaze you describe was not a Frankoma production glaze.
Thanks art.pottery for the feedback! While the exterior is very much Frankoma in looks, the interior glaze had me wondering as well. I will post to the collectors site as well. Best wishes for a very happy, healthy and safe holiday season. Cheers!
Fyi, I reached out to Frankoma Pottery Collectors Facebook page, and sadly the one who responded to my inquiry agrees it is not Frankoma mainly due to the interior's translucent celadon glaze. Linda thought it may be asian? Oh, well... back on to the search trail...
I really liked the conversation on this piece. My thought was not Frankoma, for the same reason, the clear glaze on the inside of the lid! I'm glad that you got that conformed! Good job TheIbbit, and art.pottery! :^D Thanks to CW too!
Now, if you can find out who the maker is! :^)
Yes, it has been a very good discussion, which also led me to some excellent pages on Facebook...
Frankoma Pottery Collectors
Pottery Collectors
Studio Pottery Collectors
Great FB groups to befriend with a vast amount of information! Cheers!
I posted a link for the large Hawaiian blue and brown vase that you posted 4 years ago, if you still have it and don't know the name it's Tewahima Pottery. The link is a google image search, and posted, on your vase post! :^)