Polia Pillin, née Sunockin, was born on September 1, 1909, in Częstochowa. She came to Chicago from Poland in 1924 to work an industrial job that allowed her to support her family overseas. She began to take art classes at the Jewish People's art institute in the evenings and dreamed of supporting herself as an artist. In 1938, she married William Pillin, who had fled persecution in Ukraine with his family and settled in Chicago and they lived in New Mexico. After the birth of their first child, they returned to Chicago, where she had her first show of paintings at the Chicago Art Institute. She became fascinated with clay and in 1946 she took a six-week course in pottery which was her only formal training. She set up a studio in her kitchen, complete with a wheel and electric kiln and soon her innovative works were in high demand. By the 1960s, the Pillins, now collaborating on throwing pots and developing glazes, were selling pottery faster than they could produce it. Polia Pillin's pieces are instantly recognizable. Her technique involves painting on pieces with colored clays while they were still wet and then double-firing using a transparent glaze which produced a high gloss finish. Her pieces, both paintings and pots, feature whimsical figures of people and animals. Her style was informed both by her Eastern European heritage and by her surroundings in New Mexico. She has won numerous awards from Los Angeles County Art Institute in 1949, Syracuse Museum of Fine Art in 1950 and California State Fair in 1951.
Polia Pillin 1950 Ceramic Lidded Box Mid Century
By Polia Pillin
Located in New York, NY
A wonderful 1950s painting ceramic lidded box depicting two dancers created by America artist, Polia Pillin. Signed. Biography: Polia Pillin (1909-1992) A glazed ceramic lidded box, ...
Ceramic
William Polia Pillin California Studio Colorful Ceramic Bowl
By Polia Pillin
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Colorful California studio pottery bowl created by William and Polia Pillin of Los Angeles, California. Bowl measures 5.25" high by 11" in diameter and is signed W + P Pillin on the ...
Ceramic
Polia Pillin Mid-Century Modern Studio Pottery Plates Balerina
By Polia Pillin
Located in Fulton, CA
A pair or two Polia Pillin California Studio pottery plates. Excellent condition. Please excuse some glare in photographs.
Ceramic
Polia Pillin California Studio Pottery Seated Girl with Bird Lidded Trinket Box
By Polia Pillin
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Large ceramic lidded trinket box in shades of blue with decoration of a seated woman and bird. Created by Polia Pillin of Los Angeles, California,...
Ceramic
Polia Pillin Ceramic / Pottery Bowl/Plate, Signed
By Polia Pillin
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful ceramic plate painting, by the very well known, Los Angeles artist Polia Pillin.
Ceramic
Odette Dijeux Mid-Century Signed Ceramic Box, circa 1950, Belgium
By Odette Dijeux
Located in Brussels, BE
Nice Odette Dijeux mid-century decorative box, circa 1950, Belgium. White and brown enameled ceramic. Signed underneath Odette Dijeux . Each piece of this artist is unique and po...
Ceramic
Lidded Burl Wood Trinket Box by Kreiss
By Kreiss
Located in San Diego, CA
A very nice lidded burl wood trinket box by Kreiss, circa 1980s. The box has a removable lid and is in very good vintage condition; it measures 7"W ...
Burl
MCM Lidded Green Marble Trinket Box with Brass Accents
Located in San Diego, CA
MCM lidded green marble trinket box with brass accents, circa 1970s. The box has well cut lines and features brass feet and a cool brass lizard hand...
Marble, Brass
$128Sale Price|20% Off
H 2.5 in Dm 3.5 in
Round Primitive Ceramic Decorative Trinket Studio Pottery Dish with Lid in Brown
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A round studio pottery trinket dish in brown. This piece will be perfect for a nightstand, coffee table, or bar. It is round and glazed in a deep brown. The lid on the top features a...
Ceramic, Clay
$440Sale Price|20% Off
H 6.25 in W 4 in D 4 in
1950's Polia Pillin California Studio Art Pottery Ceramic Vase w/Woman & Horse
By Polia Pillin
Located in San Diego, CA
Wonderful Polia Pillin California art pottery vase dating from the 1950's. Features two hand painted images of a woman holding a bird and then a horse. Signed on the bottom. In very...
Ceramic, Pottery
$887
H 1.97 in Dm 7.09 in
Ceramic Bowl by Wilhelm Kage Argenta Serie for Gustavsberg Sweden, 1930 Signed
By Wilhelm Kage
Located in Paris, IDF
A bowl in ceramic with handmade silver inlay from the 1930s Argenta collection made by Wilhelm Kåge for Gustavsberg, signature underneath. The now iconic argenta stoneware collecti...
Silver
$2,129
H 9.22 in Dm 5.12 in
Mid-Century Modern Tall Hand Thrown & Glazed Studio Pottery Vase circa 1970s
By Görge Hohlt
Located in Landau an der Isar, Bayern
This stunning European, vintage, Mid-Century Modern hand thrown clay vase was made by an, as yet, unknown studio potter, circa 1970s in, probably, Germany. Beautiful rounded form wit...
Clay
Chinese Leather & Brass Lidded Lacquered Trinket Box
Located in San Diego, CA
A wonderful Chinese leather and brass lidded lacquered trinket box, circa 1970s. The handcrafted box measures 6.25"W x 3.75"D x 4"H and has a great look with tapered brass trim. It...
Brass
Lidded Laquer Trinket Box by Lapisware
Located in San Diego, CA
Lidded lacquer trinket box by Lapisware, circa 1980s. The box measures 8.5"W x 4"D x 2"H and is in very good vintage condition. Cool and well constructed piece! #4988
Plastic, Wood
Vintage Italian Owl Ceramic Lidded Trinket Box
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Whimsical and refined, this vintage Italian ceramic trinket box takes the form of a wide-eyed owl perched on a grassy mound, its lidded body finished in a lustrous glaze with soft to...
Ceramic
Wedgwood Blue Jasperware Lidded Trinket Box with Neo Classical Relief
By Wedgwood
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A refined Wedgwood blue jasperware lidded box, featuring the iconic matte periwinkle-blue ground with crisp applied white classical reliefs, a hallmark of Wedgwood’s neoclassical pro...
Ceramic
Mid-Century Modern Ceramic Vase by Courcoul, France, 1950s
By Jacqueline et Bernard Courcoul
Located in Berlin, DE
Mint vase by Jacqueline et Bernard Courcoul with a thick glacier and a stunning shape!
Ceramic
Polia Pillin Mid-Century Studio Pottery Plate
By Polia Pillin
Located in Fulton, CA
A Polia Pillin California Studio pottery plate / charger. String instrument with dancer. Two flea bites at upper rim. Noticeable upon close inspection. Please excuse some glare in ph...
Ceramic
William Polia Pillin California Studio Colorful Ceramic Bowl
By Polia Pillin
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Colorful California studio pottery bowl created by William and Polia Pillin of Los Angeles, California. Bowl measures 3.5" by 6 3/8" and is signed W + P Pillin on the bottom. In very...
Ceramic
Polia Pillin Ceramic Bowl, circa 1960
By Polia Pillin
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Polia Pillin ceramic bowl, circa 1960.
Ceramic
William and Polia Pillin California Studio Pottery Large Scale Vase
By Polia Pillin
Located in Palm Springs, CA
California studio pottery bud vase created by William and Polia Pillin, circa 1960's. Vase measures 9" by 7" and is signed W + P Pillin on the bottom. In very good vintage condition.
Ceramic
Large Ceramic Glazed Vase by Polia Pillin
By Polia Pillin
Located in Palm Springs, CA
A beautiful large ceramic glazed vase designed by world renowned artist Polia Pillin (1909-1992) depicting three images, a man on a horse, a mother...
Ceramic, Paint
A Monumental Glazed and Painted Ceramic Bowl by Polia Pillin
By Polia Pillin
Located in Palm Springs, CA
An monumental painted and glazed ceramic vessel by Polia Pillin This is one of the largest pieces by Pillin i have seen. This stunning bowl is hand painted then glazed to a mirror...
Ceramic
Set of Three Pillin Vases/Vessels
By Polia Pillin
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Set of three glazed ceramic vases by Pollia Pillin. All depicting a girl and birds. Measurements from left to right are: 4 x 4 1/2' - 5 1/2" x 6 1/4" - 4 1/4" x 4 1/4". --Compliment...
Ceramic