Late 20th Century Ceramics

Stoneware studio pottery 'split pod' form designed by Alan Wallwork (British, 1931-2019) and dating from around 1980. The heavily made sculptural pod sta...

A wonderful and scarce work by famed Los Angeles (Echo Park), California based artist Peter Shire who was a founding member (along with Italian designer Ettore Sottsass and others) o...

This is a wonderful Folk Art collection of Mexican traditional Day-of-the-Dead ceramic figures. Although unsigned these figures are in the style of the Aguilar Family of Oaxacan pott...

A stunning Canadian studio pottery miniature bowl decorated in yellow glazes with an associated pottery stand by Lane Gordon Thorlaksson (Canadian, 1937-2009) dated 1976. Lane Gordon Thorlaksson was born in 1937 in Winnipeg, Manitoba and moved to Vancouver as a child. In his twenties, he represented Canada in the 1959 Chicago Pan-American Games, running alongside Henry 'Harry' Winston Jerome in both the 100 yard and 220-yard dash. Following this, he attended San Jose University of California and in 1966 received a BFA in Ceramics. Working with clay was Thorlaksson’s passion. He was fascinated with Asian ceramics, in particular the Song dynasty Chinese pot forms and glazes. In 1985, the Mayor of Vancouver, Mike Harcourt, visited China on a goodwill mission for the twinning of Vancouver with Guangzhou China. As gifts, he took with him several of Thorlaksson’s ceramics and presented them to Cao Yun-ping, Secretary-General of the People's Municipal Government of Guangzhou. The pieces were well received and local Chinese potters were interested to learn about his glazing techniques. In 1987, Thorlaksson was invited to visit China’s Guangzhou University to exhibit more of his work. He was aided in this exchange by Joanne Mah, the Director of Intercultural Training and Educational Consultants (ITEC), who had worked with the Harcourt exchange. In 1988, she and her husband sponsored a pre-gallery showing of Thorlaksson’s ceramics at the ITEC’s Hong Kong office, prior to an exhibition at Alvin Gallery in Hong Kong. Thorlaksson was celebrated and introduced to academics and the media, including the head of ceramics at the Guangzhou Institute of Fine Arts. Local Chinese potters were eager to learn about his firing techniques, which used multiple firings to create special glaze characteristics. They were also intrigued to understand how he designed his own stands as an integrated part of his presentation. Unlike Asian potters who used wooden stands, Thorlaksson produced his stands in clay, matching each stand in aesthetic and tone to its pot. This two-part process elevated his pieces to sculpture. He believed that ceramics should be viewed as fine art and not craft. He was inspired by the female form and was quoted as saying 'Most potters make pots; I make parts of people'. The bowl is of wide squat rounded form with a fold over rim and is decorated in pale yellow glazes over a brown ground and stands on a narrow round unglazed foot. The design is probably based and inspired by a Chinese brush washer...

Vessel is instantly recognizable as the work of Wishon-Harrell artist Frank Wilett. The circular appliqué pieces are instantly a giveaway. The lid is an unusual shape that mimics the...

An under-glazed painted pottery bowl with abstract naive design, blue, ochre, brown. Moroccan antique pottery bowl of deep rounded form with flattened rim rising on a low ring foot, hand-painted on the exterior with black decoration, the interior in polychrome painted, having abstract design in blue and ochre with turquoise accents, crack lure. Handcrafted antique ceramic dish, Fez, Morocco, Circa 1880, Museum quality piece. Antique Mokhfia (couscous bowl...

Interesting hand thrown Japanese studio pottery creamware vase with a craquelure glaze by Takeshi Yasuda (Japanese, b.1943) dating from the 1980’s. The ...

Mata Ortiz polychrome pottery vessel Rito Talvera Quezada 1989 Hand-coiled low fire clay Pueblo Quezada, Mata Ortiz, Chihuahua, Mexico.

A wonderful free-form organic bowl vessel by acclaimed British potter Peter Simpson. Simpson's works, such as this early piece, are inspired by organ...

Mata Ortiz polychrome pottery vessel Ramiro Veloz Sr., Master Potter 1990 Hand-Coiled low fire clay Pueblo Quezada, Mata Ortiz, Chihuahua, Mexico An extraordinary ultra thin walled ...

A decorative incised brown seed pot by Hopi pottery artist Carla Claw Nampeyo (b. 1961). Markings include [CR Claw Nampeyo] carved to base. Very good cond...

Vintage Moroccan Ceramic Urn with Lid, white crackled ceramic with silver overlaid. Great to use in the kitchen or in the bathroom. Great folk...

A wonderfully designed and exceptionally rare hand painted, earthenware three tile/panel plaque/ wall hanging by ceramics masters husband and wife artists Vivika and Otto Heino. Quite heavy and substantial in size. The couple was best known for their inspired designs and distinctive glazes. This massive 3 tile plaque, which shows clear signs of Asian influence, is attached to a board for hanging. Again exceptionally rare in both scale and design. We have never seen another like this by the couple. The work is signed and dated (1988). Would be the crown jewel in any Heino collection and sure to stand out in any setting, modern or otherwise. Very unique. Very rare. Dimensions: 47.5" high, 18" wide, 1.5" deep. The piece is quite substantial and weighs 44 pounds. The couple are winners of the following awards: Gold Medal from the sixth Biennale internationale de céramique d'art, in Vallauris, France, (1978). Silver medal from the International Ceramics Exhibitions in Ostend, Belgium, (1959). Their work can be found in the following collections: American Craft Museum, New York City, NY County Art Museum and Craft Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA De Young Museum, San Francisco, CA Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA Picasso Museum in Vallauris, France Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC Craft & Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles Mingei Museum, San Diego Ventura County...

Interesting set of 5 ceramic T-shirt vases. Great sculptural item. Excellent vintage condition. Set includes two large and three small. Great piece of art.

A fantastic work by famed Los Angeles (Echo Park), California based artist Peter Shire who was a founding member (along with Italian designer Ettore Sottsass and others) of The Memphis Group, an international design movement that came out of Italy during the 1980s (1980-1988), and specialized in postmodern furniture, lighting, fabrics, carpets, ceramics, glass, and metal objects. This work is from the early 1980s and is signed with Shire's "Made in Echo Park" "(Echo Park Pottery...

A fantastic work by famed Los Angeles (Echo Park), California based artist Peter Shire who was a founding member (along with Italian designer Ettore Sottsass and others) of The Memphis Group, an international design movement that came out of Italy during the 1980s (1980-1988), and specialized in postmodern furniture, lighting, fabrics, carpets, ceramics, glass, and metal objects. This work is from the early 1980s and is signed with Shire's customary "EXP Pottery" (Echo Park Pottery...

A wonderful work by famed Los Angeles (Echo Park), California based artist Peter Shire who was a founding member (along with Italian designer Ettore Sottsass and others) of The Memphis Group, an international design movement that came out of Italy during the 1980s (1980-1988), and specialized in postmodern furniture, lighting, fabrics, carpets, ceramics, glass, and metal objects. This work is from the late 1970s and is signed with Shire's customary "EXP" pottery (Echo Park Pottery...

A wonderful work by famed Los Angeles (Echo Park), California based artist Peter Shire who was a founding member (along with Italian designer Ettore Sottsass and others) of The Memph...

A fantastic work by famed Los Angeles (Echo Park), California based artist Peter Shire who was a founding member (along with Italian designer Ettore Sottsass and others) of The Memph...