Designer Desire: Hugo Kohler

Montage of Hugo Kohler ceramics

We bought a large vintage plate last week. We were in two minds as to whether we should pick it up or not. It was mainly brown and slipware decorated with a couple getting married; it had a very folk art feel.

We got it home and, after studying it with a magnifying glass, we managed to decipher the marks on the back. It was crudely incised with kohler biel keramik handarbeit. We looked online and discovered that it was made by Swiss ceramicist, Hugo Kohler.

We found lots and lots of other pieces by him for sale on eBay and Etsy, amongst other places, but couldn’t find out anything about Hugo Kohler himself. Can you help?

Image credits:
eBay | Etsy

Designer Desire: Prue Cooper

Montage of Prue Cooper slipware ceramic plates

I was looking at potter, Hannah McAndrew‘s Instagram feed recently and saw that she said she’s currently having a joint exhibition with Prue Cooper at Contemporary Ceramics in Bloomsbury, London.

That info spurred me on to go check out Prue’s work and I discovered another slipware genius. Her plates, platters and dishes are just beautiful; at the same time traditional and modern. Her colour palettes are unexpected and alluring. Many of her pieces have known and not so well known quotes written around the rim in the most beautiful calligraphy. Quotes by the likes of Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson and Gerard Winstanley on the subjects of love, life, food and more.

Prue Cooper is a member of The Art Workers’ Guild and the Craft Potters Association. Her work is available at Contemporary Ceramics, Gallery St Ives in Tokyo, Japan and on her own website. Prices range from around £90 up to £380. Check out her Instagram feed for other examples of her work.

My dishes are meant to be used and enjoyed; slip decorated press-moulded earthenware is an approachable and friendly medium. The designs reflect my view of life, celebrating friendship and the sharing of simple pleasures.

Portrait of Prue Coopercredit

All images: © Prue Cooper

Auction Alert: Pictures, 19th/20th Century Design & Ceramics

WEDGWOOD RAVILIOUS MUG - EDWARD VIII

444 lots are coming under the hammer at the next Pictures, 19th/20th Century Design & Ceramics sale at Lawrence Fine Art Auctioneers Ltd in Crewkerne, Somerset. The auction takes place on 19th January 2022, from 10am.

If you’re an avid wild bird enthusiast (like we are) there are lots of lovely original works of art featuring (primarily) waders; oystercatchers, plovers, moorcocks, geese and greenshanks. We’ve featured a few of these below.

We’ve also highlighted a couple of Whitefriars ‘drunken bricklayer’ glass vases in the larger size. These are highly collectable and continue to rise in value.

A premium of 30% (25% plus VAT) will be charged on top of the hammer price on all lots. VAT isn’t applicable on books or unframed maps.

Any lots purchased online with the-saleroom.com will be subject to an additional 5.94% (4.95% plus VAT) which is applied by the saleroom.com.
Any lots purchased online with easyliveAuction.com will be subject to an additional 3.6% (3% plus VAT) or you can opt to pay a flat fee per sale of £3.00 (inc VAT)  per sale which is applied by easyliveAuction.
Whilst the responsibility for the collection of purchases rests with the buyer, subject to the terms below, for a packing fee plus the cost of postage and insurance, when time permits, we are able to post small items such as jewellery, small items of silver, individual books, small ceramics, coins, medals etc.

On their website, they include a long list of items that they are not prepared to ship, so check prior to bidding.

SIR KYFFIN WILLIAMS, RA - 'A HAMLET IN THE HILLS'

Lot 774: SIR KYFFIN WILLIAMS, RA (1918-2006) ‘A HAMLET IN THE HILLS
Signed with initials, charcoal and washes 24.5 x 34cm.
Estimate £800 – £1,200

PHILIP RICKMAN - 'OYSTERCATCHERS'

Lot 777: PHILIP RICKMAN (1891-1982) ‘OYSTERCATCHERS
Signed and dated 1974, watercolour and gouache 27 x 38cm. Provenance: London, The Tryon Gallery Ltd.
Estimate £300 – £500

JOHN CYRIL HARRISON - 'CURLEW AND PLOVER'

Lot 783: JOHN CYRIL HARRISON (1898-1985) ‘CURLEW AND PLOVER
Signed, watercolour and pencil 38 x 55.5cm.
Estimate £800 – £1,200

ANDREW HASLEN - 'STARTLED WOODCOCK'

Lot 796: ANDREW HASLEN (b.1953) ‘STARTLED WOODCOCK
Signed and dated 87, oil on canvas, lath frame 101 x 126.5cm.
Estimate £300 – £400

GIORGETTI 'ZENO' DESIGNER DESK & OFFICE CHAIR

Lot 852: GIORGETTI ‘ZENO’ DESIGNER DESK & OFFICE CHAIR
A designer desk designed by Massimo Scolari for Giorgetti, made in maccasar ebony and beech and supported on two uprights with opposing legs with metal detailing. Also with a matching office chair with adjustable back and black leather seat. Both with makers plaques for Giorgetti, designed by Massimo Scolari, and serial numbers. Desk 161cms by 80cms, 73cms high, Chair 89cms high.
*This was purchased at Harrods some years ago.
Estimate £800 – £1,200

PAIR OF BAUHAUS STYLE ARMCHAIRS & MATCHING STOOL

Lot 854: PAIR OF BAUHAUS STYLE ARMCHAIRS & MATCHING STOOL
A pair of armchairs after a design by Thonet, with wooden arms and a tubular chrome frame, with leopard print upholstery and with a matching stool. Armchairs 79cms high. (3)
Estimate £400 – £600

G PLAN ROOM DIVIDER - MID CENTURY

Lot 860: G PLAN ROOM DIVIDER – MID CENTURY
A large teak room divider, the top section with a drop down flap and glass shelf, and various shaped shelves supported on vertical metal supports. The bottom section with a two door cupboard and three drawers, supported on turned legs and cross stretcher. 182cms high, 122cms across.
Estimate £150 – £250

'BARGET' MID CENTURY COCKTAIL BAR

Lot 869: ‘BARGET’ MID CENTURY COCKTAIL BAR
A semi circular retro cocktail bar, supported on three small tapering legs. With original makers label, Barget, London. 99.5cms high
Estimate £50 – £100

LARGE WHITEFRIARS 'DRUNKEN BRICKLAYER' VASE

Lot 879: LARGE WHITEFRIARS ‘DRUNKEN BRICKLAYER’ VASE
In the tangerine colourway and designed by Geoffrey Baxter, Model No 9672 and made from 1969-1974. 32.5cms high
Estimate £400 – £600

WHITEFRIARS - LARGE DRUNKEN BRICKLAYER VASE

Lot 880: WHITEFRIARS – LARGE DRUNKEN BRICKLAYER VASE
A large textured glass vase designed by Geoffrey Baxter, Pattern No 9672 and in the Kingfisher Blue colourway. Issued from 1969-1974, 33cms high
Estimate £400 – £600

WEDGWOOD RAVILIOUS MUG - EDWARD VIII

Lot 921: WEDGWOOD RAVILIOUS MUG – EDWARD VIII
An unusual mug designed by Eric Ravilious for Wedgwood to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VIII in 1937, with a couple of cracks, 10.5cms high. Also with a Edward VIII commemorative spoon. (2)
Estimate £100 – £150

LARGE SLIPWARE DISH

Lot 997: LARGE SLIPWARE DISH
Probably 19thc, with trails of yellow slip on a dark brown ground and with a notched rim (33cms diameter). Also with a large slipware jug with white slip on dark brown glaze (22.5cms high), two similar tankards (12cms high), a large medieval style jug (29cms high), and a replica of a slipware posset pot (16cms high). (6)
Estimate £150 – £250

CHINESE SILK JACKET & MATCHING SKIRT

Lot 1046: CHINESE SILK JACKET & MATCHING SKIRT
Late 19thc or early 20thc, the red silk jacket with a pale green lining and cross over fastening and gilt metal buttons. The ivory silk cuffs, hem, and shaped facings are heavily embroidered with butterflies, birds and bats and a variety of flowers, and edged with an embroidered border of blue silk. With a matching pleated skirt. Jacket 91cms high, Skirt 93cms high. (2)
Estimate £300 – £500

Designer Desire: Alan Frewin

Montage of Alan Frewin slipware pottery items | H is for Home

We own a beautiful charger decorated with a tree and inscription, “Comfort me with apples” (in the top, left image). We never identified the potter that created it – until now. It’s in the historic style of Thomas Toft and was made by Alan Frewin.

Frewin (1935-2016) was a potter who produced slip decorated earthenware. He trained at Briglin Pottery in London in the mid-1960s following which, in 1970, he founded Millhouse Pottery in Harleston, Norfolk. Here, he produced a large quantity of plates, bowls, mugs, flagons and other vessels for the next 40 years.

After his death, the pottery business was continued by his wife, Anne and son, Paul until earlier this year (2020) when they closed down the studio. Fortunately, they’re still selling quite a few of his items on eBay.

In the 1990s, a series of educational DVDs was produced by Frewin and his son. They are sometimes available on Amazon and excerpts can be viewed on the Frewin YouTube channel.

Portrait of Alan Frewin in his Millhouse Pottery studiocredit

Additional image credits:

Etsy | Studio Pottery