Topic: Stoneware studio pottery piece with unknown maker's mark

[Anne E.B.]

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/glassie/002-3.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/glassie/002-2.jpg

Any ideas on who made this please?  I've had this piece for a couple of years now and bought it in the North West.  It's a lovely stoneware thrown pot, ovoid in shape and looking like a large bird's egg.  I'm not too sure if I'm reading the mark the correct way up, so it could be SH or HS.  I don't think it is J but I could be wrong??? 

Here are some options that I've so far come across (all based at some time in the U.K) :-

Sidney Hardwick (but she tends to make custom-made stoneware things like wash basins, sinks and pieces for the garden)
Sam Haile  (slip decoration, brushed & trailed)
James Hadley (just came across his name in an old Visiting Craft Workshops book (no real details of his work)
Sylvia Hardaker and Shinsaku Hamada (both of Leach Pottery)
and finally Helen Swain who appears "closest" match to the mark (seen on www.Marks-for-Ceramics.com )  Her mark changed from HW to HWS, later becoming HS.  The letter S looks remarkably similar.

These might be red-herrings but they're all I've come up with so far.

Does anyone recognise the mark or the actual piece please

Ta muchly 

[Martyn]

You might add Sophia Hughes to the list as a 'maybe' ...http://www.southwalespotters.org.uk/html/sophia_hughes.html ... her mark from the early 70s looked a bit similar?

But definately discount Haile, Hamada, Hardwick....

[Anne E.B.]

Thanks Martyn .  Another for my SH list, but can you point me in the right direction to where her mark is?  Not too sure where to find it to compare.

[Martyn]

Hi Anne,

It's in 'British Studio Potters Marks' Yates/Owens second edition, but it may well be another red herring as it does'nt look exactly like the mark on yours, just similar, however since she has a web site it might be worth an email just to rule her in or out?

Nothing in the book that's a better match for yours but then it may not be British or listed in the book anyway!

Martyn..

   just wanted to use this mad smiley!!

[Anne E.B.]

Thanks Martyn.  Its now on my "to buy" list - sounds a useful book.

    

[Sue C]

Anne, it is a hefty book, but well worth it you are into studio pottery, i would'nt be without it, it's 

[Anne E.B.]

Thanks Sue .  I've only got a couple of pieces of studio pottery, the rest is bog standard, "mass produced" stuff, but if I see a nice unusual piece then I'll nab it.