Topic: Weird stoneware pot - ID = Ian Godfrey

[Elaine]

Here's one to get you all going!  This is a pot I inherited from my traveling great-aunt (see my Oriental post).  This one is really weird!  It appears to have applied 'horses' (or some other animal) heads on the front and flowers on the sides and back. (Sadly, some of the 'horses' have lost ears and one his nose, too )

It is a very coarse stoneware, with a rough, crumbly-looking glaze, shading from brown to a blue-grey.  It has three feet, and the lid has a large lump and three small 'pyramids' on the top - a thought .... could it be Egyptian?   Anyway, here's a few pics:

[Martyn]

Hello Elaine,


and welcome to the forum.....

NOW......

This slightly hard, but you've asked a straight question and deserve a straight answer after all that's the point of the forum.....

It's not Egyptian, but English! by a potter called Ian Godfrey (1942-1992) this is called a 'fox box' and very typical of his work and probably his best known form. I would guess it dates from the early 1970's and I would like it for my collection very much please     as I dont have one.

He's a highly respected potter and Google should give you plenty of hits, they do get damaged quite easily and damage does have a considerable effect on the value of contemporary ceramics but I think it's still beautiful and am sure many others would to.

Your great aunt had a good eye.

Please say if you need any more info,

Martyn.

PS. how big is it?

PPS... heres a link to a short biography.. http://www.theceramicartist.com/displayi.asp?mainid=1&select=112

[Elaine]

Wow!  That's amazing, Martyn.  Thank you very much! Yes, now you say, I can see that the 'horse' heads are in fact far more fox-like 

Size?  It is about 5 inches high and 3 inches in diameter.

However, as to the date ..... it is certainly older than the 1970's, as I inherited it from my great-aunt when she died, which was in 1964.   I just assumed it must be oriental, as so much of her stuff was.  However, she also left me a Martin Brothers jug, so she clearly appreciated unusual pottery and 'grotesquery'! 

Thank you very much indeed for your help 

[Martyn]

Your very welcome...

Well Godfrey started first potting at City Road, London where he worked from 1962-67 so if your dates are correct this would be a very early example of its type.

It's relatively small some of these fox boxes can be huge with rows and rows of foxes, houses birds and all sorts on top. looking closer at your pics there might have been a bird perched on top that's snapped off as well but it's hard to tell from the photo.

Far from ugly or grotesque to my eye but taste is subjective.

[Elaine]

I don't think anything has snapped off the top.  There's just a sort of mark where the glaze has a 'crease' in it, almost as if a finger-nail marked it while it was still wet.  Definitely not anything broken off though. 

Any idea why the 'barrow' on the lid, and the three pyramids?  Has there been any analysis of his symbolism? 

Of course you're right it not really ugly at all.  I do in fact love it, and am very sorry it's damaged.  It was already done when I got it and I have looked after it very well since then, I promise!     

[Martyn]

Godfrey borrowed his symbolism from all over and I think only he might know what he intended by it, but he used many of these elements repeatedly throughout his career. The 'fox box' and 'anxiety bowl' are probably his most recognisable pieces, but he made a wide variety of other whimsical and humourous pieces including drawer sets with little carved animals and pots with villages and pools on, the process of making these and firing them sucsessfully was really very skillful.


I'm glad you like it.