Topic: UNUSUAL LIDDED POT - HELP NEEDED

[gemmacler]

Hello to all
Pictured is an un usual lidded pot that has so far defied all my attempts at identifying it although I have a few clues -
It is a lidded bulbous shape pot, made of red terracotta, glazed with a pale grey/buff crackle type glaze, decorated with flowering branches in green and red, and with a roundel picturing a person next to a sun face with in black script the words la Lumiere around the design.
Pot measures 12 inches across. about 7 inches height bought in England, came from charity auction.
No factory mark or makers mark at all except the La Lumiere insciption.
The shape of pot suggests to me early in 20thc. first 2 decades - I have a smaller pot of identical shape - looks a bit Ali Baba or Turkish - made by the Ault Art Pottery and dating from the 1920's.
The decoration - curving swirling branches - is typically arts and crafts/art nouveau.
The roundel is the puzzle - the faces are very distinctive, and look like Aubrey Beardsley faces/drawings - and the La Lumiere insciption might make it possible it is a french pot, but otherwise it seems typically British arts and crafts.
Can anyone suggest a potter ?
Many thanks for any help
Best wishes

[Tigerchips]

Although I don't think it is, It reminds me of Fornasetti designs

http://www.minimadesign.com/product.asp?productID=167

So maybe Italian?

[gemmacler]

Thanks for reply !
[ Very smart teddy by the way ! ] I had never heard of Fornasetti, I am ashamed to say, I see why you suggested him, the roundel is undoubtedly the clue to this pot, it is not a modern picture in my opinion, the style is 1900's/1920's. Fornasetti's designs are sort of classic modern. My pot has also the air of being a one off studio pot, inside the pot the glaze has pooled quite a bit. I am in the Cotswolds, I wonder could it be someone Cotswold school ?

[Tigerchips]

...or maybe Tintagel pottery?...although there's a good colour match and the clay is the same the items on that site are fairly basic in design.

[Sue C]

Or maybe Italy   http://italianpottery.com/index.ihtml

[Carolyn Preston]

Or maybe Mexican?

Carolyn