This stunning tableware earthernware bowl was made by Shorter & Son (UK)
Shorter & Son (Stoke On Trent) were in operation 1906 ~ 1964 and produced an incredibly wide range of artistic, decorative tableware and pottery (including Toby Jugs) with the artwork designs being heavily influenced by Clarice Cliff, a very talented artist and designer, who later became Colley Shorter's (one of the owners) wife in 1940.
SHORTER & SON - Fruit Bowl
Made in Stoke-On-Trent, England
Thin walled earthernware
Circa 1930's ~ 1950's
We personally feel this particular piece most likely left the works either in the late 1930's or late 1940's as the works were preoccupied (and restricted by the British Government) with the WWII effort in the early ~ mid 1940's
Hand decorated
High gloss glazing
Typical but a stunning example of one type of decorative tableware produced by Shorter & Son at the time. Of course they also produced a myriad of other designs, including Art Deco and their pieces are becoming more and more difficult to find, particularly those in good condition.
The colours are bold, the design is stunning and depicts a Burgundy/Purple anenome flower with lime Green foliage at each "end" formed into lifting handles.
But there is more to this bowl's design than just "a Burgundy/Purple anenome flower" ... in Victorian times, such a flower (the anenome) represented or symbolised forsaken love (Red petal's) or protection from evil (purple petal's) So not only will this bowl present very nicely on the dining table but it may well protect your guests from evil!
Only the top side area is hand decorated, the sides of the bowl have a clear glazing applied
DIMENSIONS:
Bowl "mouth" 8 inches diameter (200mm) x 2.5" (70mm) deep
Side handles extend the total length of the bowl (in one direction) to 10" or 260mm
In comparison to the multitude of other beautiful fruits that we have, this could be described as a "medium" size
WEIGHT: 550g
Made from a thin ceramic, quite light for it's size
BACKSTAMP MARKINGS
Below is a photograph of the actual backstamp, very simple text based and with no graphics
No impressions have been made into the ceramic material
COSMETIC CONDITION:
USED (although mainly just stored in one of the china cabinets, for years!)
NO chips
NO fleabites
NO cracks
Crazing is often an issue with both Shorter & Sons and other similar products such as those from Carltonware .... HOWEVER
Examination for crazing was undertaken both "dry" and "wet" (soaked in plain water for a short time)
This piece exhibits only the very lightest signs of crazing. To view with the unaided eye, it looks perfect but when viewed extremely closely I can see very light crazing around the outside base area. The topside,decorated, area has no such crazing at all. Incredible after around 70 years on this earth!
NO damage or wear is apparent to the topside decorative work
I can see one small area on the side which looks like a Purple smudge, this is UNDER the glaze and cannot be removed, it would appear the artist left behind a partial hand print/smudge on the side!
