Whatta #%8&* Does That Say?

Marks are very often a mystery! I’m thankful for
customers who see exactly the piece of pottery
they like and want, and all the details of age and
place and maker are secondary. Most of us collec-
tors, however, want to know
who made it and all the other
The

excitement of recognition is

information available.
sometimes palpable and finally
discovering the maker of a piece
you really like is gratifying.

I own many pieces of pottery
that I don’t know the origins of.
Some have obscure lurchings
scratched in the

underside, some
have clearly spelled
and

beautifully

names, some
have
planned and execut-
ed marks punched
into the clay. The
one thing they all
have in common is
that I have not yet
found anyone, or
any book, or any
website that can help
connect them to the
identity of their
makers.

I imagine most pot-
ters see their marks
to be very readable,
and indeed many
that seem so insolu-

ble at the

become easily read

start

once the initial mys-

tery is solved. I have a cylindrical pot by Hilda
Ross I like very much. I’ve had it for almost all of
the 5 years I’ve been collecting but it was less than
a year ago that I finally realized who made it. The

Do you know who made this pot? Let us know if you do!

mark now appears to me very clearly as H.K.Ross
but for the longest time I thought it read H. and
a last name beginning with K. The end of the
name fades into the edge just a bit so it was not
until one day when I was reading
some material that mentioned
Hilda K. Ross, and also looking
at the pot, that it made sense.

I have three pieces that are in a
lovely copper tone. The punches
on two of them are quite distinct
and the third is filled in with the
glaze. The 18 in. tall square
edged. vase, tapering to the top
with
openings on the side,

rectangular

has a manipulated
surface looking like
beaten copper. The
mark on this one is
half way up the side
and blends easily
into the surface.The
second is a much
smaller, 4 1/2 in,
more conventionally
shaped pot, also with
a surface like worked
copper. It appears to
me that the circular
punch has an OP or
an OA in it. I would
be pleased to know
who made it. If you
have this
tion, or a mark youre
trying to identify, or
you just want to
chat, you can email
me at jdis@telus.net or drop by DoDa Antiques

informa-

in the Vancouver Antique center at the corner of
Hastings and Richards.

Photos: Martin Hunt John Lawrence

10

Potters Guild of British Columbia Newsletter

May 2005