POTTERS GUILD of BRITISH COLUMBIA Fey 1359 Cartericht Sirect tiranville Island Vancoiver BO oH Fads 1 OMb a) dvb ‘Tel ie) 669256045 Newsletter March 1998 Bob Kingsmill Muses on Picasso, Packing Crates & Pottery [ have just been piven a small packing crate, Tt will hold a 16° plare or shallow bowl and probably be safe from che mose wirmrous Handing. Interestingly, it fas 2 yellow, diamond shaped Labels called "Shockwatch”. They are a 3-Mi company product that have a glass cube indicacor that tums brightred if che crate has been roughly jarred ordropped. Thac’s pretry mea. But, even more incerestingly, the box caried a Picasso ceramic plate from a European auction roam to a Vancouver eallector, The crate cose $350, nor a bad price when you consider chat they paid $14, O00 for the plate. Yup, they pur our 14 big ones for che Picasso. Why, choughe |, would anyone even a person al means: sped that puch cash on a decidedly dead person's work when they might have spen: the same anuvune and had 7 : in fas j a stare to a celleceion of BO potters work! lodeed, one wouds:'r wane to diminish che significance cf Picasso going co allauns in the 1940's and helping co reinvigorane the cemamics coneey. And one can’t knock che pleaseres of collecting pottery. | have an §3 year eld Scottish fdend who bristles with joy at his collection af Leonhard Epp pieces and he would sal be willing: ee doe exneselve damage to the old age pension cheque if another pot or sculpture of Leonhard’s beckoned him. Given $14,000 (and it would have co be given}, | could take a iignificanely satistying saunter through the Porters’ Guild shop, chrough Circle Craft or through several other studios. [ suspect there are many sublimely incellimenc souls collecting BC porters’ work right new. And in the fuoure ther pieces will be coming to auctions and fegching prices thac weuld make the pacter blanch. Perhaps we all have tc advertise the fact that the quality of our werk 1 Super ly and tell potencial collector chat leaving their children and grandchddren a soudio pottery collection is an excellent ides. In che meangme, if you want oo pouch the hand of someone who touched a crane that once held aceramic glare probably made (here are councerteics} by the absolutely deceased Picasso just drop by. And chen you could cell those you wished ta impress thet you touched the hand char touched che crave ecc., ecc.. Bob Kingsmill