This is a highly collectable little porcelain Art Pottery bowl made by the ceramic artist, Mary Rich (1940 - 2022). It is probably a more specialist item for the collector of contemporary British studio pottery.
It is one of a wee group of beautiful art pieces by Rich in my online store.
The little footed bowl is typical of her work and has a black ground (with a fine layer of purple lustre glaze) and with a painstakingly applied gold geometric pattern. It is certainly finely decorated all over and I have taken lots of images for your inspection.
It is such a lovely piece of British Art Pottery - and in such lovely condition.
It is an impressed maker's mark "M" on the side of the foot and with a light signature on the base. This would date this piece to around the 1980s.
Dimensions: The pot is 2 3/4 inches in height. The diameter of the rim is 3 1/4 inches. At the widest point it is 4 inches in diameter. The diameter of the foot is 1 1/2 inches.
My little pot is again in lovely condition with no chips or cracks. The gilding is all present - any black marks on the gold colour in my photos are caused by reflections coming from the light.
HISTORY: Mary was one of Britain's best known potters. She studied ceramics at Bournemouth College of Art until 1961, and this was followed by a period working with David Leach.
In 1962 she opened her first studio in Falmouth where she made salt glaze ceramics. It wasn't until the 1980s, with the advent of more efficient kilns, that Mary switched to making solely porcelain pieces.
She was a Fellow of the Craft Potters Association, a member of the Devon Guild of Craftsmen and a member of the Cornwall Crafts Association.
Her pots are hand-thrown in porcelain. Most of them have several layers of colour applied to the raw clay to achieve exactly the right base for her final decorations, added after the glaze firing. The characteristic geometric designs are applied with liquid bright gold and other lustres, using fine brushes.
Each piece takes many hours to produce and the final results glow with muted golds, greens and blues. My price is a fair one and reflects the time, skill and artistry involved in many these unique pots.
This one will have to be sent to you with Royal Mail Special Next Day Delivery for that it is insured against loss or damage in transit. This will be applied to your at the checkout.