This listing here is for a very collectable 1960s wooden cheese board or chopping board.
It consists of an thick slab of oak as the base section - which is inset with a square tile (fixed) and to the other side a round removeable dish for your relishes or perhaps loose salt. The little dish is inscribed on the base: Syd Walker MONTROSE POTTERY.
In the centre of the wooden tray section is a little indentation in the wood as well as a magnetic raised button - which is used to keep the cheese knife on. The knife is in excellent clean condition and is original to the board. The cheese knife is 7 1/4 inches in length.
There are four little round rubber feet on the base.
There is also an interesting sticker on the base - which relates to the history of this item. It states that this wooden board was made at the Caledonia Factory, Beith in Ayrshire. The sticker also tells you that this was a special piece made to celebrate with Centenery of the Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society (SCWS) in 1968.
The SCWS was founded in 1868 to serve the Scottish co-operative movement as a wholesaler. Membership was open only to registered co-operative societies and employees of the society.
Syd Walker is a very interesting man. He was born in Birmingham in 1926, and grew up in Bournville, where his parents worked at Cadbury’s. During World War Two he was called up as a Bevin Boy and worked in the coal mines until he was invalided out in 1946.
He studed at Ruskin Hall and Birmingham College of Arts and Crafts, and later taught art in various colleges. He married Elizabeth Ritchie and moved back to her home town of Montrose. Herein 1957, he set up his own business – a shop in Bridge Street, with nearby pottery and gallery.
Syd Walker sadly passed in 2015. His life and work was celebrated in a retrospective exhibition at Montrose Museum in late 2016.
Syd’s work has been exhibited in Britain, France, Holland and the USA, and his work is in private collections throughout the world, including those of the Royal Family.
I have taken lots of images for your inspection.
These vintage chopping boards are very hard to source now - and this is reflected in my asking price (especially when it is in such fabulous condition and with such an interesting Scottish history attached to it). Really, more of a museum piece!
Dimensions: The length of the board is 12 3/4 inches and the width is 7 1/2 inches. The height is about 1 inch. The tile is a standard 6 inches square one. and the little round dish has a diameter of 2 3/4 inches
It is in perfect condition with a nice glossy surface - and no sign of any cutlery marks etc on it.
UK postage will be £4.95 with Royal Mail recorded posting. This will be applied at checkout to your order.