Terra Ceramics ....

We need a copy of that sticker too Ev..we can get information on this company from Hemara Hemara...John thinks the elephant is his handiwork...

This is a variation of the Terra Ceramics sticker:

Blown up pic of sticker on the elephant...

Your pic isnt showing now Ev..

Same and different...perhaps Mr Terra Australia,moved to NZ? It weakens the theory it may have been Cam Brown..

I think the word "terra" as a name was too attractive - google brings up companies called Terra Ceramics in several countries. My Oz potters marks bible has the Sydney starting in 1946 and going to 1983 with the sticker in use from the early 1960s. There's no mention of figurative works just vases, bowls, ash trays, dishes and lamp bases.

The similarity of the stickers might suggest that someone worked at both places or saw the design and copied it.

Info courtesy of Hemara....
Terra Ceramics was originally an Australian company.
They moved to Rosebank Road, Avondale, New Zealand -
and shipped all of their moulds etc over in containers.
[I need to find out exactly when this event happened]
Hemara was there at this time and worked for the company.
Ernie Cooper was the boss.

Hi Terra Ceramics started in OZ but it was shipped to NZ. Hemara was there when the crates were in NZ and they opened them up. I would say that they used the same stickers. I will ask him. He has the complete range of what they made under his house.

Hi disregard the last statement. Have just spoken to Hemara and Cam Brown had nothing at all to do with Terra ceramics. Hemara could not think of the persons name who brought it over but he will remember and tell me. Hemara was the manager of the factory. They had new stickers made with NZ on them but were basically the same as the OZ stickers.

I found this platter with the NZ sticker in an op shop this morning.

This is thought to be a Terra Ceramics Dolphin..

Hi Heather YES it is a Terra Ceramics dolphin and Herama made the mould, It was produced at the Hederson pottery

Photo courtesy of dollcrown ...

This is 350mm long and that coin in the pic is a 50c piece.

Hi I worked at Terra with Hemera. I saved a folder on the story of Terra Ceramic in short It goes like this.
The original plant was in Sydney. It was started by Mr Bernhard Fiegel a result of 25 years. In 1981 Bernhard died how ever 12 month early he had started negotiations with Trugrit Manufacturing Ltd to have his product made in NZ under licence a new company was formed Terra Ceramics NZ using the same raw materials and clay body. This company was run by Ernie Copper A qualified Ceramist.
The companys address was 18 Copsey Pl ,Rosebank Rd, Avondale, Auckland


Hope this is a help

Thanks very much for that info signal red
Hemara is still making pottery along with his son Paul.
He thinks that he may be the oldest working potter around he told John recently

hon-john wrote:Hi Heather YES it is a Terra Ceramics dolphin and Herama made the mould, It was produced at the Hederson pottery

Hi, i new to the forum,
After looking around Google i came across this image of the Dolphin, I have seen one of these round for sale, i was wondering if they are collectable and are they of good value?

Welcome to the Forum ILuvRetro
I believe that all pottery is collectable, but I have no idea of what the dolphin is worth sorry.

18 copsey pl , rosebank, avondale auckland was the address of terra ceramic and then ward st new lynn and then renamed studio ceramics moving once again to glen eden .

Hi signal, I noticed an auction on TM today for a Terra Ceramics piece that said that Christine Harris ended up buying the company. Can you verify that at all? I can't find the auction now bah humbug and I'm off to work shortly!

yes I think the year would have been 1991.

The Polar bear that is shown has a very interesting history a sculptor showed me the orginal clay model and wanted to know if we had an interest in purchasing the original to put it in as a production item. I arranged royalty arrangement with him but unfortunately he passed away very suddenly and we were unable to proceed with the arrangement. Consequently very few of these were produced at Terra

We found this apricot float bowl last week, not unlike the Crown Lynn handpotted, but more flimsy

and on the base, a different Terra Ceramics sticker

Here's a little Terra Ceramics seal on a rock... have been told by Signal Red that it originally was not on a rock and it fell over in the kiln, so Hemara remodelled it.  It is an eccentric little object that I prob would have passed over as Chinese until recently.. love the ever-growing stock of info that is coming to light. I have also been told that the base of the Terra items often have an initial scratched in them - if the fettling was not up to standard the fettler had to have another go after firing!

Some more fine examples of Terra Ceramics courtesy of signal red.  
Most are in the distinctive glaze that Terra Ceramics used which is easily recognisable.... maybe the little miniatures are a different glaze ..?
Thanks signal as I have only seen the dolphin out of the ones that you have just sent

I saw one of those long necked bird figurines today and it was glazed in black with blue over the black down to it's 'chest'. It still had the Terra Ceramics sticker on it and the price was $6 which was very reasonable I thought, until I noticed that it's neck had been broken and glued back together, so I regrettably didn't get it ......