Unusual Crown Lynn Bowl

Images are attached. Does anyone have any information to offer on this bowl?

I describe this bowl as unusual because the Crown Lynn inscription on the back is unlike any I have seen. It resembles a rudimentary version of the 1950s scripted Crown Lynn which I think always ran on the same line ie Crown Lynn not... Crown
Lynn one on top of the other.

Two people who are "pottery" interested thought it was Poole until seeing the mark under. Bowl measures approx 24 cms across and 6cms deep. Cream pale white interior, glossy and exterior depending on light is a beautiful grey/green/light brown.

I guess it may have been a very early and good quality product before the early scripted Crown Lynn logo contained inside the "scroll" was formalised. Refer Valerie Ringer Monk's book Crown Lynn A New Zealand Icon, Page 156 Crown Lynn back stamps.

I can't see an image Kitsch, but it sounds like an early, possibly hand potted, glazed, float bowl. Perhaps a photo would help.

Hi Mumof1 I downloaded 5 or 6 pics but they have not appeared. I will be in touch the site to discuss. I gather from one or two earlier ventures in the site that some people seem to have trouble with the attachment of pics and clearly I am one of them. I am happy to send pics to your personal email if you wish to provide. I am a collector of NZ pottery espec Crown Lynn and this bowl stumps me; so any advice from people knowledgeable about some of CLs early efforts would be appreciated. Thanks Kitsch

PHOTOGRAPHS To Mumof1 and other topic readers. I have just emailed pics off to Ev at NZ pottery who kindly loads pics emailed to her and then uploads them to the topic. Hope to see them soon. Kitsch

Here are the photos that kitsch sent to the site to be loaded into this topic.







Here is a link to the How to Add Photos topic for you kitsch -
http://newzealandpottery.forumotion.net/t225-this-is-how-it-s-done-good-luck-d

It may just be an effect of the photo, but it almost looks like the script is incised into the glaze.

Oh it is lovely! ------ and just like my one! They look exactly like my hand potted ones but with a scrolled Crown Lynn in the glaze instead of a stamp and, of course, are glazed. I know another collector who also has one like this, and he told me that he thinks they were hand potted float bowls that they experimented with glazing, but that is heresay, not bible.

Thanks Mumof1. It is lovely. You have been very helpful. If it is not too much trouble are the dimensions the same and what colour if yours and the one of the collector you know and where did he get his info from?
kitsch

Here is my one, the colour is inbetween blrown and charcoal, difficult to describe. if you look closely, there are long golden brown swirl lines in the glaze, but very faint

and the scroll is not as neat as on your one. They are probably the same size, as I measured 230mm diameter by 50mm high, but it's hard with round objects. The idea of them being handpotted is merely an assumption, one which I made myself, and we may never know the true facts about these bowls. My assumption stems from a hand incised hand potted that I have, with Crown Lynn also in scroll in the glaze. See my posting http://newzealandpottery.forumotion.net/t2929-hand-engraved-hand-made-hand-potted-bowl?highlight=hand+incised

Saw a catalogue yesterday at the Museum from an Exhibition in 1978 regarding Crown Lynn backstamps and the Crown Lynn in script was dated Late 1940's.
The Crown Lynn in script with a rectangular irregular border around it was dated Middle to Late 1940's. So definitely the 1940's ..... old and real treasures!

Thanks Mumof1; your pic shows that the colour is very similar to mine. My camera shots at night probably not such a good idea.
To Ev thanks for the info. I assume you are talking about Auckland museum. Can you give me a bit more info on how you saw the catalogue and any contacts ie name, phone if that is not too much trouble. I see you are prolific poster. I have been collecting CL for about 8 years, all sorts, especially dinner ware but have picked up other interesting CL pieces along the way. Cheers Kitsch

Yes indeed I am a very prolific poster ..... my enthusiasm never wavers when it comes to NZ Pottery and at times I find this embarrassing, but mostly I don't and just keep on posting.
This link will give you all of the details for the catalogue that I got at the Auckland Museum Library .... except for the Call Number which is NK4670 - http://newzealandpottery.forumotion.net/t3140-went-to-the-auckland-museum-library-today-14-01-2013

Ev wrote:Saw a catalogue yesterday at the Museum from an Exhibition in 1978 regarding Crown Lynn backstamps and the Crown Lynn in script was dated Late 1940's.
The Crown Lynn in script with a rectangular irregular border around it was dated Middle to Late 1940's. So definitely the 1940's ..... old and real treasures!

I was at the Nelson Antique fair on Saturday, and found a Steenstra vase with hand encised Crown Lynn, but also a 1955 stamp with one star. Now I'm confused again

I feel your pain ....
Does it help to know that Daniel Steenstra worked at Crown Lynn from 1953 to 1959 - according to Te Papa.

Edits to add that I'm sure Steenstra was working at Crown Lynn during the 1960's so will have to hunt this out now!

Edits again to add that Steenstra worked at Crown Lynn from 1953 to around 1973 when he went to Beach Artware.

Hello, I found another brown hand potted bowl.
Also a green dish which has an inscription from 8 May 1963. The dish is very much like the brown bowl in that the clay inside has about the same colour and the speckled look too. They are both heavy and have the same thickness. Did they (Steenstra?) make the brown bowl as an experimental run for the production of the green dish?
The green bowl is subtly ribbed on the outside and has an indentation in the middle of the base on the inside and out and no slip lines.

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We already have that bowl from hon-john here http://newzealandpottery.forumotion.net/t246-branded-ware#692
Congratulations on finding another of those bowls!

Hi Haselnuss
Thanks for the message today about your bowl which looks just like mine. Are they the same dimensions as I gave earlier in my posts.
I don't know about the connection with Steenstra or whoever may have made these bowls. The green one you have looks quite different just from the pics especially the difference in the rim shape??
I think it is clear that they are early Crown Lynn and possibly experimental but beautiful and well made. I bought mine in a Retro /collectables shop in Palmerston North about thre years ago. Where did you find yours.
Nice that the forum is still going on and maybe we will eventually get some more info re date of production and who made them.
Cheers from Kitsch

Hello, I purchased mine on Trade Me a couple of months ago because I liked the look of yours. They are both the same size.

It is hard to explain why I think the brown and the green bowls are simular.

I know that the green bowl is taller and not so rounded at the top. That the brown bowl is hand potted and the green one I am not sure about.
Also that the writing and monogram is printed on. The hand incised Crown Lynn doesn't look like the one usually incised by Steenstra. I compared it with my Steenstra vases and looked at some on Google.
And of all the incised C/L vases that I own and looked up on Google none has this specific incised C/L script either.

But they both have the same size and thickness of the rounded body at the bottom. The top (21cm across the very top rim) and foot ring match perfectly in size and width too.
They feel the same and are equally heavy.

Also, even though it is hard to see on the photos, they both look like they have been potted out of the same beige speckly "clay". The green bowl is not vitrified.

I might be completely wrong but I have handled and collected a lot of Crown Lynn.

May be Valerie can have a look when she hopefully comes for a visit in August.

Hi Haselnuss. Thanks. You talk about Valerie possibly visiting in August. I am intrigued. Do you know Valerie personally? and can you tell me where she is visiting. Also are you able to tell me how much you paid for the bowl (not the green one). No worries if you do not want to disclose the $. From memory I think I paid about $15 for mine which I thought was very good buying.
We have a large and varied collection of NZ pottery and we have started a little business selling this and other (for want of a better word) "retro" stuff. You can take a look... "at the bach" on facebook.
Do you have any particular collecting interest/focus?
Cheers
Kitsch

Hello, I don't know Vallerie personally yet only from the forum. I have invited her to have a look at my collection on her next visit to the Central North Island.

I hope I am not offending Vallerie in mentioning it for everyone to read on the forum.

I am actually really looking forward to a possible visit from her, to share my finds, to be able to discuss them with a very knowlegable collector and to learn a lot more from her.

I paid a bit more for my bowl than you did. I'll try to have a look on your page on facebook because we are on Dial Up it might take some time.

I started of with collecting everything Crown Lynn and now I mainly collect Brown and Hemara family pottery also other pieces of NZ ceramics that stand out to me.

Most special pieces are on display in our home. Colour coordinated, wall vases on the walls in the kitchen, animals and jugs on there own shelves, Titian together etc. Others are stored away in many, many boxes.

I am not really interested in NZ studio pottery and can't even remember the potters initials and names.

I love the "hunt" for new pieces at bargain prices (if possible) in second hand shops and online. Also reading up about NZ Pottery in books to learn more and more. To then use the knowledge when I am searching for new finds.

Thanks Haselnuss. Hope you catch up with Valerie.

Hello Kitsch, I couldn't find your page "at the bach" on facebook. Can you send me a link? Cheers

Hi Haselnuss, link is
www.facebook.com/AtTheBach

Cheers

One of these bowls has been listed on Trade Me http://www.trademe.co.nz/a.aspx?id=977734076

I am refreshing/reposting this thread because it shows the three brown bowls previously posted on the forum because of our discussion about the different signatures on hand potted/made and crafted Crown Lynn vases.