Clennell on tue 9 dec 97
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Tony, I couldn't disagree more with your slant on signing pots.
>
>A signed pot is good for the potter and for the buyer of the piece.
>It's good for a viewer who happens by. Everyone benefits. No one loses.
>Best of all is a "signature" that can actually be read, as well as the
>name and location of the pottery.
>
David: Sounds like everthing you're proud of you're going to put on the
bottom of your pot. I have 4 kids should I put their names on the bottom
of my pots? i am very proud of all 4 of them.
I was brought up in the tradition in which you speak. At my uncles pottery
we wrote on the bottom of every pot the following: Pinecroft Pottery,
Aylmer, Ontario, Canada, handmade and a number 1 for one pound, 2for 2
pounds etc. you see unlike Mel who prices by the inch we priced by the
pound. That comes from the folk tradition of pricing by the gallon. My
aunt also insisted that it be written so that if a right handed person was
drinking out of the mug, the person across the table could read
"Pinecroft". Personally I think this is just plain "anal retentive"
I'm sure I would like your pots but I doubt with all that stuff written on
the bottom, that I'd buy one. Sounds like Tommy Hilfigger to me. Nice
shirt on that signature.
I like pots with a nice turned footring and a little woopee from the
trimming tool. It horrifies me to think of one of Sheilas tea cups with
Gleason Brook Pottery, Tony and Sheila Clennell, Wiarton, Ontario, Canada,
Sean, Eileen, Jay and Robin written on the bottom. oopps I forgot Ziggy the
cat!
I always figured if me and my neighbour the potter didn't sign our work his
good ones would be attributed to me and my bad ones to him.
Why have you got a burr in your butt about the Leach tradition. I only wish
that I might have been able to share a cup of tea with the old buzzard. I
have a feeling I would have loved to hear him speak. The Potters Book has
been a bible for over 50 years.
So as for our pots. TC for me and SC for Sheila. It's simple, it's
understated and it suits us. By the way, whats wrong with Taiwan or China
on the bottom of a pot? Since when in the world of pottery did USA mean
quality and Taiwan or China mean lack there of? I think you had better look
a little harder at the history of pottery.
Signing off- Tony Clennell, Wiarton , Ontario, Canada , 49th parallel,
Colpoy's Bay. Lake Huron, beside the graveyard, in a log house, look for
the stack. god, I hope I sell a pot because of this!
Sheila and Tony Clennell
Gleason Brook Pottery
Box l0, RR#2,
Wiarton, Ontario
NOH 2TO
Canada
Phone # 1 (519) 534-2935
Fax # 1 (519) 534-0602
E-mail clennell@bmts.com
David Hendley on thu 11 dec 97
Whoa, pardner (as we say in Texas), no one's suggesting
that you change anything you do as far as marking your pots.
You sent the group your opinion of signatures on pots
and several people responded with differing opinions.
To each his own.
I'm sorry you wouldn't consider buying something I
made because the name of the pottery studio
and my signature is the bottom.
I own and enjoy many signed pots, unsigned pots,
stamped pots, and totally unmarked pots.
It sounds like you attatch more importance to
the signature (or lack of) than the pot.
At least I know I'm in good company with lots of other fine
potters whose work you would not buy.
As for your idea that
>>I always figured if me and my neighbour the potter didn't sign our work his
>>good ones would be attributed to me and my bad ones to him.
That may be.
It may also be that, since nothing is identified, the bad
ones may be attributed to you, and the good ones to him!
Who knows what they'll think when we've all graduated to
that big Shimpo in the sky? (And we won't care).
Also, come on, a pot with the potter's signature scratched on
the bottom is in no way comparable to a Tommy Hilfigger shirt.
Tommy Hilfigger doesn't make his shirts.
The ceramic equivalent would be the designer's name in 4 inch
letters across the face of a slip cast plate.
I can also report that I have nothing against the Leach
tradition, have visited Bernard's, Michael's, and David's
studios in the 70's, and have enjoyed pots made by them for years.
But, again, sorry, that's not my 'tradition'.
As for your question
>>By the way, whats wrong with Taiwan or China
>>on the bottom of a pot? Since when in the world of pottery did USA mean
>>quality and Taiwan or China mean lack there of?
My mention of China and Taiwan made absolutely no
reference to quality.
But, evey pot I see that was made in China SAYS
Made in China right on it.
And I say, what's wrong with U.S.A. on the bottom of a pot?
Let's quit exaggerating our differences of opinon
and agree to disagree.
Go pet Ziggy the cat, then fire those kilns.
Wish I'd had an uncle who ran a pottery,
David Hendley
>David: Sounds like everthing you're proud of you're going to put on the
>bottom of your pot. I have 4 kids should I put their names on the bottom
>of my pots? i am very proud of all 4 of them.
>I was brought up in the tradition in which you speak. At my uncles pottery
>we wrote on the bottom of every pot the following: Pinecroft Pottery,
>Aylmer, Ontario, Canada, handmade and a number 1 for one pound, 2for 2
>pounds etc. you see unlike Mel who prices by the inch we priced by the
>pound. That comes from the folk tradition of pricing by the gallon. My
>aunt also insisted that it be written so that if a right handed person was
>drinking out of the mug, the person across the table could read
>"Pinecroft". Personally I think this is just plain "anal retentive"
>I'm sure I would like your pots but I doubt with all that stuff written on
>the bottom, that I'd buy one. Sounds like Tommy Hilfigger to me. Nice
>shirt on that signature.
>I like pots with a nice turned footring and a little woopee from the
>trimming tool. It horrifies me to think of one of Sheilas tea cups with
>Gleason Brook Pottery, Tony and Sheila Clennell, Wiarton, Ontario, Canada,
>Sean, Eileen, Jay and Robin written on the bottom. oopps I forgot Ziggy the
>cat!
>I always figured if me and my neighbour the potter didn't sign our work his
>good ones would be attributed to me and my bad ones to him.
>Why have you got a burr in your butt about the Leach tradition. I only wish
>that I might have been able to share a cup of tea with the old buzzard. I
>have a feeling I would have loved to hear him speak. The Potters Book has
>been a bible for over 50 years.
>So as for our pots. TC for me and SC for Sheila. It's simple, it's
>understated and it suits us. By the way, whats wrong with Taiwan or China
>on the bottom of a pot? Since when in the world of pottery did USA mean
>quality and Taiwan or China mean lack there of? I think you had better look
>a little harder at the history of pottery.
>Signing off- Tony Clennell, Wiarton , Ontario, Canada , 49th parallel,
>Colpoy's Bay. Lake Huron, beside the graveyard, in a log house, look for
>the stack. god, I hope I sell a pot because of this!
>
>Sheila and Tony Clennell
>Gleason Brook Pottery
>Box l0, RR#2,
>Wiarton, Ontario
>NOH 2TO
>Canada
>
>Phone # 1 (519) 534-2935
>Fax # 1 (519) 534-0602
>E-mail clennell@bmts.com
>
>
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
See David Hendley's Pottery Page at
http://www.sosis.com/hendley/david/
Clennell on fri 12 dec 97
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Whoa, pardner (as we say in Texas), no one's suggesting
>that you change anything you do as far as marking your pots.
David: Liked your posting. Touchet! I do actually sign my work.TC When I
worked for my uncle we made 15000 pots per year and I guess all the signing
wore me down. Especially when some of the pots retailed for 75 cents. This
was not so long ago either -20 years. Sheila and I trim almost every pot
because the colour of Frank Tuckers clay is so ugly (just kidding Frank).
the clay is actually gorgeous and he'll custom mix anything you want.
Actually we trim because we like trimming more than throwing. We trim a
nice whoopee into the bottom and therefore a chop mark is much more suited
to the finishing we do on our pots. Actually David I'd love one of your
pots and we could make a trade. Any one that can write can pot. Let me
know and a trade will be on it's way.
Keep centered ,
tony
Sheila and Tony Clennell
Gleason Brook Pottery
Box l0, RR#2,
Wiarton, Ontario
NOH 2TO
Canada
Phone # 1 (519) 534-2935
Fax # 1 (519) 534-0602
E-mail clennell@bmts.com
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