Early N.Z. pottery in demand

Press, 29 May 1984, Page 12

Early N.Z. pottery in demand

Collecting with

Myrtle Duff

The potter’s craft supplies one of the most basic human requirements, the means of containing and conserving food and drink. It is one of the world’s oldest and its products are among those most widely collected. Now the work of New Zealand’s studio potters holds its own anywhere, and well deserves its popularity with discerning collectors. But there is also a wealth of pottery of humbler origin made for the same practical purposes as its most ancient predecessors. Competition is keen among' collectors of this early New Zealand commercial pottery. The term ‘early New Zealand’ in this context refers to the first half century of European settlement. Our Polynesian New Zealanders seem to have lost the art

during the many migrations culminating in their arrival here, perhaps through lack of suitable clay. Storage pits for kumara and the absence of cereal foods minimised the need for storage vessels. Gourds, flax baskets, and bark and wooden containers sufficed for other purposes. There is little doubt that the Maoris would eventually have rediscovered pottery had the European invasion not occurred. It was at the Antique Bottle Collectors’ annual show last year that I first became aware of the intensely interesting area of local history to be discovered by a study of the early glass and pottery factories. Commercial potteries are generally supposed to have begun in the early 1860 s, but an alert young worker in the library at the Canterbury Museum recently drew my attention to the following item in the “Lyttelton Times” of January 3, 1852: Pottery: Captain Watt of the Governor Gray has brought to Wellington a jug manufactured at Wanganui from clay found in the district. Neither the material nor the execution would do

discredit to Staffordshire itself and from the nature of the clay is would seem to be well adapted to making large pitchers, milk and wash pans, etc., for which there is a great demand and which in consequence of their bulk and brittleness at present realise high prices. I have not been able to discover what resulted from Captain Watt’s initiative. Was the maker of the jug just a pioneer with previous potting skills making domestic vessels for himself and neighbours, or was this the earliest commercial venture to exploit an obviously ready and growing market? The richest source of collectables in this field available locally is the Christchurch firm, Luke Adams. Established in 1882, it continued producing a wide range of goods for 80 years. This firm prided itself on being able to make anything a customer required. Among the more unusual items made to order were 100 rabbit dishes specially made with turned over edges so that the little creatures could eat tidily without spilling the ' contents; mugs embossed with the name Club Hotel, Sydenham, no doubt commissioned by the hotel for presentation to regular patrons; and a number of small opium burners copied exactly from others imported from China. With regard to this last item, the firm revealed a fine moral concern for the general good often apparent in English pottery families such as the Wedgwoods. After due deliberation it discontinued this profitable line on the grounds that, “Their production was not in the best interests of the community.” Among the every-day productions of Luke Adams were wall plaques which could be painted according to the taste of the purchaser, an attractive line of green glazed jars; jugs large and small in a type of Jasper ware reminiscent of Wedgwood but not made in blue and white. Perhaps the product best remembered by generations of children, were the sets of miniature bricks, known as Kiddy bricks. There were also, of course, the flagons and jars

in many sizes made to contain soft drinks, vinegar, oil, and almost every other commodity requiring such containers. These were produced by all the early potteries. The practice of mounting large exhibitions, so popular at the time in Europe, Britain, and America was not neglected here in the far south. An exhibition believed to have been the first in this country took place in Christchurch some time in the late 1870 s. Known as the Joubert and Twopenny Exhibition, it began with a procession which assembled near the Christchurch Girls’ High School and proceeded down to the river along the bank and

across to the present site of Noahs Hotel. Marching in this parade were the management and workers of another famous Christchurch pottery, Austin and Kirk. This firm was founded by two brothers who arrived here in 1861. After working as labourers on the West Coast road to earn the necessary money, they bough land in Ferry Road, where they set up their first brick and pipe works. In 1863 they transferred their business to the foothills where the clay was better. Eventually they became one of the largest employers of labour in Christchurch. A reminder that the present unsatisfactory financial cycle has been with us for some time is the fact that this most important local business ended with the collapse of the Colonial Bank in 1888. Further south, pottery

was also being made. Another well known name is that of the Milton Works, founded by W. M. White, who had taken over an existing brick works in Dunedin in 1863 and moved to Milton 10 years later. This factory continued to be known as the Milton Pottery until 1912 although it ‘ had several different owners. Some of them used their own names so that the identification of pots from that area may sometimes involve research. The widely scattered factories and variety of products are too numerous to detail. But the ninth National Antique Bottle Collectors Show to be held during Queen’s Birthday Week-end on June 1,2, 3 and 4 at the Pioneer Stadium, in Lyttelton Street, will provide an opportunity for anyone interested to gain further insight into this fascinating study. Admission is free. In addition to the competitive dis-

plays set up by enthusiasts from all over the country, there will be exhibits of other types of antiques and sales tables run by local collectors. Items illustrated are from ‘ the collection of Douglas Redmond, convener of this year’s Antique Bottle Show. They include one of his largest and oldest Austin j and Kirk jars, glazed in • dark brown and extremely heavy even when empty, it balances on a very uneven base; a Milton demijohn bearing the name Drake Miller and a large jar from J. H. Lambert, Dunedin. The delightful Bambi was made by the Auckland firm, Crown Lynn, in 1950, and ; the ginger beer bottle is another Milton product, this time with the now rare Henderson mark. The lovely Majolica type whisky jug in rich blues and browns was made at Milton, and in front is one of the tiny opium burners made by Luke Adams, of Christchurch.

Luke Adams

Ware is rich source