Summer 2021....

 I am sure we are all hoping that the summer of 2021 will get back to a more normal way of life.  I don't know about anyone else but I more than ready for an antique show and sale or a good old live auction with real people in the room.

In Saskatchewan we are hoping to start getting to live shows very soon!

I will share a couple new pieces we have added to the collection in the last few months.  It has been a while since I posted a new blog but our Facebook group has been quite active with sharing information and photos so there is often something new there every couple of days.

Information copied from the Bruce Douglas book of Medalta Lamps.

Lamp #43 is 8 1/8" tall. . The in-mould marks for these lamps are unusual, see

page 14. Lamp #43 is one of the miniatures, and it is valued because of this. Its

mark is M.17.a, and value is about $110 to $140 in spite of its small size. A pink

lamp #43 is found in the Eaton’s Catalogues of the thirties, and these, if found, may well

be unmarked.

This small lamp is #48. It was introduced in 1936 and produced until 1941. It

is included here as it incorporates a sphere in its design. The lamp is 197 mm (7

3/4") in height, but it is listed as being 7 1/4" high. The lamp shown is in a two

color glaze, dark yellow spots on medium brown.  Uncommon, it has a count of 8. 

Below are the two main variations of lamp #49. On the

top photos of this pair is the lamp that was introduced in 1936,

while the records indicate that the handled variation (lamp

#49h) was produced in 1940 and possibly in 1939. The original

non handled version was again produced in 1941. Versions of lamp #49h exist where

the handles appear to have been applied by hand. The handles on these lamps are

placed higher, and not always at the

same height.  The height of #49 is 198 mm

(7 13/16") and of #49h 195 mm (7 5/8"). Lamp #49 is uncommon, with a count of 7,

while the handled version is rare with a count of 3. 

Lamp #37 is the miniature version of lamp #39, the lamp shaped like the Egypto vase. Its

height is 6 5/8", and this example has a Satina cream glaze. This diminutive lamp was

introduced in 1935 and produced until 1940. Both the lamp and its glaze, a matt cream

glaze, are not commonly seen. The listed height for this lamp is 7 1/4", significantly taller

than this example. Very rare, its mark is M.18 and its count is 2.

This small lamp is based on the shape of the Egypto vase like the one below.

Here are a couple other new pieces we have added very recently......more to come later!

 

And the Search Continues...........

Medalta Lamps

Lamps were never on our radar for collecting but over the course of time we have added a few to the collection.  We enjoy the challenge of finding them and we are learning to identify them much better.  Like all other Medalta pieces the glazes are similar, the clay feels the same and many pieces are not marked.  We have not rewired any of them so we don't use any of the lamps.

The height of this lamp is 5.25". Lamps with the “Owl” decoration are highly prized by the collectors who own them. Because of its rarity (the 5½" lamp was produced only in 1932), and marks, it is a prized part of any collection with either the hand painted Silhouette or Fuzzy Owl decoration.

 

Lamp #9 is the earliest of the numbered Medalta lamps, who’s shape started as the hand made 4 ½" lamp. It was introduced in 1932, and was produced until 1937. Its height is 4 1/4" (109 mm), and it is a named lamp, the “Globe” lamp.  Most of these do not have an in-mould mark, and many are unmarked.

 Lamp #11 is the Beehive lamp. This lamp has not been seen with an embossed mark, but has been seen with the silver Medalta paper sticker, P.2. It also occurs in a number of classical Medalta glazes, including the multicolor spotted glaze. It is 5 5/8" (144 mm) high.  This lamp was introduced in 1933 and continued in production until 1937.

Lamp #43 is 8 1/8" tall. The in-mould marks for these lamps are unusual.  Lamp #43 is one of the miniatures, and it is valued because of this. Its mark is M.17.a. A pink lamp #43 is found in the Eaton’s Catalogues of the thirties, and these, if found, may well be unmarked.

 

Lamp #506 is referred to as the miniature of the post-war series of lamps. It would be a miniature of lamp #502.  An almost identical lamp made in the USA has frequently been assumed to be this lamp. The height of the lamp is 7 7/8.  Introduced likely in 1947, this lamp shape was produced briefly in that oxide marked pieces usually have mark G.38.a, indicating production in the early post-war period.

 

Lamp #53 was introduced in 1938. The height of the lamp is 190 mm (7/16").  It has also been seen with mark G.14.b.

 Lamp #428b the height 10.3 inches.  Production was in 1940 and 1941, and possibly in 1945 and 1946 for the early lamp.  This lamp is in the olive or khaki eggshell finish.

 Lamps #430a in a yellow lacquer finish.  The height of the lamps is 11 ½ inches. for both lamps.  The appearance of a painted early lamp suggests that production of #430a continued through the war. The early lamp is marked with mark M.18.

Lamp #24 is 8" tall and could have been included with the large lamps. Lamp #26, which has a height of 5 3/4" has the same basic shape. The records list this lamp as being 7 ½" high but this lamp is generally about 8" in height. This shape was introduced in 1934, and was produced until 1941. This is the longest known production of any Medalta lamp. This lamp is found with two different impressed mould marks, usually mark M.16, but occasionally mark M.18.

 

Lamp #34 is shown in yellow. The records indicate that, in spite of its small size, this was an expensive lamp for Medalta. It is the miniature of lamp #31. It was in production from 1935 to 1940. The lamp measures 6.5" tall. The mark on this lamp is M.18.

This is a small hand made lamp, several patterns exist.  They are hand painted, and their height is 6 5/8". The lamp has a closed base design.  The marks are G.9 (partial) and G.16.a. This is the Small Square Shouldered lamp of the Medalta records, produced in 1931 only.

And the Search Continues........

 

Merry Christmas 2020

 What a year it has been......Saskatchewan shut down for a few weeks in March the day after what turned out to be the last in person antique show that we would do for the year.  It has been a year of reinventing many things and learning to keep a distance between people and learning how to bake bread and buns as for quite a while there was no yeast to found anywhere!  Change is the mother of invention they say and antique shows were indeed reinvented.  We joined a group that was hosting a virtual antique show and once again there were antiques showing up for collectors across the world.  The difference with in person and virtual is that the show did access the world not just the local market.  

This will be a blog with the majority of the content being photos.  Many years ago merchants gave gifts to the people that supported their business and the photos are examples of some of those Thank You gifts.

                          

And the Search continues.....

Alberta Potteries over the Years

 Alberta Potteries Ltd (Wyatt's Company): 1931-1938

Alberta Potteries was never really competition for Medalta even though they made very similar products.  They had a wide range of products even though they operated for such a short time.  Wyatt also competed with Medalta with advertising items like ashtrays, mixing bowls, pudding bowl or meat pan and a souvenir cup commemorating the 1935 Silver Jubilee of King George the V and Queen Mary. 

                                              

Alberta Potteries Limited (Yuill's Company): 1941-1966

                                                            

Yuill's plant was located in Redcliff and various people worked with them designing pottery pieces, Luke Lindoe and Malcolm McCarthur to name a couple.  The products produced were varied and included utilitarian as well as decorative pieces.  

Ron Getty's book The Kilns of South Eastern Alberta is loaded with information about the kilns that operated in Medicine Hat.  It is great resource book to have if you are collecting pottery made in Alberta.  Ron has several reference books and they are great resource books, ours are full of little notes to try and keep track of other little bits of information.

I always find that a piece can be described to me but until I actually see it I have have a hard visualizing what it looks like.  Experience is a great educator and makes it easier to pick out a piece from one of the potteries and be able to tell which pottery company may have made it.  Time is a great educator!

And the Search Continues...