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...

Summer of No Travel...

                                         

I think all of us have experienced a very different spring and early summer than we have experienced in our lifetime.  Vacation plans are cancelled, people are told not to gather in large groups, stay home, wash your hands and possibly even wear a mask.  I picked a great time to be off work for a few months and have gone back to work just in time to be told we must wear a mask the entire work day.  

We have had the pleasure of visiting the Medalta Museum in Medicine Hat several times and today's blog is compilation some photos of the visits.  On one of the visits we had a guided tour and recorded some of the conversation and stories, we look forward to doing it again soon.

I think most collectors have a mentor or someone they look to for some guidance and answers to questions when they are unable to find an answer anywhere else.  I like to think that over the years of collecting that these people have gone on to be our friends and we get together and share stories and laughter.

We have discovered things like virtual antiques shows and found hundreds of online auctions with new ones showing up every day.  I am sure the world of actually attending a live auction will be a thing of the past and everything will become electronic.  

We have used Facetime to stay in contact with family and the telephone is used for voice calls now more often that before.

The blog photos today are taken in Medicine Hat at the museum.  I am also including a link to a Facebook group that is having virtual antiques shows every couple of weeks and has been quite successful.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/942676159137439/

And the link to the Medalta Museum in Medicine Hat, be sure to check out the online data base of the collection they on the page.  https://medalta.org/visit/museum/    https://medalta.pastperfectonline.com/   

We are looking forward to the world returning some semblance of normal but until then we will scour the virtual world looking for new pieces to add to our collections.  

Until next time......The Search Continues...

Kitchen Things

I cannot imagine a world without Tupperware type dishes for food storage but in my grandparents time there was no such thing.  There were of course, pottery pieces that served the same purpose.  We have all seen the Pyrex fridge dishes and Medalta and Medicine Hat Potteries each made something to serve the same purpose.  Some of them I think are too pretty to actually use to store food stuff in but I am sure that is what they were used for many years go.  Earthenware itself would stay cool so it made sense that they made pieces to store food.  I remember my Grossmama having crocks of things in the cellar, some of which at the time I found to be very disgusting!  I can remember going to get a jar of pickles and peaking in some of the crocks which she used to preserve Hams, sausage and sauerkraut and other things.  There was always a crock full of drinking water from the well  with a "dipper" hanging on the side and I remember the coolness of the water from the crock even though there was no fridge to cool it.  Now we collect all these pieces and treat them like a prize and put them on a shelf to admire.

The photos today are Medalta and Medicine Hat Potteries (the blue fridge dishes).  All pieces are part of our collection.

Like most of you I am sure, we are ready to get out and start looking for some pieces of whatever it is that we collect.  In our province everything is starting to open slowly and in time we will all be back to a normal pace and able to explore again.  We did find a unique concept for a virtual Antique Show and it was delightful.  There were many amazing pieces for sale and we actually picked up a small jug to add to our collection. The next Virtual show is the first weekend in June and will have 30 vendors each posting 15 items for show and sale.  It has kept us entertained and allowed for many people to add to their collections without leaving their house.

Stay safe and healthy!

And the Search Continues....

Ogilvie's Royal Household Flour Advertising

This blog is an article written by Mr. Ron Getty, who has been very generous in sharing his vast knowledge of Medalta pottery with many collectors.  I am honored to call him a friend and he has always made time to answer questions and share any information he has about the Alberta Potteries.

                                                                                                    

And the Search Continues.....