SOLD - Authentic & Unique Stephanie Kalan Art Pottery Pig-Shaped Jug, Handmade One-Off

Authentic & Unique Stephanie Kalan Art Pottery Pig-Shaped Jug, Handmade One-Off

Description

Born in Austria in 1909, Stephanie Kaplan studied music in her youth and became an accomplished pianist and organist, then graduated from the University of Vienna with a degree in musicology. She might well have followed a career in that field had it not have been for the Anschluss - her feelings on that union, and the dark powers that were in control of Germany, are made evident by the fact that she and her husband fled Austria for England just two days after it was ratified in 1938 (wisely so, because once the Nazis controlled Austria too they soon set about imprisoning or executing Austrians who had opposed the treaty).

Pottery seems to have been something of an afterthought for she appears to have had no interest in it until 1950 when she and her husband signed up for a course at the Camberwell School of Arts & Crafts, and even then the interest was fairly casual as though the couple were simply trying out a potential new hobby. However, both - and especially Stephanie - became fascinated, and the hobby became a career. In 1962, the couple moved from London to the beautiful Essex village of Newport, where they set up their studio and where she continued to work right up until her death in 1978.

Kalan produced pottery in a vast range of styles - some are ultra-modern, some are traditional, some are influenced by medieval work, some are radically novel, some are cartoonish, some are extraordinarily elegant, and she never really adopted or developed a style which can be easily pinned down as "Kalan". This is because her fascination was not with pottery itself so much as with the chemistry of pottery - she wasn't so interested in what she could make from clay (though that she had an enormous talent for doing so is very clear), but the finer details of how clay formed, what different types of clay were made up of and what then happened to it throughout the process of preparation, moulding, firing and glazing, which made her a recognised expert on the topic and enabled her to develop a new formula for the crystalline glazing process which features on many of her pieces and which she kept a very closely-guarded secret.

That lack of a recognisable signature style has meant that Kalan's work has never been as collectable among the public as potters who can be more easily defined - think, for example, of Clarice Cliff and Grayson Perry, both of whose work has a very distinctive and unique look and is eagerly sought out by collectors willing to pay high prices. However, due to the innovations in pottery she developed, she is extremely highly regarded amonst experts and those with in-depth specialist knowledge: there are now two of her pieces in the Victorian & Albert Museum, another in Vienna's Museum of the Applied Arts and more in other prestigious galleries and museums around the world. This suggests that, while Kalan's work can currently be bought for bargain prices online, this won't be the case for much longer: buy it now and it's virtually guaranteed to be worth a lot more very soon.

This piece is a jug with the famous crystalline glaze, in the shape of - I think - a pig, though it might be a fox or dog. It stands 23cm (9 inches) tall and, measured at the widest point from snout to handle, is 19cm (7.5") with a weight of 1.18kg (2.6lb); it is in excellent condition without chips, cracks, repairs or crazing and there is no residue or staining inside. Kalan's signature is incised by hand into the base.

Due to the nature of this item it is not always possible for us to identify any missing parts.
For this reason we ask that you please check the pictures carefully, as these show everything that is included.

Further Details & Enquiries

This item has been very kindly donated to the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity.

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity supports people in Cambridgeshire living with an advanced serious illness or other life-limiting condition and those who need end-of-life care. Our ‘Outstanding’ services are provided free of charge to patients and their families. Our aim is to provide the highest quality care, helping them to make every moment count.

100% of the money raised from this sale will go to the charity.

Our sales team do their best to check each item and ensure that the description and pictures provided are as accurate as possible.

Feedback is extremely important to the charity so if you are not fully satisfied with your purchase please give us a chance to resolve any issues by contacting us prior to leaving feedback.

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If this item is not quite what you were looking for but you would still like to help our cause, please consider providing us with a donation which can be done via our eBay Charity Profile linked below.

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Payment

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Delivery

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Domestic Delivery

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Collection

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Returns

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Change of Mind

If when you receive your order you are not completely satisfied, you may return the items to us within 30 days for a refund. Returns will be processed within three working days once the goods have been received by us.

Items must be returned to us in the same condition as they were received by you. This includes, but is not limited to: original packaging, original boxes, packaging materials, manuals, blank warranty cards, accessories and documents. We reserve the right to refuse a return or deduct an amount for lost value where the item is returned in a different condition.

We strongly recommend that you fully insure your package that you are returning, as well as using a carrier that can provide you with tracking information or proof of delivery.

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity will not be held responsible for returns lost or damaged in transit.

Please be aware that it is the responsibility of the customer to cover any delivery charges for returning an unwanted item.

Incorrect/Damaged Goods

We try very hard to ensure that you receive your order in pristine condition. In the unlikely event that your order arrives damaged or faulty, please contact us via eBay immediately, this will be given special priority and you can expect to receive a response within 48 hours, Monday to Friday. Arthur Rank Hospice Charity will cover the cost of domestic return postage for any incorrect or damaged items, subject to the cost of the chosen return method being reasonable. Please contact us before proceeding if unsure.

This one got away