COMPLIMENTARY COPY
Published Weekly By Joel Sater Publications www.antiquesandauctionnews.net
VOL. 43, NO. 33 FRIDAY AUGUST 17, 2012
Ceramic Charmers Of The 1940s and 1950s By Donald-Brian Johnson “A pretty girl is like a melody, that haunts you night and day! Just like the strain of a haunting refrain, She’ll start upon a marathon, and run around your brain!”
Ynez Ceramics is “semi”. Most Ynez pieces had deLee Art designs long earthenware bodies, adding to their weight, as before Hedi Schoop “origiwell as their fragility. nated” the trend in the The studio of Ynez Ward, and her husband 1940s. Carleton, was located in Inglewood, California; Although deLee’s “Gay some of the firm’s “pretty ladies” date from as ‘90s”-ish ladies remain a early as 1942. Ynez is often credited with the favorite with collectors, first successful use of “real lace” in the the company’s eventu“Summer Irving Berlin, 1919 Victorian-influenced costuming for her Sally,” one of al bread-and-butter B e t t y demure maidens. (Actual lace, coated with was the “Debevy of beauties Harrington’s slip, was burned off during firing, leaving Stinker” line: “ F o u r descends a seemingonly its ceramic imprint). ceramic skunk Seasons” for ly endless stairAll Ynez figurines were “named”, and her C e r a m i c matchholders, case in the Ziegfeld Arts Studio. female figurines were often useful in the days Follies of 1919. 3-1/2 inches accompanied by an escort. before room high, $100 Irving Berlin’s latest A successful series dating deodorizers. to $130. hit stops the show from 1947 preFlorence Ward (as do all those elabAcclaimed sented an orately-clad—or for their “adorable little semi-clad—girls). d i v e rse, girl” for every It’s a scenario repeatand richmonth of the ed over the years in dozens l y year, each of “backstage” movie d e t a i l e d accompanied musicals. Need to perk up c o s t u m i n g , by a “colorthe plot? Then forget the female figurals by the ful galdialog. Cut the comedy. Florence Ceramics Company are the epitolant”. Just “Bring On The me of the “pretty lady”. Invariably rooted in Beautiful Girls”! another era (or country), figurines by designer Nowhere is this focus Florence Ward exhibit both a delicacy in execuon the feminine more tion, and a captivating attention to pose and readily discernible than in movement. the ceramics that flooded During World War II, with her husband in America during World War II. the service, the previously-untrained Ward War-weary consumers took a course in ceramics. Intrigued with the “Little Miss were in the mood for a bit M u f f e t ” . process, and possessing an abundance of of winsome charm. With Over the native talent, she opened a studio in her overseas imports sus- years, Betty garage. By war’s end, Florence, her huspended for the duration, Harrington band Clifford, and a staff of 40, were operd e s i g n e d U.S. manufacturers three difating a booming business from their plant in rushed to fill the gap. ferent verPasadena. From “Gay ‘90s” gals to sions of this nursery rhyme Florence ceramics often tell a story— Jimmie Lee demure Victorian favorite. $75 to $150 each. a given, since many of the subjects are Stewart damsels, shy shepdrawn from history (“Madame It’s nearly herdesses to sultry sirens, the ceramics beauty Pompadour”), or popular fiction impossible parade was a lengthy one. (“Scarlett and Rhett”). Like Ynez, Florence not to recogCelebrating the diversity of womanhood were Ward was an early pioneer in the use of actual nize a figurine women themselves: the majority of female figurlace in her designs. designed by al ceramics produced during World War II were Following the death of her husband in Jimmie Lee Stewart for her the work of female designers. Previously unable 1964, Florence sold the firm. Although Los Angeles firm, deLee to break into the male-dominated manufacturFlorence Ceramics continued in operArt. Jimmie Lee’s ing world, they were now presented with a ation until 1977, the production of “pretty ladies”, wartime window of opportunity. its evocative “pretty ladies” ended (and men, and From an extensive lineup, here are five with the sale. children, and favorites, each offering a singular approach to Betty Harrington even animals), a common theme: the “pretty lady”. Although mid-century figurals i n v a r i a b l y Yona Lippen are often identified with the West b o a s t Yona Lippen of Yona Ceramics is often disCoast, the top producer was missed as “just another Hedi Schoop “. But, B e t t y actually Madison’s Ceramic even though she began her career as a Schoop Harrington Arts Studio. During its heydecorator, Yona soon moved beyond churning described demurely her as a “wist- day, CAS turned out 500,000 out subtly altered replicas; her “pretty ladies” d o w n c a s t , ful Chinese figurines annually. Of the have their own distinctive flair. Decked out in maiden”. “Mei- nearly 1000 designs released impossibly long, turn-of-the-20th-century elegance, Yona’s figLing”, 5 inches from 1941-1955, over 95 eyelashes; running urines, smaller-scale than Schoop’s, boast such high, $150 to across a deLee with $175. (Photo percent were the work of attractive three-dimensional “Oriental Maiden,” designer Betty eyes wide open by John premier “add-ons” as ceramic bows, Yona, 9 inches high, Petzold) Harrington. is in itself ribbons, and spaghetti spack- $35 to $50. A natural, untrained artist, an eyeling. Harrington found her career opener. With the popularity of The King and I in by lucky accident. Using clay excavatthe early 1950s, Yona essentially abandoned ed during a well installation at her home, she creStewart opened deLee Art in her focus on female figurals, in favor of ated the figurine of a young girl. Wanting to prethe late 1930s, making her one pseudo-Siamese themes, often lavishly serve the work by having it “fired”, Betty stopped of the very first California adorned with gold or silver overglaze. ceramicists to carve out a at Ceramic Arts Studio, a business she passed Yona Ceramics, (run in conjunction successful career. (It was each day en route to her secretarial job. Although with Yona’s husband, Mac), closed also a lengthy one: deLee CAS had previously specialized in “thrown potits doors in 1958. continued in operation until tery” (pots and bowls), owner Reuben Sand knew Ynez Ward the late 1950s). One of a good thing when he saw it. Sand immediately Billed as “semi-porcelain”, the Stewart’s earliest innovations was hired Harrington to create more figurines, and the operative word in this description of the figurine-as-flowerholder, a staple of (Continued on page 2)
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