Monday, May 30, 2011

More fat lava

It's a inexplicable phenomenon, but as soon as I learn about something, I start running into it everywhere. Until a couple of weeks ago, I didn't even know that fat lava pottery existed. Then when we went to a furniture auction Thursday night, sitting atop a teak mid-century credenza were two really nice pieces of West German pottery.

By the time lots #206 and #207 came up for bidding, most of the mid-century crowd had gone home, and I was hoping none of the fancy-schmancy antique folks would be interested. Apparently that was the case. The first piece started really low, and although it got a couple of half-hearted bids, I ultimately won it at a very reasonable price.


I was able to get the second piece too...and at an even better price. I'm going to have to research the markings. I think they both might be Scheurich, but I could be wrong. After all, I'm a complete novice at identifying fat lava.

Scheurich?

I think the new ewer it will be beautiful with this pot the SIL picked up recently at an estate sale. 

Fat lava planter by Bay
at

11 comments:

  1. Nick KlausMay 30, 2011 at 1:14 AM

    Those are sweet! congrats on finding out something the rest of the mid-century crowd isn't aware of.

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  2. Dana@Mid2ModMay 30, 2011 at 2:16 AM

    @Nick: Glad you dropped by my blog...Hope to see comments from you often.

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  3. ZootsuitmamaMay 30, 2011 at 11:03 AM

    Awesome!! I told Atomic Ranch that I didn't know anything about this before she posted. Love your site~~!

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  4. AnonymousMay 30, 2011 at 11:31 AM

    Hi, your top one is likely to be French, begins with V - something like Vallois, but can't quite remember the name. Your second one is definitely a Scheurich. Plant pots are more difficult to ID as even the big companies often didn't put names on them.

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  5. Dana@Mid2ModMay 30, 2011 at 11:47 AM

    @Zootsuitmama: Thanks! I'm so glad you enjoy the blog. Did I miss a post about fat lava in Atomic Ranch? I need to look back through old issues. Or is it in the latest one? It's on the end table right beside me...unread so far.

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  6. Dana@Mid2ModMay 30, 2011 at 2:35 PM

    @littleowlski: Thanks for that info. The bottom planter actually has a Bay marking on it. I passed on a Vallauris platter at the auction, because it looked a little too ornate to have been mid-century. Is that the French pottery you're talking about? When we pick up everything from the auction house later today, I'll look at the markings carefully and see what I can find out. I'm really getting excited about fat lava.

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  7. jamie@midcenturymaniaMay 30, 2011 at 6:47 PM

    I think I just saw a fat lava ashtray at WM but I was in such a hurry to get back to the safari chairs I forgot to go back and look at it. Now I have to wait until Thursday to see if that's really what it was. I was unaware of fat lava until I read this post. You always put a name to the face for me! Thanks Dana.

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  8. Dana@Mid2ModMay 30, 2011 at 6:53 PM

    @Midcenturymadam: Wow, it would be a really great week if you found the safari chairs AND a piece of fat lava at WM. I'd love to have access to a place like that here.

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  9. Dana@Mid2ModMay 30, 2011 at 6:55 PM

    @Zootsuitmama...Duh, I'm so dense. You didn't mean Atomic Ranch magazine. You meant our blogger buddy at 1950s Atomic Ranch House. I'm glad I figured that out before I spent hours searching for an article in a stack of magazines. :)

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  10. Tanya from Dans le LakehouseJuly 26, 2011 at 3:47 PM

    Aha - so I read this post and re-read it when we bought the pottery piece this weekend but wasn't sure if it was fat lava. Our find seemed plainer, somehow. I'm so bad at identifying things. Your blog is so crucial. Thanks for clarifying that the W. German bowl we found is fat lava.

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  11. Dana@Mid2ModJuly 26, 2011 at 4:14 PM

    @Tanya: From everything I've read, the term "fat lava" at first was used to describe the West German pottery with a thick, lava-like glaze that was produced from the 1950s through the 1970s. Now it's almost become synonymous with any West German pottery, whether or not it has the lava glaze.

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