Ceramics and Pottery Arts and Resources

 

Hedi Schoop and Sascha Brastoff  flamboyance :

 

During WW2 and immediately after, foreign imports into the  USA had been cut off, resulting in the flourishing of domestic art pottery firms. This was further supported by the postwar building boom, especially in states like California. The demand for decorative and functional pottery wares was high, especially from the new homes being furnished. The shared sacrifices of the war were gone and the ceramic products reflected the new optimism with free flowing styles, fun, kitsch and heart warming designs. A lot of the decorative figurines expressed motion, from walking to dancing and other movements, capturing the mood shift.. TV’s were also selling in huge numbers so sales of ceramic TV lamps also flourished. Two influential ceramic artists from this time are featured below.

 

 

 Vintage Hedi Schoop harlequin dancers

 

Hedi Schoop

One of the designers at the forefront of this era of Mid Century ceramic design was Hedi Koop. Having fled Europe in 1933 with her composer husband ( Friedrich Hollander ),  she resettled in California and in 1940 opened up a pottery studio in Hollywood, focusing on the popular figurines along with planters, ashtrays, lamps, bowls and vases. She had studied sculpture, architecture, painting, and fashion design at several European art institutions including Kunstgewerbeschule in Vienna and Reimann Institute in Berlin. Her innovative California pottery designs were style defining  at this time and widely imitated. If a Schoop figure proved popular with consumers, an entire line of accompanying décor objects were created.  At the height of her success,  “Hedi Schoop Art Creations” produced over 30,000 giftware items per year, and employed over fifty workers. She designed and modelled almost every piece in her line. Her figurines are the most sought after as a collectible.

Heid Schoop

 

Vintage ceramic bowl/planter by Hedi Schoop has sparkling gold trim over rose pink, and has incredible detailed texture. Shaped in a winding S-curve, the piece looks different from any angle when displayed in the round. Dates to circa 1950s, I think, based on the generous application of gold and the color.

( Elle Jay – Etsy  )

Phantasy Dancer – Hedi Schoop

 

Vintage Hedi Schoop Poodle ashtray

 

 

 

‘Poodle Lady’ Lamp and Radio by Hedi Schoop

37 inches height

SHOWPLACE ANTIQUE + DESIGN CENTER – 1st Dibs

 

 

 

Two Eastern Ladies figurines – Hedi Schoop California Vintage

josephsgems-ebay

 

 

Mid-century Hedi Schoop figurine

 

 

Hedi Schoop ceramic King Queen pair

 

 

Figurines, dancer with mandolin player  – Hedi Schoop

 

 

Hedi Schoop vase

 

 

A pair of poodles – Hedi Schoop

( hepcat restorations )

 

 

Hedi Schoop modernist cat

 

 

Hedi Schoop figurine

 

TV Lamp – Hedi Schoop

 

Two Hedi Schoop Dancer Figurines.In the middle is a ceramic deer TV lamp by Krim

 

 

Hedi Schoop

 

 

Comedy Tragedy TV lamp – Heidi Schoop

 

Hedi Schoop lady figurine

 

 

Folded and footed pink and white vase – Hedi Schoop

 

 

Salmon Pink Swirl Vase  – Hedi Schoop

 

 

Skyscrapers TV Lamp – Hedi Schoop

( hepcat restorations )

 

 

Hedi Schoop dancing figurine planter

 Hedi Schoop did work with her sister Trudi  in European dance and cabaret before she left Germany for America  in 1933

 

 

Cat face wall plaque/plate

Hedi Schoop 1960s Pottery Chip, Bread Platter and Dip Sauce Bowls

 

Thai Fan Dancers – Hedi Schoop

macade9 – ebay

Vintage Hedi Schoop Basket

 

 

  Iridescent Glaze Geisha Girl figurine

 

 

 

Angel kneeling on green leaf dish with gold trim – Hedi Schoop

 

 

Seated black poodle dish – Hedi Schoop

 

 

 

Vintage jug/vase – Hedi Schoop

 

 

 

Hedi Schoop

 

 

 

Pair of Rooster Vases – Hedi Schoop, Hollywood

 

 

Sascha Brastoff

 

Sascha Brastoff was also a successful  Los Angeles ceramic designer at this time, who had a flair for promotion, mixing freely with Hollywood stars and celebrities. His bold, colourful  and flamboyant creations fitted perfectly into this postwar era of  adventurous ceramic design. Sascha began creating ceramics in New York  in the early 40’s.  After a stint in the Air Force followed by working as a costume designer with Fox Studios in Hollywood, he set up a ceramics plant in West Los Angeles called Sascha Brastoff Product’s Incorporated with the backing of Winthorpe B. Rockefeller. In the mid 1960″s other art pottery makers such as Stangl and Royal Haeger were licensed to use Sascha’s name trademark. These items usually have a thick black cursive SB signature near the maker’s mark. His unique pieces, many displaying a modernist flair, have become a favourite with collectors.

Large Bowl – Sascha Bastoff

( Haegernerd – Flikr )

 

 

 

Sascha Brastoff horse bust

Modernist vase – Sascha Brastoff

Sascha Brastoff Coffee Pot

Sascha Brastoff  ‘Ballet’ hand painted charger

Mid-century carved mosaic vase – Sascha Brastoff

Photo – Samantha Stolberg

Sascha Brastoff enamel ashtray, lighter and cigarette holder set

 

 

‘Rooftops’ – tall lidded pitcher

 

Sascha Brastoff  addvert

Sascha Brastoff aabstractplate

Sascha Brastoff ceramic art sculpture

Sascha Brastoff ‘Smoke Tree Black Gray‘ plate

 

 

Pagoda’s decorative plate -Sascha Brastoff

 

 

Sascha Brastoff abstract series vase

 

 

Sascha Brastoff  – red black ashtray

 

 

Vintage modernist wall plate

 

 

Blackgold surf ballet- ceramic coffee pot

 

 

Mid-century abstract fish mosaic platter – Sascha Barstoff

 

 

Aztec bird shaped bowl – Sascha Brastoff

 

 

 

Three African wall masks – Sascha Brastoff

 

 

Sascha Brastoff wall decoration from Forbidden Planet movie set

 

 

African ceramic gold mask – Sascha Brastoff

 

 

 

Aztec platter – Sascha Brastoff

 

 

 

Table lamp – Sascha Brastoff

 

 

 

Sascha Brastoff red village plaque/dish

 

 

 

Free Form Atomic, Amoeba ashtray – Sascha Brastoff

 

 

 

Sascha Brastoff Hollywood Pottery Factory

 

 

 

More Californian pottery

Mid-Century salt and pepper shakers – Cleminson Pottery of California

 

 

Vintage 1950s Marc Bellaire Still Life California Pottery Cocktail Decanter Set

ModernDesignResource

 

 

 

Yona Asian Pair

etsy- VintageRevivalStudio

 

 

 

Marc Bellaire Mardi Gras Harlequins Dish

 

 

 

Coffee Pot – Mid Century Modern Marc Bellaire California Art Pottery

1950’s

vintage914 ebay

A decorative wall plaque/plate by Marc Bellaire who was a protege of Sascha Brastoff, who eventually became a  competitor.

 

 

 

Marc Bellaire Signed Mid-Century California Atomic Lamp

 ebay – michipeggy

 

 

 

Marc Bellaire ‘Jamaica’ Line Console Bowl

 

 

A fabulous showgirl head vase from this era designed by Kathi Urbach

 

 

Sources cited :

myantiquemall.com

http://www.collectorsweekly.com    Who Killed American Kitsch? by Ben Marks

midcenturyliving.blogspot.com.au/