I’ve always had trouble with signing my pots. Nothing seems to signify “Me”.
And, as you know from the Antiques Road Show, pottery’s makers’ marks are significant and through time tell a lot about a place, culture, styles of the time, and the financial situation of the time. Potter’s marks also change and history follows that progression to learn about the sociology of that time and place. Pottery can be such a significant legacy to leave behind!
BIG RESPONSIBILITY TO NOT MAKE AND KEEP CRAP!
When it said that we are making Future Relics, it’s true! Check out the blog by that name – I love the name of the blog, “Future Relics” – so apropos!
In deciding what to do about a potters mark, I decided to look at some old pottery. It is fascinating and the maker’s marks tell the story of the artist. A good resource for researching potter’s marks is: International Ceramics Directory
My mom started collecting a few Van Briggle pottery pieces and I have added to that collection a bit, so I’ll use their pottery markings as an example. A website dedicated to the work of Clement Marot Hull, a Van Briggle potter, demonstrates the various types of markings on Van Briggle Pottery.
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So it has become increasingly important for me to come up with a good pottery stamp or mark for my pots.
Previously, I have signed pots like this:
I don’t think that my mark was very professional and definitely didn’t add to the artistic nature of my work! It was simply a conjoined MW for Marian Williams.
In an endeavour to correct this problem, I had a former student get a chop made for me while he was in China – Thanks Bruce!!!. Unfortunately, it didn’t make a deep enough mark on the clay, but I loved the design!
 Recently, I emailed Tools 4 Clay to see if they could make a stamp from the chop. Joel Socwell worked out what I wanted in a stamp and made the chop. I highly recommend their services if you are wanting a stamp! They were great to work with and really did a great job! Their website is www.4clay.com
 Here is the result! I love it and I think that it will be more professional and more ME!!
Only one little problem…it is so small, I was afraid that I might lose it! So I had my wonderful husband, Ron, drill a hole (sorry to www.4clay.com!) and he added a copper wire to provide a handle for the stamp! Brilliant! I can hang it up and shouldn’t lose it! |
Here is the mark made by the new stamp from Tools 4 Clay! I think it looks awesome!
