Antique 1894 C H Brannam Barum Grotesque Bird Pottery Spill Vase

Here for your consideration is an absolutely fabulous, antique, Art Nouveau, Brannam Barum, 1894 comical, grotesque bird, spoon warmer/spill jug, majolica glazed in cream, brown and blue, modelled as a stylised dragon type bird, with his wings forming a handle. Modelled as a bird, displaying open mouth and quizzical expression, with incised features, decorated in an all over blue and mottled cream/brown glaze, complete with brown beak. It's in lovely original condition, considering it's 130 years old, and been through a couple of world wars. This comical grotesque bird is in wonderful original condition with no chips, dinks, scratches, fleabites, or restoration. It does have a small amount of glaze crazing commensurate with its age, but nothing unusual.  Just a very nice piece of early C H Brannam pottery. The base has the imprinted C H Brannam Barum mark and a date stamp for 1894.  I can’t find a decorators signature but this was probably made by Frank Thomas. 

C.H Brannam ... Thomas Brannam took over the lease of an existing pottery at North Walk, and another in Litchdon Street Barnstaple. Like other pottery firms of the time the firm originally made utilitarian wares such as basic household items, floor tiles, bricks and sewage pipes. This was their "bread and butter" trade although one of his decorative jugs secured a medal at the Great Exhibition in 1851. In 1867 Thomas' son, Charles Hubert Brannam, left school at age 12 to start work at the pottery. Charles won a prize for art at school and also won the Queen's Prize for Drawing in 1870. Initially educated in the theory and practice of ceramics, he was encouraged by a local dignitary, Mr. William Frederick Rock, who invited him to London where he studied pottery in the various museums.  In 1879 he persuaded his father to allow him to produce art ware. His father agreed on the proviso that Charles paid for the materials he used. Charles eventually took over the Litchdon Street pottery and further developed the art pottery department utilising the process of "Sgraffito" work i.e. scratching into a covering of "slip" to show the clay beneath. He recruited skilled designers, but also continued to throw the ware himself. In 1885 he received an order from Queen Victoria which resulted in excellent publicity for the business. In 1886 Charles registered the name Royal Barum Ware and ensured it was sold by several London firms including Liberty. Charles handed the business over to his sons, Charles William Brannam, and John Woolacott (Jack) Brannam, in 1913. In 1914 C.H. Brannam and Sons became a limited liability company. Jack's son Peter carried out considerable modernization in the post-war period but when he retired in 1979 he sold the business to Candy Tiles of Newton Abbot. They found the old Litchdon Street premises too cramped for their operation, and in 1989 moved the company to a site on the Roundswell Industrial Estate. Despite the fact no member of the family was still connected with it, it was still called "C.H.Brannam & Sons Ltd" but ceased operations in 2005. The original premises in Litchdon Street still partly survive with their terracotta detailing and stained glass with a preserved kiln still visible in the car park of a medical practice. The company has used many marks over the years including C H Brannam, Barum and Barnstaple. Barum was actually the Roman word for Barnstaple. Dimensions as follows.... Height: 4.25  inches or 10.7 cm Length: 5 inches or 12.7 cm  Width: 3 inches or 7.6 cm Weight: 330 grams or 11.6 oz This lovely, Charles Hubert Brannam comical grotesque bird spoon warmer/spill jug will be gently and carefully wrapped for its new owner. The grotesque bird will be sent recorded, special delivery, with insurance. Please note all our international postal charges are only estimates and will be confirmed and altered up or down when we know the destination to where items are being sent. Please also note we only charge actual costs of postage and packaging with insurance, no more. As you're already probably aware, old interesting comical pieces of Charles Hubert Brannam pottery are becoming evermore rare and hugely collectable. They're increasing in value, so real investment potential with this wonderful exquisite comical grotesque bird spoon warmer/spill jug. Please feel free to look at our other Items.