ROBERT (SCOTTIE) WILSON (1889–1972), SCOTTISH/CANADIAN
OVAL PLATTER WITH TREE, SWANS, FISH AND CASTLE, CIRCA 1960S


Platter with hand-painted overglaze in colours on a plate of white ground with “Johnson Bros. / Made in England” stamp to the underside; signed “Scottie” lower right


Oval 14 ins; 35.6 cms

Provenance:
Collection of Prof. Frank Watt, Toronto

Literature:
Henry Sandon, “Royal Worcester Porcelain” (third edition), 1978, pgs. 72, other designs illustrated, Nos. 212 and 213.

Note:
This lot appears to be a unique, hand-painted design signed by the artist and appears not to have been produced in a series.

Born as Louis Freeman, Robert Wilson (known as Scottie Wilson) left his home in Glasgow when he was nine years old to be a drummer boy in the army. There he acquired the nickname “Scottie”—commonly applied to Scottish soldiers—which would stick with him throughout his life. After emigrating to Toronto in the early 1930s, he changed his name before opening a secondhand shop. 

Wilson began drawing in his mid-40s, inspired by First Nations totem poles, which are frequently seen in stylized form in his work, as well as by birds, fish, flowers, and fauna, possibly inspired by his youth in Scotland.

Art dealer Douglas M. Duncan encountered Wilson’s work, and gave the artist an exhibition at the Picture Loan Society in 1943.

Wilson returned to the UK in the late 1940s, and exhibited his work at venues including the Arcade Gallery in London and at Galerie Maeght in Paris. His work came to the attention of Pablo Picasso and Jean Dubuffet, who both admired and collected the self-taught artist’s works. 

Later in his career, Wilson’s work caught the notice of the Royal Worcester porcelain and china company. The artist created artwork for production, designing a series of dinnerware, which was produced until 1965. Waddington’s has sold several watercolours by Wilson, one being circular in shape, suggesting that it may have been intended for a plate design.


Estimate: $600—800