British. 1897. The Martin Brothers Potters are best known for their grotesque anthropomorphic pieces, the most popular being lidded jars in the shape of birds. These are referred to as Wally birds, after Wallace Martin the firm's principal designer and director. While sold as tobacco jars, they would not have been useful as such and were intended purely as decorative sculptures. Some were made as caricatures of specific contemporary figures, but more commonly professional archetypes, such as The Admiral or The Barrister. All were imbued with an overabundance of character and charm. This particular example has a wonderful expression of confident self-satisfaction. The left eye stares straight, while the right tilts upward, perhaps suggesting drunkenness, climax, or both. The Martins are renowned for achieving an incredible variety of colour in their salt-glazing, which this piece exemplifies. Marked, "London & Southall 6 1897", on both the base and the inside lid rim.

Size
11" High. 5.75" base Dia.

Condition
Excellent condition.

Medium
Stoneware.

Provenance
From the Peter and Frances Beulah Collection.