I found this pottery handled vase or ewer the other day -- a complete mystery to me. Slightly out of my period, as it looks post war "moderne", but some how attractive being decorated with a matt cream coloured glaze with hand painting in greens. The naïve stylisation of the prancing horse and trees or bushes can only add to it's charm.
But who made it ? There is a hand painted word on the underside together with some number, both painted over some words moulded in to the pot. I could not quite read the moulded marks but the painted word clearly read "Valiera" - or did it.
.... and after a few internet searches I realized that it wasn't Valiera but (as googled corrected me) Valcera, a pottery from Switzerland and possibly by "Mark Valcera" as stated by Invaluable and on Pinterest. However, before I went on the state with authority that my pot was by this Mark, I decided to search a bit deeper and try and find an source material.
Several auction houses have stated that similar works are by "Mark Valcera" including W H Peacocks, who sold several impressive lots of this pottery in 2014 (see picture above and below). Quoted productions dates included, 1950's, 1960's, 1940'-80's and 1960's-80's - not definitive.
Despite my best efforts, I am struggling to find any "facts" about this pottery although with the assistance of Antikvarchik, I was able to decipher the faint moulded marks on the underside as "Valcera Valais". This assists in locating the pottery to a canton in southern Switzerland which borders Italy. Interestingly "Valcera" is a place in Italy, just south of the Venetian Lagoon, perhaps our mystery pottery is of Italian decent.
As you can probably guess, I am struggling to find any facts and ask for assistance from you.
At the time of posting this article, my pot is listed in my Etsy Gallery -
Click Here To View
References
www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/whpeacock-auctioneersantikvarchik.ru/content/valcera-pottery
