Lot 358
Julian Stair (British b.1955-) §
Set of Six Demitasse Cups and Saucers, c.1992
Auction: 23 October 2020 from 10:00 BST
Description
each impressed maker's mark, sgraffito decoration in blue through a white glaze
Dimensions
each cup 7cm high (2.75in high), saucer 14.5cm diameter (5.7in diameter)
Footnote
Provenance:
In 1992 Julian Stair displayed some black and white sgraffito demitasse cups and saucers at the Crafts Council. On seeing these, the current vendor approached him and commissioned a set of six but in reverse colours. He accepted the commission and on completion informed the owner that the process in reverse had been so difficult that he only made two sets, one for them and another for himself. It is believed that the original set is still in the collection of the Craft Council.
The demitasse were typical of his work of the period with an emphasis on achieving a balance between form and surface decoration. They were also representative of his philosophical and practical commitment to pottery and the significance of function.