We had a really lovely day out yesterday when we went - as always - to Hay-on-Wye for the day and came home with a few extra books. I also did very well on the Torquay Pottery front too! These lovely spotty pieces came from an antiques place on the way - the big jug dates from 1952-1962, as do the bowl and plates in front of it, and are Babbacombe Pottery (that's a little area on the coast at the edge of Torquay). The teapot/coffee jug (it has a strainer, so I'm inclined to think it was meant to be a teapot) dates from around WW1 - 1920s, and is Torquay Pottery. You got more spots for your money in those days. It is slightly damaged inside the lid as that part was always liable to be bashed a bit in use. Now the conundrum - I need to defray my costs on buying these, so do I sell the perfect jug and keep the damaged piece, or do I sell the damaged piece and keep the perfect jug which will then be worth more in due course. Perhaps I should just sell the plates and bowl and keep both the other pieces. Decisions, decisions . . .
I also came across this slightly wonky pinch-topped vase and had a gut feeling it was Torquay pottery too, although it was made from white clay. The pinch-top is something used on some Torquay vases and jugs. Then I turned it round and found it had a proto-Scandy design with the leaf-like splashes of colour which later turn into a full-blown Scandy pattern, so my hunch was right. It probably dates from the late Victorian period. I know - I'm becoming an anorak about this subject aren't I?!
The books we bought will be the subject of a seperate posting.
Meanwhile you will have to be content with one of the few photos taken at Hay, as I forgot to take my camera out of the car! Arggggggggggggh! This is the view of the Brecon Beacons (Pen-y-Fan to the right with its twin flat peaks) as we headed towards home.
