This super rare and lovely double-faced vase comes from a series by Doug Lawrie. It bears his ‘chop’ impression to the side of the base and a paper label, signed and numbered, ‘DL 86’.

We love this vase for it's two wonderful moon-like faces and the way it floats lightly on its base. A wonderful ceramic work by a master at the seemingly effortless height of his skills.

Splashy glaze defines the front face of the vase with an abstract pattern, perhaps representing branches and blossom. The other side is graced with a gently impressed leaf pattern and freehand branches in Lawrie's distinctive style.

Lawrie absorbed stylistic and technical knowledge from his more than twenty years living and working in Japan. Many collectors don't know that Lawrie had strong links with the Australian pottery community. While he trained under Paul Soldner in California, the bulk of his working life was spent in Kyoto, where he met eminent Australian Potter, Les Blakeborough.

In 1969, he joined Blakeborough in Australia, at Sturt Pottery, Mittagong, New South Wales. His work as a visiting potter was exhibited at Macquarie Galleries in Sydney the following year. He returned to Australia in 1979 to teach and exhibit work made by him in Japan.

The style of this vase suggests it was from the 1979 exhibition series, built in his Kyoto studio. See image of Lawrie from 'Pottery in Australia' magazine, 1979, making a similar vase in his studio in Japan. Note that the vase on offer is smaller than that in the artist’s image. The number 86 may be a series number.

MEASURES

28cm x 22cm x 7.5cm

CONDITION:

Shallow chip to base as illustrated by images. Not immediately visible.