Warren MacKenzie (USA)

http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/interviews/oral-history-interview-warren-mackenzie-12417

some might find this interesting , i enjoyed his thoughts about the time spent at St Ives

Hello,
Thank you for any help with the following question.
I have a set of three bowls, approximately 4 1/4" in diameter, with an unknown mark. I've attached photos of one of the bowls, and a close-up of the mark.
I'm new to your wonderful site and forum, and truly appreciate any help regarding ID-ing the bowls and any additional information about the potter, etc.

P.S. I'm trying to upload a photo of the bowl, but am having a bit of a challenge. I'll post the photo of the mark, and will try to add another photo. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Here's the bowl! :)

It looks like the last UK mark that Warren MacKenzie used when he was working at Dartington in 1963. Did he continue with the mark when he went back in the States? Noting where you live, I suspect the answer is yes.

(Edited NaomiM-) This mark is Warren and his wife Alix's personal monogram, used in the 50s-early 60s.

Thank you for such a wonderful and fast response! Ironically, I purchased the bowls at auction years ago along with four petite Bernard Leach tiles. I've always cherished the items, but now see the similarities in their influence. With your help, I found the identical mark online for a bowl by Warren and Alix MacKenzie, circa 1950s. Again, thank you so much!

Saw a mark similar to this when I was looking at pottery the other day on ebay, but I don't always believe what I read on eBay. That would be great if it was. Now only couple of hundred pieces left to identify!

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Born 1924, MacKenzie doesn't need much introduction given his apprenticeship with Bernard Leach in the early 1950s. I really only collect UK studio pottery but wanted an example of his work just to see what all the fuss was about! To tell the truth I was a teeny bit disappointed when it arrived, it's a bit lacking in character.

I think this simple white rice bowl was made quite recently given its condition and the fact it is stamped, he didn't use a stamp for long periods apparently. More information on his Wikipedia page Warren Mackenzie wiki page. The bowl is wheelthrown and manipulated stoneware. 7cm (height) 14cm (diameter).

This small bottle was made by Warren. I have tried to show the mark but it is covered in glaze and is slightly clearer in reality.

(Edited-NaomiM): The mark is as shown in 2nd edn of the BSPM and attributed to Dartington, 1963, but is missed out of the 3rd Edn. Maybe Hazlewood thought it was the Stillwater mark. Actually it's Warren and his first wife Alix's personal monogram that they used in the 50s-60s in both the US and UK.

Much nicer!

They do have a thing about him in the States but of the North American potters that worked at the Leach Pottery the Canadian, John Reeve, is my favorite (well this is the N. American thread).

The stamp mark shown for the white bowl is actually a mark used by Warren and Alix MacKenzie (his wife). They have not been together for a long time, and I don't really know if she is still alive; but the mark itself indicates that is an earlier piece. Frankly, I don't know what all the fuss IS about. I think his work is boring.

Hate to leave the last post on Mackenzie one so negative! Truth be told, I once thought his work to be dull as well -- when I was a young, cocky and opinionated artist attending the U of M, and Mackenzie could often be found passing through the halls of the old art building with a considerable entourage. It wasn’t until years later, when I came across a piece of his in the wild and brought it home that I was able (ready?) to appreciate the quiet masterful beauty of his work.

Many more pieces down the road, and I am only more and more impressed. Over the years I have owned many pots by many potters, and Mackenzie's are consistently some of my favorites. Yes, some are better than others, and as a production potter he often repeats shapes and glazes, but I find even the smallest and fastest pieces to be extremely well executed, humble and tasteful, and I have yet to find myself bored by his refined shapes or palette of glazes.

Perhaps you may consider the possibility that the more one is acquainted with a potter's work, the more one many be able to appreciate it -- that may explain the "thing" we have "about him in the States" as his work is more prevalent here. After-all, we all know that seeing a piece online is nothing like using and handling a piece in person. A last thought to consider: how do you explain the large number of talented and successful potters whom have worked under him and whom still accredit their tutelage to him if the breadth of his work is so easily summed up as merely "boring"? A mass of misguided (MN) mingei lovers?  





As for the mark above, it does appear to be the early mark that was used with his first wife Alix, who passed in 1962. She did much of the glazing up until then and some of her earliest engraved and painted abstract design work is truly a joy!

Hi Naomi,
Scoured the marks project no gain but happy to try Facebook!
Thanks

Hi Naomi,
I was just working that out myself as I was reading down the pages but that doesn’t matter.
Naomi your enthusiasm and research striving to be correct is extraordinary.
I had a great response from Mike Sanderson which as always was helpful - I think you are kindred spirits with regards your attention to detail!
I have composed an e mail to Jeff Oestrich this morning thinking it could have been when he was in the states.
Do you think that worthwhile?
Mike mentioned he’d looked in three books he had but couldn’t find any reference to it.

If I am completely honest I bought the piece blind and without viewing the mark but the listing mentioned Warren Mackenzie at the Leach which got my attention.
I thought it might have been JL from the photographs.
I was gutted when it wasn’t Leach but pleased when I realised it was early Warren Mackenzie. It doesn’t always work out that way!!
Anyway thanks for your help as always!
Kind regards
Neil62

Hi Naomi,
He’s with John Bedding and Roleof - I’m not sure whether they are visiting him in the states or he’s still over here.
I’ll let you know the result if he gets back to me.
Kind regards
Neil62

I’d seen that Naomi, bizarrely whilst this mark doesn’t appear in the book I have seen research in America which showed my mark as used by Warren between 1952-1963 and another mark being used by the Stillwater pottery.
From what I remember the marks were found in some lecture papers catalogued by a society in the form of slides in Minnesota I think.
On a bleaker front Jeff’s initial thought was that the mark (on my pot) was used like the Leach stamp - for Warren’s pottery at Stillwater.
Ie that potters working there would just use the stamp as a pottery mark and it is the other mark (to the left) which was the personal mark.
He did mention a few potters but it isn’t their mark - John Reeves, David Stannard being two. I could understand it being Reeves as Warren referred to him as a sort of soul mate but didn’t like working with other potters (his wife Alix, being the exception as she decorated his work)

I just looked and found it was a pin on Pinterest which you posted.
I can see how what Jeff says makes sense but without identifying the other mark we’re no further forward and as you said earlier it is feasible it was created whilst he was over in this country.
At least if it was a potter at Stillwater Warren preferred to work alone and didn’t have the workforce of the Leach over the years!
Thanks
Neil62