Studio Dragon, stamped JOY - Joy Pamphilon, Sussex

Does anybody recognise this dragon.

It looks to me like it may be made of terracotta. It has a stamp 'JOY' on the front of the tail. I can find a Joy Pottery in Texas, but nothing like this dragon from them. It stands about 20cm tall. It seems to be hollow and rather than one large hole in base to allow air to escape during firing, it has a small hole in between each 'tail spike' and in the nostrils - very clever and it took me a while to notice them.

Is that a pottery stamp on his chest ?

I did wonder that at first. But I think it is actually just a belly button.

But dragons hatch from eggs so it wouldn't have a belly button

The plot thickens

Hi,
Weirdly I was about to post id query for similar dragon. Thought 'belly button' might be potters mark. The same 8-spoked wheel mark also appears on crest. Does have Cornish feel about it....
Is this mystery going to drag-on....?

Maybe Marc Fraser Might fit the bill

Found an example of Marc Fraser's mark - if you look at the foot rim of the fooded bowl at the end of the thumbnails

http://www.bucksopenstudios.org.uk/exhibitor_details.asp?id=1662

Although its a spoked wheel, the same as this mystery mark, it has an open circle in the middle, not a dot.

Thanks, though the mark is similar, the pieces appear more refined.
Will keep on searching....

Hey, he's great.
How strange that we should both come across these in the same week

So, there would appear to be a range of them - I must find more now!

Mine actually has different stamps on the crest/head to the belly


I see yours is also marked JOY. I wonder if this is the pottery, or just the maker. Talented, whoever made them.
Somebody must know.

Mr Trebus wrote:Is this mystery going to drag-on....?

Only just got that - very good!

A bit old, but I've found the ID of the potter.
Joy Pamphilon. I believe she was a Sussex potter.
Did a number of mythical figures - Dragons, Wizards, Castles.
Hope this might help a few others.

Great!