John Maltby

That’s a beauty…..did you buy it…

No, it was a silly price; well over my budget

Nice. Unusual as well. Silly Ebay asking for John Maltby seem common lately. But actual selling prices have cooled for his work lately. But that has not much been reflected in the prices asked.

The label also said A/F, so damaged as well. Looks like a transition piece; prices for them have picked up but not as desirable as the later figural pieces

I think it's very ugly compared to his later figures to be honest

I'm not a fan. Partly as I can't instantly tell what is it? Something broken off top right.

I see a turtle crossed with a dodo

It is very unusual to have the Stoneshill Pottery mark on one of these early figurative pieces as well. I wonder if if it is one of the very early pieces from this era? I agree, that it does look a bit malformed and ugly. Perhaps it is because of the maybe early nature of the piece.
Mind you. Its very outre looks might make it appealing to the die hard Maltby fan. Although the damage of course, is a very serious drawback.

The early sculptures are a joy in my opinion and show a more rawness to his thoughts while working than the more refined items made later but that’s the beauty and the beast of collecting one persons treasure is another’s tat…..

I wonder how much it was? Suprisingly these type pieces do not make huge sums at auction. With that damage I doubt if it made much more than £30-£40 hammer price.

There were two pieces at auction not that long ago in the same lot one with damage made £500 hammer…..the damage stopped me bothering but two people liked them….
https://auctions.tennants.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-209---john-maltby-1936-2020-fish-and-head-a/?lot=2418901&so=4&st=Maltby&sto=0&au=&ef=&et=&ic=False&sd=1&pp=96&pn=1&g=1

philpot wrote:I wonder how much it was? Suprisingly these type pieces do not make huge sums at auction. With that damage I doubt if it made much more than £30-£40 hammer price.

£320

Potteryman wrote:There were two pieces at auction not that long ago in the same lot one with damage made £500 hammer…..the damage stopped me bothering but two people liked them….
https://auctions.tennants.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-209---john-maltby-1936-2020-fish-and-head-a/?lot=2418901&so=4&st=Maltby&sto=0&au=&ef=&et=&ic=False&sd=1&pp=96&pn=1&g=1

It's closer in style to this one




They don't usually go for all that much -

https://live.adampartridge.co.uk/m/lot-details/index/catalog/235/lot/147113

https://auctions.goldingyoung.com/lot-details/index/catalog/643/lot/433481/John-Maltby-b-1936-Abstract-stoneware-pottery-sculpture-19cm-x-12cm-x-5cm?url=%2Fauctions%2Fcatalog%2Fid%2F643

Maybe not 3 years ago but two damaged pieces from the same period made £500 plus 30% …this year.,.,.

This was a piece shown at the renowned high end Besson Gallery in London. In the 'Maltby and Batterham at 70 exhibition'

A John Maltby Plaque form shown at the 'MALTBY AND BATTERHAM AT 70' in the renowned Besson Gallery in London.

This was a Piece in THE MALTBY AND BATTERHAM AT 70 in the prestigous Besson gallery in London.

A piece at the important Besson London gallery at the MALTBY & BATTERHAM AT 70 Show.

This vessel arrived today……not seen this specific shape before….It’s a lovely item to hold….angled from with that chunky pouring spout….does anyone know if this is one of his more early experimental pieces using form….
Measuring 7.5” to lip and 6” base

That is a nice piece! I do not know if experimental is the right word. Perhaps evolvement is a better word. Maltby always seems to have a very inquiring mind. Using techniques and making a much wider range of items than most potters even attempt. Let alone achieve as much as he did!

That’s a better word I agree…..in his evolving process of making such vessels ….sounds right….not to mention his use of other mediums far far beyond many i would say….what date would you think on this….or would you say it’s in a period of…..and it is nice it holds really well…I like it…

As I understand it, it was the period that came after his early standard ware when ill health forced him to give up throwing pots. It wasn’t as lucrative as churning out standard ware so eventually he couldn’t afford to buy the materials or to fire them so he turned to making collages and then to figurines

With reference to your piece. Potteryman. Mid to late 80's? The flower motif reminds me a bit of this earlier work in the 80's. His later work is often inspired by where he had visited. He took a lot of inspiration from the buildings and nature around him. It might help if you knew where it was actually bought. He had specific galleries which he sold at.
Look at the search in Maak. She has had a lot of Maltby there, and a number of them are actually dated.

Thanks for that….I have been through Maak last night before it arrived….And the bigger houses I couldn’t find any the same shape….I will be looking this evening early 80s ish is good with me….

the Saleroom is probably the best site to look. They have a drop down menu on the top left of the screen. Open that, and scroll down to the bottom. There is a prices link there. Chose Sold prices search. It will give you a very large number of pieces to look back on!