Monday, December 17, 2018

JUTLAND

I mentioned these teapots a while back when I wrote about a sloop influenced t-pot. In this case here is a pair of Jutland influenced teapots that are loosely based on the battleships of WW 1 with the spout as naval gun and each decorated in camouflage of the period. Each of these fully functional piece, made a number of years back started life as simple thrown stoneware cylinders without bottoms and then they were compressed oval, cut, darted and assembled into these forms with handles and spouts added and flowing stoppers completing the package. Back when I was making these pieces there was also a set of four, two pairs of teapots, one representing the Royal Navy under Admiral Sir John Jellicoe and the other the Imperial German Navy under Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer, each set distinctly decorated to create opposing forces of one of the greatest sea battles in history. Being a huge history buff, my primary major in college, it was fun creating these sets based on a historical sea battle though I doubt without some narrative or explanation the inspiration would necessary spring to mind and that is just fine as well but a little back story doesn't hurt either.

"What is history but a fable agreed upon?" Napoleon Bonaparte