GOUDA-DESIGN
The Gouda Collection of Steve & Waldo - Part 1
Here Steve & Waldo from Belgium present pictures, together with some fascinating and amusing stories about some of their Gouda collection.
When I (Waldo) was 19 I bought my first piece of Gouda - probably a lot sooner than most collectors. My grandparents collected antiques in the 1960's when almost everything (except copper and pewter) was cheap . They didn't have the money to buy what was 'in vogue' so they bought art nouveau and art deco glass and ceramics. They always tell the story of how I was fascinated by their collection and I used to play with them instead of my Lego. So that's where my love for antiques came from. I can guarantee that when you buy antiques at 19 years old you get a lot of funny looks!
Oddly enough they didn't have Gouda in their collection, but they loved the first piece I bought. It was a large Zuid-Holland 'Corona' vase with a slender neck. By the time I was 21, I had built my first collection, with 36 very nice quality items. Unfortunately I was a student and university was expensive. So before I graduated I had to sell the collection to continue to study. Only one piece remained, a beautiful matte art nouveau plate with a central orchid, fittingly called decor 'Flower'.
I hated selling that collection and I vowed that I would rebuild what I had lost. Ten years later I have rebuilt and added to my collection. That one plate grew to a collection of almost a hundred pieces. With finds such as a great Breetvelt and a beautiful Purmerend Jug to a 'Carduus' vase from Distel by Van Norden. My partner Steve isn't as 'mad' as I am about antiques collecting but he loves our little expeditions to flea markets and eagerly 'hunts' with me for pieces that would fit in my collection.
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Maybe I can best begin with the plate that survived from my first collection. I've always loved Gouda plates as they really show a décor for what it's worth. I have never come across any other piece that had the same decoration, leading me to believe this is quite rare. The design is still very much 'art nouveau' in inspiration even though it was made in 1928. I love the central orchid, the surrounding leaves and the uncommon dark blue and orange background. Probably painted by Cornelis Prins. 23.0cm diameter. |
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This plate above, was acquired through an internet auction site. No décor name but is also a Zuid-Holland Gouda oddity. From what I have been able to discover this would have been made in 1934, a Catholic holy year, 1900 years after the death of Jesus Christ. The inscription reads as follows - "Anno Sancto MCM a morte domini nostri Jesu Christi". Within the décor a secondary text "Et portae inferi..." Matth XVI verse 18. "And the gates of hell…" the text should continue in the line of "Thou art Peter, the rock on whom I will build my church and the gates of hell will not destroy her". Two Catholic priests who I consulted both concur that this is a Catholic plate and not Protestant because of the imagery. So a plate made for Catholics in a protestant country. Stamped signature of the (unknown) designer. Typical art deco style of the 1930's. 26.0cm diameter. |
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An Art Nouveau shaped Zuid-Holland flower pot with three twisted handles in décor 'Corona'. I love this décor but it is the model that makes this piece for me. The condition is mint like my other pieces and finding this undamaged made my day. Dated 1924 and decorated by Andreas Marinus Rijp. |
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Three Zuid-Holland décor 'Ali' vases. Two with lids and a third smaller vase. A nice example on how a décor can differ and develop over the years. The two lidded vases are made in 1925 and the smaller one 1922. This has no foot rim decoration and there is just one red dot in the central white portion in comparison to the two lidded vases. Lidded vases are 27.0cm high. The other one is 17.0cm high. |
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A PZH posy basket. The identical shape to that sent in by Binke to this website but with a different décor. See Collectors Gallery 22 - Picture 104. Unusual décor name is 'RB' in a square. Dates at 1931. 19.0cm high, handle included. |
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"I would like to thank Stuart and Kim for allowing me to share some of the pieces from my collection. By taking pictures and researching my pieces for this article I discovered new things about my own collection. I found out just how much work it must take to make something like this. Kim and Stuart, I take my hat off for you. This is hard work and doing it so other collectors can share their passion and learn from each other is commendable. I will try to keep sending all special finds to your website."
Waldo - May 2006.
Steve & Waldo Part 2