My Favourite Pieces #3 – Newtone Mugs
As I have discussed before on this blog my great love when it comes to Australian pottery has to be the Newtone Art Ware and Trent Art Ware lines produced by the Bakewell Bros’ pottery from the early 1930’s through to the early 1950’s.
Although my collecting of Sydney (and indeed most non Tasmaniann) potteries has slowed to an absolute trickle since moving to Tasmania I have still managed to acquire close to 200 pieces of Newtone/Trent over the past 12 years.
Among this almost 200 pieces there is just about everything from figural pieces, vases (way too many), advertising/salesman’s/souvenir pieces, through to utilitarian domestic wares.
It is this last category of utilitarian wares though that I find most interesting as so little of it appears on the market. In fact the very idea that Bakewells would choose to produce utilitarian wares in their art ware lines is perhaps a little interesting if not puzzling in it’s self.
It is because of the both the rarity and the fact that they don’t really fit with the majority of Newtone and Trent marked pieces I own that these three mugs rank quite highly amongst my favorite in the 2 art wares lines.
3 Bakewells mugs from the Newtone and Trent Art Wares lines
The left most mug carries the Trent Mark and the other two the Newtone “Harbor Bridge” style mark of the mid to late 1930’s.
Although I am sure there must be more of these mugs from the Art Wares lines floating around I have only seen 4 of them (3 of which I now own and 1 of which I think lives in WA).
Curiously there are also Tea sets (teapot, sugar bowl, and milk jug) made by Bakewells under the Newtone banner, none of which match the glaze colouring of the mugs I have seen.
If you have any Newtone or Trent Art Ware mugs or other interesting pieces I’d love to hear from you.
Posted: October 27th, 2013
at 4:16pm by Tim
Tagged with Australian Pottery, Bakewell Bros, Newtone, Trent Art Ware
Categories: Australian Pottery,Favourite Things
Comments: 4 comments
4 Responses to 'My Favourite Pieces #3 – Newtone Mugs'
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I was looking up Trent Art Ware when I found your site. I have a large green and brown jug with the Harbour Bridge style signature that you are interested in. I do not know how to send a photo but am willing to if you wish. Please contact me on the above email. Best wishes,
Alannah
Alannah Hovard
7 Apr 14 at 12:14 pm
I have a Trent Art ware vase, 3 twisted handles,
rounded with 3 dents between handles,Royal blue with rim changes to light green. Cream interior. approx 6.5 inch widest dia. and 5 inch high. Looks like 73 on base.Similar blue in mug photo.
Is it rare or were they mass produces in hundreds.
I am decluttering.
June Lahm
18 Apr 14 at 3:40 pm
Hi June,
I think I know the piece you are talking about but currently don’t have anything recorded for shape 73 and my piece has too much glaze on the base to confirm the number. Anyway I would probably put the piece on the harder to find list rather than rare. They no doubt would have been made in their hundreds as Bakewell Bro’s was a large commercial operation but their rarity today would be down to how many have survived the last 80 years to so. Certainly nothing to retire on that’s for sure. Tim
Tim
24 Apr 14 at 1:14 pm
Hi Tim,
I’m also a Newtone collector, and have just discovered your site! It would be great to chat to you, exchange photos etc. I have approximately 250 pieces of Newtowne, as well as some Beaulah Ware. Trent, and other Bakewells pieces. Please feel free to email me. I think I read that you are in Tasmania? I’m in Sydney, but from Tas originally. I still come to Tassie fairly regularly, as my family are still there. Ironically when I moved to Sydney 8 years ago, I moved to Erskineville, only 2 blocks away from the Bakewells old site – however I was not a collector at that time!
I’m also happy to chat to anyone else who may read this message who is interested in Newtone/Bakewells pottery. Please message Tim, and he can pass on your email address to me, so neither of our email addresses are publicly displayed.
I look forward to hearing from you soon. Cheers,
Dean’
Dean Butler
13 Sep 14 at 9:37 pm