Troika
Rectangular Vase
Unusual design of a blue star within a circle on a black background
Height: 4.5"
Width: 2.5"
Depth: 1.75"
Initials on base of 'AL' - Anne Lewis who worked between 1966 & 1972
In 1963 Leslie Illsley, Benny Sirota, and Jan Thomson established Troika pottery amidst much scepticism. But for 20 years it was one of the most successful studio potteries of the late 20th century.
The three founders each had a desire to create a pottery that would be solely concerned with art and design, irrespective of functionality.
While Troika has become best known for its rough, textured wares, their output also featured a range of smooth, gloss-glazed wares. The gloss pieces were more difficult to make and produced more seconds than the textured range. They were also more expensive to produce and the buying market of the late 1960s dictated an increased output of textured wares. Today, the smooth wares are harder to find and often command a higher market value. Particularly rare is the range of abstract and sculptural pieces created for the first Heals exhibition of 1968.
Rather than hand-throwing each piece on a wheel, Illsley and Sirota developed a technique for using moulds. Sirota would hand-throw a new piece, then Ilsley, benefiting from his sculptor's background, would make a mould. With great ease it was possible to make a few hundred pots in the new shape. These would be then hand decorated by Troika's team of decorators.
