// Instant Expert
Of all their wide and varied production, the most popular and instantly recognisable pieces are their grotesque birds; gothic-inspired anthropomorphic bird jars, glazed in the subdued palette of browns, greens, greys and blues, so distinctive of Martinware. These characters from Victorian London sprung forth from the creative genius of Robert Wallace Martin and were based on professional types, public figures and local waifs and strays. Whimsical, curious, expressive, they remain some of the most iconic creations of the Arts and Crafts era being regularly contested in salerooms around the world. Birds have now pushed through the six-figure ceiling, tripling in price in the last 15 years. Martinware has a surprisingly long and enduring collecting history and the most engaging of these ceramic eccentricities have long been beyond the pocket of the working man. Surviving 1913 receipts list a tiny Martin bird available at 8s 6d (421/2p), with larger bird jars from 37 shillings to 55 shillings each (£1.85-£2.75).
For me the attraction lies in the fact that each one is totally unique, having been hand-crafted by one of the founding fathers of the British art pottery movement. Each piece is indeed a major contributor to the Arts and Crafts movement and each bird represents an important piece of British art history in clay.
As with many luxury goods, fakes have emerged over recent years and collectors are advised to exercise caution when looking to buy. Furthermore, the restoration of ceramics has become so skilled that, to all but the most trained and experienced eye, it is invisible. Restoration can reduce the value of a piece by more than 50 percent.
The work of the Martin Brothers is potentially an excellent investment, even with the appreciation in the market and at prices ranging from £200 for tiles or miniature gourd vases up to a £100,000 it is still a market accessible to most. In more general terms, prices are being pushed up by an ongoing desire for artefacts made under the late 19th century Arts and Crafts movement. Above all however, collectors are buying into what is perhaps that most sought-after of qualities in the decorative arts: uniqueness… the briefest of glances and you instantly know it is a Martin Brothers bird. There’s nothing else out there like them and as they fly higher, you're going to have to dig deeper and deeper if you want to cage one.
In 1913 The Times wrote of the work of the Martin Brothers stating, "Someday, collectors will ransack the town for Martin’s artistic stonewares". Prophetic words indeed!
/ 131
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148