ANTIQUES INFO - November/December 06

A few years ago, Troika Pottery suddenly

emerged as an aspiring up-market

collectible. Prices rose to remarkable

levels, the popular antiques and collecting

press endorsed it as a ‘hot’ new buy and

those dealers and collectors who were

lucky enough to have bought their collec-

tions a few years previously suddenly saw

a tidy profit, or alternatively the end of an

affordable collectible! Several years on,

both buyers and sellers have learnt a lot

about Troika, and the market has had a

chance to begin maturing, or at least stabil-

ising. This article will look at just how the

Troika market has developed, and whether

the pottery shows any signs of offering

good investment value as a collectible in

the long term. I will also discuss some of

the more dubious Troika rumours circu-

lating at present, and suggest ways of

avoiding any possible pitfalls.

First of all, a brief look at the history and

distinguishing features of this young

pretender. The Troika Pottery (1963-1983)

was based in Cornwall, first in St Ives and

later in Newlyn. Founders Benny Sirota,

Leslie Illsley and sleeping partner Jan

Thompson conceived of a pottery whose

wares were pieces of art and only inciden-

tally (if at all) of functional form. The

pottery initially occupied the Wheal Dream

site by the water in St Ives, and pieces

produced during this period almost all have

a backstamp including the words St Ives.

‘Backstamp’ in this case is something of a

misnomer, for apart from some very early

pieces (pre-1965), impressed backstamps

were not used. Instead, markings were

written on by the decorator of the piece,

leading to many variations in wording and

handwriting. Pieces from the St Ives period

generally are considered more collectable

than equivalent later pieces and tend to be

stronger in value. You might also see an

ink-stamped ‘Troika St Ives England’ mark

on some of the smaller early glazed pieces

or even a Trident symbol - probably the

rarest backstamp. Variations of this mark

were used from 1963-1967.

Following Troika’s 1970 move to Newlyn,

production volumes increased, with all

pieces now being marked with some

variation of ‘Troika Cornwall England’.

Newlyn was never mentioned in the

backstamps - perhaps not having the same

status amongst the artistic community as St

Ives. By now, the Troika Pottery had

developed two distinctive ranges of wares.

First in volume and popularity was the

textured range. Made in a mould, like

almost all Troika, these pieces had a rough

exterior and included moulded decorations.

Thus many pieces of the same shape were

made using the same mould. Each piece

would then be hand-decorated on the

outside and glazed white on the inside. The

hand decoration led to each piece being

unique, as no fixed decoration was

prescribed. It was left to the decorators to

use the shape to its best advantage. The

most common shapes in this range were

coffin vases, marmalade pots, cubes and

spice jars, but several bigger, more unusual

shapes, such as lamps, chimney vases and

large rectangular vases were produced.

The other Troika range was of smooth

glazed wares. These were better liked by

Sirota and Illsley, but harder to make

successfully and always slightly less

popular with the public. Some shapes were

developed that were specific to glazed

wares, and some shapes (for example

cubes) were used in both glazed and

textured ranges. These pieces tended to be

glazed in white, but black and blue glazes

were also used for decoration and as a base

colour. Glazed wares were more prone to

crack whilst firing and thus the higher

levels of wastage kept costs higher than for

the textured ranges. This was a more

refined and sculptural range, and for both

Illsley and Sirota was where their heart

really was, but it was never sufficiently

profitable on its own. Today, glazed wares

tend to have strong values and are much

rarer, but the textured range still seems to

be more popular with collectors.

Troika still attracts strong interest at fairs

and at auctions, but over the last few

months certain trends have become clear.

Troika Pottery - more than a trend

by Roland Head

Ceramics

Troika St Ives backstamp showing the markof Anne Lewis.

Sold June 06 £135. (DW) Troika cube vase,decorated by Beverley Ellwood.

Troika backstamp showing Colin Carbis’ markwith original gift shop label.

Troika marmalade pot decorated by AvrilBennett.

Troika spice jar vase, approx 5.75in tall,decorated by Avril Bennett.

ANTIQUES INFO - November/December 06

CeramicsCollectors are now more familiar with the different variations of a given

shape, and it is probably fair to say that the value of smaller pieces in

particular is now more dependent on the quality of decoration and

pattern than it once was. Larger and rarer pieces are holding their value

well, and in some cases appear still to be appreciating in value slightly.

Recently, a large shouldered rectangular vase marked St Ives and signed

by Benny Sirota (co-founder of Troika) sold on eBay for £750. Rarer

pieces still reliably sell from £1000-£2000. That collectors are becoming

more critical and influenced by subtle details is perhaps a sign that

Troika is starting to mature as a collectible. Certainly it is a positive trait

that can be also observed in collectors of older pottery and most other

antiques; a market like this can only thrive in the longer term with a body

of knowledgeable and enthusiastic collectors.

There are however still a few signs that this is a fairly new collectible.

Earlier this year, eBay, which has a strong market for good Troika, seems

to have played host to an inexplicable frenzy of bidding on any pieces

marked with the initials of the decorator Teo Bernatowitz. Quite ordinary

pieces were sold for far greater prices than those by other better known

artists. More disturbingly, stories of fakes are beginning to circulate, and

in addition I have seen a few very dubious looking vases being sold at

auction as Troika despite clearly originating from another pottery and

having simply had a Troika-like mark painted onto their bases.

More interestingly, in the last six months a quantity of apparently

genuine undecorated Troika has been sold quite cheaply in various

auctions rooms around the country, and the present owners of many of

the surviving Troika moulds, bought from the pottery when it closed,

have placed them up for sale. Hopefully these will go to genuine

collectors or a museum and will not, as has happened elsewhere, lead to

the appearance of fake or reproduction pieces.

Troika prices can vary widely, especially at fairs, and condition should

be checked carefully - damage to textured pieces especially can be

extremely hard to spot, due to their roughly-textured and coloured

nature. If buying for investment, it is probably wise to concentrate on the

rarer textured and glazed pieces, as these are likely to have a better

chance of immunity to changes in fashion and taste and their rarity value

can only increase in years to come. Perhaps the best advice when buying

Troika for investment would be to avoid buying any pieces you do not

like yourself, just in case values do not rise in the way you hope for.

Troika has established itself as a collectible remarkably well in the last

five years. A 1960s studio pottery with only 20 years output and a style

that is of slightly subjective appeal, it seems likely that its popularity will

continue for the next few years at least. Beyond that is hard to foresee,

but there is no reason to think that the qualities that made it successful

when new and continue today, will not endure in the future.

All pictures courtesy of Perfect Pieces (www.perfectpieces.co.uk)

Troika coffin vase decoratedby Benny Sirota.

Sold June 06 £138. (DW)Troika St Ives small cylinder,approx 7in, decorated by AnneLewis.

Sold June 06 £130. (AF)Troika rectangular vase,glazed (4.75in) decorated byAnne Lewis.

Sold June 06 £250. (DW)Troika slab vase (6.75in tall)decorated by Jane Fitzgerald.

Sold July 06 £225. (DW)Troika rectangular vase,approx 8.75in, decorated byColin Carbis.

Troika shouldered cylindervase, 7.5in, decorated by AvrilBennett

ANTIQUES INFO - November/December 06

Ceramics

Troika pottery wall plaque byBenny Sirota, raised circle &disk designs, c1964, Sirota’sfinger prints on either end,15.5 x 5in. Burstow &Hewett, Battle. Mar 04. HP:£2,900. ABP: £3,411.

Troika Newlyn pottery mask,double sided, one having anAztec design, the other aCycladic mask, SimoneKilburn, 10in high. Burstow& Hewett, Battle. Mar 04.HP: £2,700. ABP: £3,175.

Troika sculpture modelled asa mask. Gorringes, Bexhillon Sea. Apr 05. HP: £2,200.ABP: £2,587.

Troika pottery mask, doublesided, Aztec design to oneside, Cycladic to other, minorrestorations to base, SimoneKilburn, 10in high. Burstow& Hewett, Battle. Mar 04.HP: £1,700. ABP: £1,999.

Troika Love Plaque, depictingan embracing couple flankedeach side by other figures inmottled green, blue and lightbrown, 13 x 39cm. ClevedonSalerooms, Bristol. Jun 05.HP: £1,700. ABP: £1,999.

Troika pottery mask in grey,blue, brown & biscuit glaze,painted mark and monogramfor Jane Fitzgerald, 27cmhigh. Clevedon Salerooms,Bristol. Feb 05. HP: £1,500.ABP: £1,764.

Troika pottery anvil vase,Louise Jinks, 8.5in. Burstow& Hewett, Battle. Mar 04.HP: £1,400. ABP: £1,646.

Troika St Ives pottery shallowdish, c1963/4, stylised hiero-glyphic designed centre panel,impressed trident mark tobase, 11.75 x 7.75in. Burstow& Hewett, Battle. Mar 04.HP: £1,400. ABP: £1,646.

St Ives Troika pottery vase,each face moulded in shallowrelief, painted with 3 panels,shallow shoulder & upstandrim, blue painted tridentmark, monogrammed, 12.5in.Fieldings, Stourbridge. Oct05. HP: £1,150. ABP: £1,352.

Troika St Ives pottery wallplaque, raised texturedabstract design, 7.75 x5.25in. Burstow & Hewett,Battle. Mar 04. HP: £1,100.ABP: £1,293.

Troika pottery anvil vase,embossed domino andgeometric disk designs, AvrilBennett, 8.75in high. Burstow& Hewett, Battle. Mar 04.HP: £1,100. ABP: £1,293.

Troika calculator plaque,early Trident mark, 20 x30cm. Clevedon Salerooms,Bristol. Feb 05. HP: £1,000.ABP: £1,176.

Troika double based vase,decorated by Louise Jenks,black script mark, 36cm high.Richard Winterton, Burton onTrent, Staffs. Nov 03. HP:£950. ABP: £1,117.

Troika pottery wheel lampbase, raised Aztec designs toone side and a fireplace tothe other, Avril Bennett,14.5in high. Burstow &Hewett, Battle. Mar 04. HP:£950. ABP: £1,117.

White glazed Troika potteryvase, 23cm high. D M Nesbit& Company, Southsea. Sep03. HP: £900. ABP: £1,058.

Large Troika wheel lampbase, moulded with a mask toone side, abstract detail toother, cream, textured ground.Gorringes, Lewes. Feb 06.HP: £900. ABP: £1,058.

Troika pottery ‘Aztec’ maskmodelled in shades of blue,brown and cream, 25cm high,painted Troika with mark forTina Doubleday, base chipped.Bearne’s, Exeter. Jun 05. HP:£850. ABP: £999.

Large Troika wheel vase byAlison Brigden, paintedmarks, 13in high. GardinerHoulgate, Corsham. Apr 05.HP: £820. ABP: £964.

Troika globe vase by LouiseJinks, painted marks, 8inhigh. Gardiner Houlgate,Corsham. Apr 05. HP: £820.ABP: £964.

Troika pottery large doublebase lamp, Aztec and diskdesigns to both sides, AnneLewis, 16.75in high. Burstow& Hewett, Battle. Mar 04.HP: £800. ABP: £941.

Troika Moon vase, circularflower design, signed andinitialled HC for HonorCurtis, nee Perkins, 16cmand a Troika Moon vase,circular black panels, signed,13cm. (2) Sworders, StanstedMountfitchet. Apr 05. HP:£580. ABP: £682.

Troika pottery tin mine lampbase in the form of a stonebuilding and chimney, AlisonBrigden, 8.5in high. Burstow& Hewett, Battle. Mar 04.HP: £550. ABP: £646.

Troika St Ives pottery chimneyvase, impressed with printersblock lettering, indistinctmonogram, 8in high.Burstow & Hewett, Battle.Mar 04. HP: £550. ABP: £646.

Prices quoted are actual

hammer prices (HP) and the

Approximate Buyer’s Price.

(ABP) Includes an average

premium of 15% + VAT.

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ANTIQUES INFO - November/December 06

Troika St Ives pottery liddedvessel, geometric designs,with retailers price 16/- onbase, 5.5in high. Burstow &Hewett, Battle. Mar 04. HP:£550. ABP: £646.

Troika Pottery ‘Anvil’ vase,c1973-79, decorated by AvrilBennet, abstract designs inblues/greens, textured brownground, painted mark ‘TroikaEngland’, decorators mono-gram AB, height 23.5cm.Rosebery’s, London. Mar 06.HP: £550. ABP: £646.

Modern Troika potteryelectric table lamp, monu-mental form, in greens andbrowns with bold geometricmotifs, 17.25in high, incisedand painted mark ‘Troika,Cornwall’ and decorator’sinitials ‘A.W.’ CanterburyAuction Galleries, Kent. Feb06. HP: £540. ABP: £635.

Troika pottery flask, bluepainted Aztec star design toeither side, Anne Lewis, 6.5inhigh. Burstow & Hewett,Battle. Mar 04. HP: £520.ABP: £611.

Modern Troika pottery wallpocket of castellated form,moulded in relief, decoratedin greens and blue with sixsmall openings for flowers, 8x 6.25in, painted mark‘Troika, Cornwall’ and indis-tinct decorator’s initials‘A.S.’ ? Canterbury AuctionGalleries, Kent. Feb 06. HP:£520. ABP: £611.

Troika pottery double basevase, impressed, embossedand incised geometricdecoration in brown, cream,blue and pale green on atextured brown ground, 35cmhigh, painted Troika, Corn-wall with EW monogram.Bearne’s, Exeter. Jun 05. HP:£480. ABP: £564.

Troika pottery pot and cover,of slender rectangular form,with stylised petal motifs,printed mark Troika, St Ives,England, 13.5cm. Sworders,Stansted Mountfitchet. Apr05. HP: £440. ABP: £517.

Troika double hemispherevase, Troika, Cornwall,England and A.J. to reverse,8.5in. Louis Taylor, Stoke onTrent. Mar 06. HP: £440.ABP: £517.

Early Troika St Ives potteryurn, white treacle glaze andbands of wax resist disks inmatt black, trident mark tobase, 10in high. Burstow &Hewett, Battle. Mar 04. HP:£420. ABP: £494.

Troika St Ives pottery floortile, blue painted Aztec sundesign, marked on reverse,5.75in across. Burstow &Hewett, Battle. Mar 04. HP:£400. ABP: £470.

Troika wheel shape lampbase, late 1970s early 1980s,textured finish, decoratedwith incised abstract geo-metric motifs in browns andblues, painted mark Troika,initialled PB to underside,height 37cm. Rosebery’s,London. Mar 06. HP: £400.ABP: £470.

Troika St Ives pottery D-plate, moulded trident markto base, 7.5in across.Burstow & Hewett, Battle.Mar 04. HP: £390. ABP: £458.

Troika St Ives charger, in theform of a paint tin lid, centralblue lustre disc and bronzeouter, early impressed mark,23cm. Cheffins, Cambridge.Feb 05. HP: £380. ABP: £446.

Troika St Ives pottery teapot,painted disk design band,original bent cane handle,7in across. Burstow &Hewett, Battle. Mar 04. HP:£370. ABP: £435.

Troika brick shaped vase,decorated on two sides withincised and raised geometricdesign in pale shades ofgreen and yellow, texturedpale brown ground, paintedTroika mark Cornwall AR tobase 8.5in. Gorringes,Lewes. Mar 04. HP: £350.ABP: £411.

Troika square sectionstoneware vase, gold andblack bands and a circle oneach face, marks incl. SV forSylvia Valance, firing crackto rim, 33cm. Sworders,Stansted Mountfitchet. Apr05. HP: £340. ABP: £399.

Modern Troika pottery cubepattern vase moulded inrelief, in blue, green andbrown with geometric motifs,6in square, painted mark inblack ‘Troika, Cornwall’ anddecorator's initials ‘C.J.’.Canterbury AuctionGalleries, Kent. Feb 06. HP:£340. ABP: £399.

Troika table lamp, mottledblue form, front and backwith stylised decoration, 11inhigh. Dee, Atkinson &Harrison, Driffield,. Jul 04.HP: £330. ABP: £388.

Troika Pottery cube vase,c1973, moulded/impressedwith chequer board & geo-metric motifs, textured ground,washed in blue oxides,Newlyn mark, monogrammedpossibly for Marilyn Pascoe,5.75in high. Fieldings, WestHagley, Worcs.. Jun 05. HP:£310. ABP: £364.

Troika square lamp base byAvril Bennet, painted marks,11.5in high. GardinerHoulgate, Corsham. Apr 05.HP: £300. ABP: £352.

Troika pottery large wheelvase, embossed, impressedand incised with geometricand linear motifs in creamand browns, textured blueground, 20cm high, paintedTroika, Cornwall, monogramfor Stella Benjamin.Bearne’s, Exeter. Jun 05. HP:£300. ABP: £352.

Ceramics

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