This creamy, satin glaze is reminiscent of a bank of snow. Shown above, an Art Deco ashtray made in the Thirties by Keith Murray for Josiah Wedgwood, Stoke-on-Trent, England.
Keith Murray had a fascinating life—and he's one of the pillars of British Art Deco Modernism and industrial design. He was an architect, aviator, ceramicist, silversmith, and glass designer.
Murray was born in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1892. He began his working life as a draughtsman for an Auckland architectural firm. His side passion was the pioneering field of amateur aviation and he was an officer in the Aero Club of New Zealand. When World War One began, Murray joined the English RAF and was deployed as a pilot in Europe.
After the war, Murray completed his architectural studies in London. Alas, after graduation, he had difficulty finding work and made ends meet by creating illustrations for British magazines. His life took a leap forward when he attended the 1925 Paris Exposition. He was intrigued by the aesthetics of Modern design and how new industrial manufacturing processes could be used to make tasteful and affordable home furnishings.
His first foray into homewares was designing glassware for Stevens and Brierly. Although he created over a thousand different designs for them, most of these items were produced in very small, exclusive production runs. Murray's notion of combining good design with modern production methods had not yet been achieved. Also during this time, he was commissioned by Josiah Wedgwood & Sons to develop a range of ceramics tableware and teaware. It was here that Murray created his signature "ribbed" aesthetic—surely a nod to his foundation as an architect.
Mappin and Webb, the acclaimed London silversmiths, asked Murray to create (or re-create) his Wedgwood-style pieces in silver.
With World War Two on the horizon, Keith Murray re-joined the RAF in 1939. He remained serving until 1942 at which time his ill health required his retirement from the Air Force.
The ashtray, shown above, was made by Keith Murray for Josiah Wedgwood and Sons. It is finished with a delicious, satin white glaze. Click on the photo above to learn more about this handsome piece.
More Winter White items to come—tomorrow and in the days to follow.
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