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C.C. van Asch-van Wijck (1900-1932) was an artist with the Royal Leerdam Glass Factory during the early 1900's. This was a time we see a lot of distinctive movement in Art to include Art Deco (beautiful distinctive art of the time) and Art Nouveau or the 'New' art, where artists were free to express themselves more in their art.  

Here is a little history on the Royal Leerdam Glass Factory:

When the first bottles were blown in Leerdam around 1765, Pilgrim and Meeder became the first in a long list of bottle makers and glassblowers to work on the banks of the River Linge. The modern era began in 1878 when a new Leerdam business was set up to produce blank stemware and pressed glass with plans to export it to the UK, Mexico and South America.

The Visionary

The fame and success of the Leerdam factory in the first half of the 20th century is mostly due to one man; its director P.M.Cochius. who worked his way up through the factory to become director in 1912 and then lead it for more than 35 years.

His legacy included; His development of a new 'sober' style based on designs by K.P.C. de Bazel and later by A.D. Copier, et al. His introduction of a broad and effective social plan to improve work and living conditions. His ambition to bring high-quality 'designer' products to the mass market at modest prices, publicize the designer's and focus on improved technology as well as improved design. (a trend known as 'kunstnijverheid' or 'industrial art').

His careful investment in machinery and plant capable of international-scale production and pricing. When the first bottles were blown in Leerdam around 1765, Pilgrim and Meeder became the first in a long list of bottle makers and glassblowers to work on the banks of the River Linge.

The modern era began in 1878 when a new Leerdam business was set up to produce blank stemware and pressed glass with plans to export it to the UK, Mexico and South America. **************************************************** 'The Mask' is a very striking sculpture. I have used various photos found on the Internet to show the beauty of the item, but have added my photos as well to show this is the same item and is in my possession. There is a emotion this sculpture evokes in you when viewing it, exactly what the artist intends when they create their art. I believe this one evokes different feelings in people. It is very interesting.

This would make a very good central piece of art for someone with a spotlight. I've found a light shining down in a spot works the best to bring out the features.

The Cristie auction describes this item: Leerdam sculpture, colourless satinated glass, modeled as a female head. Executed in Leerdam, Holland, 1929.

The Mask

The Sotheby auction estimate on this piece was: 1500 - 2000 in 2004.

Christie's realized price: 3,600 Euro or 4,614. (includes buyer premium)

I have included several photos from around the web as well as photos I've taken.

Please check out the sites below to learn more about this very popular and wonderful work of art! Christie's auction Botterweg Auction, Amsterdam Auction House This sculpture, The Mask, is featured in several different art books. If you would like to learn more about it, please reference these titles:

Literature F. Leidelmeijer & D. Van der Cingel, Art Nouveau en Art Deco in Nederland, Amsterdam 1983, p. 178, ill. 211

Lot Notes

For comparison see:

A. van der Kley-Blekxtoon, Leerdam Glas 1878-1998, Lochem, 1998, p. 134, Afb. 166

Thimo te Duits, Geperst Glas uit Leerdam, 1991, p. 94, no. 79 Leerdam catalogus 1934, De Tijdstroom 1990, p. 22

After the Japanese invasions of Korea in 1592 and 1598, a number of skilled Korean potters who had learned from the Chinese how to produce fine porcelain, were brought back to Japan. Some of these settled in Arita in northern Kyushu, where they discovered porcelain clay. One of the Korean porcelain makers was Ri Sampei. He is considered as the "father" of Japanese porcelain. The area became Japan's major centre of porcelain production and its products were also exported from the port of Imari.

Until the beginning of the Meiji (1868-1913) period, the direct east-west trade with Japan was dominated by the Dutch East India Company. Due to trade difficulties with China by the end of the Chinese Ming dynasty and an improved Japanese economy, a strong demand for Japanese ceramics resulted in a surge of creativity during the Momoyama period (1573-1615), with thousands of kilns developing their own distinct regional characteristics. High-fired stonewares were central to this tradition. That is also when we can say that the modern Japanese porcelain industry started. Even if we don't think so, even when Japan lived isolated from the rest of the world during the entire Edo period (1603-1868) exports of Japanese porcelain to Western countries was significant.

During the 17th and early 18th century Japanese porcelain was very popular in Europe and competed successfully with the Chinese. Blue and white Arita porcelain was copied on tin glazed earthenware in many places in Europe, of which Dutch Delft faiance is the most famous. During the 18th century Kakiemon enamel decoration was also widely copied in England.

Although Japanese porcelain production developed its own styles, the influence of Chinese and Korean porcelain traditions can often and easily be found.

Geographically the porcelain production was more spread out in Japan than the Chinese, where most of the porcelain was made in the one city of Jingdezhen in the Jiangxi province. In a similar way, however, the center of the Japanese porcelain industry could be said to have been located on the southern island of Kyushu. The largest city on Kyushu is Arita while the largest nearby port was called Imari. These are the two most important names in the history of Japanese export porcelain. When it come to quality and artistic merit the picture is infinetly more complicated.

The old Japanese ceramic industry was in many ways smaller in scale compared to the Chinese. Marks was also applied for different reasons that on the Chinese porcelain. Personal signatures by the artists involved are quite common. We also find a different attitude towards what marks that are put on the Japanese porcelain and in particular the export porcelain from the 19th century and onwards. The entire range of Imperial reign marks so common on Chinese porcelain, genuine or not, is mostly lacking. The marks are more commercially oriented, more numerous and can vary even within a set of pieces. They can indicate the name of the factory, the potter, the decorator, the pattern, the customer, the exporter, the importer or both or a part of them or maybe just say "Made in Japan", "Japan", "Nippon", "Happiness" or "Good luck" in any number of ways. Increasing the confusion are the hundreds of porcelain decorating firms active in the early to mid 20th century simultaneously putting many different marks on the same wares seemingly at random but probably for some reason. To take just one example, the Noritake company which has been active for about one hundred years only, are thought to have used over 400 different marks.

To immediately gain a better understanding on the many names that occurs in Japanese pottery and porcelain, I believe the map available here that indicates the most common kiln areas (blue names) and cities (names in red) will be helpful.

Regarding dates, the following Japanese historical period names are the ones most commonly met with:

• Momoyama period (1573-1603)
• Edo period (1603-1867) roughly split into early, middle or late Edo. Somtimes the Genroku era (1688-1703) when popular culture flourishes is distinguished.
• Meiji (1868-1913)
• Taisho (1913-1926)
• Showa (1926-1988), where "early Showa" is often used to cover the Showa reign before 1945, and
• Heisei (1988-today)

The marks are normally read from top to bottom, and right to left. Signatures are usually followed by a suffix, for example Sei, tsukuru or saku all meaning "made", or Ga, Dzu or Fude meaning "painted" or "drawn". Then there are place names, Satsuma, Kutani, Seto etc. To read these requires references such as a good Japanese/English dictionary such as Nelsons. One simple and easy guide to reading & writing Japanese is Ed Florence Sakade & al. J Bowes, Japanese Marks & Seals is very helpful as is Koop & Inada, Japanese Names. It is a very unrewarding task to go through lists of marks and signatures as the below in the hope of finding the exact one to match yours, however a modest amount of study can produce a big difference. Beware though, it can become an obession.

"Some Suggestions for Souvenir Seekers" (Mid 1930s)

To further our understanding of 20th century porcelain marks Elyce Litts recently submitted some notes from a little booklet entitled "Some Suggestions for Souvenir Seekers" produced by the Japanese Government Railway. The booklet seems to date to the mid-late 1930s. In addition to descriptions and photo examples of numerous types of pottery and porcelain including where they are made, it has a list of Souvenir Dealers. They are in English without the Japanese equivalency because the book was aimed at English-speaking tourists, but I'll list them below in the hopes that perhaps some of them can be linked to known marks. They describe various pottery:

Satsuma porcelains - mainly produced in and around the city of Kagoshima in Kyushu. Wares of this type are finished in ivory lustre with fine crakles (sic). They have a picture of a number of artisans sitting at the traditional low Japanese tables hand painting vases.

Arita procelains - produced in the prefecture of Saga, also in Kyushu.

Kutani porcelains - produced in the prefecture of Ishikawa in the Hokuiku district of Honshu (Japanese main island) On the whole Kutani porcelains are characterized by their elaborate picture decorations in thick gold, red, blue and some other colours.

Kyoto wares Rakuyaki of Kyoto has been closely connected with tea ceremonies since olden days. Porcelain wares well-known as Awata-yaki and Kiyomizu-yaki are among the souvenirs of Kyoto.

Seto ware. The province of Owari with Nagoya as its commercial and indisutrial metropolis is the greatest ceramic centre [of Japan] so far as the amount of products ... Owari produces so many varieties of porcelain and stoneware that the Japanese familiarly speak of porcelain and pottery in general as "setomono" after the village of the same name in this province.

Bizen ware (Okayama Preferecture) characterized by their peculiarly humorous figures of gods, birds and beasts

Banko wares (Mie Prefecture) which are mostly unglazed

Awaji wares (Awaji island) monochromatic with a bright yellow or green glaze

Soma pottery (Fukushima Prefecture) on which a picture of a horse is usually seen.