Sunday, November 4, 2012

Syrem... any theories on this?

Take a look at this site - Auckland Museum's Pinterest page on Briar Gardner's work.

In Gail Henry's idispensable 'New Zealand Pottery' book there's a Teddy Syrem Ware backstamp. It's quite rare, I finally found this plate after years of hunting:
  Here's what the backstamp looks like.
The question is - why did Crown Lynn use this weird word Syrem? What does it mean, if anything? The only other reference I can find is to a Syrem barometer on TradeMe.  Which isn't much help. There isn't even a place called Syrem.  Please - if anyone knows the answer to this mystery let me know via a comment! It really does bug me.
Anyway, a while later I was shown a Syrem Florida saucer:
 With this backstamp:
 Then I searched Syrem on TradeMe and bought this lunch plate:
With this backstamp:
Which has the same typeface as the Syrem on the Florida Syrem saucer and the Teddy plate. Then I found this in a box in the shed:
A very nice wee sugar bowl with an Ivy Leaf Syrem backstamp.
Again, the same typeface for the word Syrem.
You may be wondering, how do we know that these are Crown Lynn?  First, the original Teddy Syrem has 'By Crown Lynn' as part of its backstamp, which indicates that the other Syrem marks are likely to be Crown Lynn too. Also, the Ivy Leaf sugar bowl has  'New Zealand' impressed in the base, which pretty much guarantees it is Crown Lynn. 

Then along came Carnival Syrem.
With this backstamp, which also includes the words 'By Crown Lynn New Zealand' albeit a little blurry but nonetheless discernible.
Oh well, who cares you might say. I realise this post will only be of interest only to Crown Lynn swotty-geeks, but perhaps it gives you a glimpse into our little world... Gives me something to think about besides the state of the vege garden and my burgeoning waistline!

More next week
ValM









4 comments:

  1. Trying to google Syrem for listing something on TradeMe brought me here! I have a a Teddy Syrem cup and saucer yet can't find any decent info online yet. What a great but perplexing mystery so far.

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    1. Did you find any other info. I have two saucers

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    2. Hi yes Syrem ware was made for Myers chain stores. http://valputaruru.blogspot.com/2013/09/mysteries-solved-crossfords-and-syrem.html?m=1

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  2. Miriam I think I have found an answer to this question, I just haven't written it up yet so you get the news hot off the press. A retired Crown Lynn person told me he thinks it is an anagram for Myers department store which CL sold product through.

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