HOBBY CERAMICS - THE UPDATED VERSION

I first wrote about Hobby Ceramics seven years ago, and we’ve learned a lot since then. This is my new  version.  (For old time's sake, here's a link to the original post). 

Above: a random selection of Hobby Ceramics from my collection. 

Hobby Ceramics is the generic term for ware which is decorated by amateurs under the guidance of a class leader. 

Classes provide unglazed ceramic blanks with little pots of glaze, plus tools for application - brushes, sponges and the like. Students are given basic training and then decorate their chosen piece. After a final firing, it can be taken home. 

 From about the mid-1970s to the early 1990s, there were Hobby Ceramics classes in just about every New Zealand town, and there are still a few operating today. Often, people sign up for multiple sessions and decorate several pieces. At first, most classes provided greenware – pieces straight out of the mould. These were fettled (smoothed off) and fired before being decorated and fired again. More recently, most classes provide blanks that have already been fettled and had their first firing.

At its peak, Hobby Ceramics operated on a variation of the franchise system. The two main ‘parent’ companies were Chris and Sharon Brown (trading as Eagle Kilns) and John and Sandy Homer and John and Diane Oortgiesen (trading as Furnace Engineering). The parent companies ran classes themselves, but mainly they trained class leaders who set up their own Hobby Ceramics businesses. 

Most of the original moulds, glazes, brushes and other materials were imported from America and then retailed to class leaders. The class leaders sometimes bought undecorated blanks from the parent company, but more often they made their own blanks and sold them, plus decorating materials, to their class attendees. The parent companies often replicated imported moulds, thus saving the cost of buying more from the US. 

This was a substantial trade. The Browns and the Homers each had about 100 class leaders under their respective brands. That’s over 200 Hobby Ceramics groups in New Zealand alone – and there were other smaller providers as well. At this time Hobby Ceramics was also huge internationally. 

 Chris and Sharon Brown imported a full shipping container of materials every six weeks, and their ten staff were kept busy manufacturing kilns, making moulds and clay slip, and parceling up supplies for distribution. John and Sandy Homer’s operation was of a similar size. Chris Brown told me that his Hobby Ceramics range was constantly changing. He wanted class attendees to keep coming back, and to choose complex pieces that required several different glazes. Attendees paid for materials, so the more glazes and brushes they bought, the greater his profits. 

John and Sandy Homer had a factory in Ward Street in New Lynn. Chris and Sharon Brown were based at the Brown family’s Orzel Industries in Drury. Before they got into Hobby Ceramics, the Homers had a thriving potters’ supply shop fronted by Paddy Hancock. Sandy Homer also built a very successful porcelain doll business. Both these businesses operated alongside their Hobby Ceramics. John and Sandy also owned and ran Terra Ceramics, which I will write about soon. 

 Both the Browns and the Homers began making kilns before expanding into Hobby Ceramics. At that time there was a boom in kiln sales. Furnace Engineering alone was making up to five a week for domestic potters and local industries as well as the hobby market. John Homer from Furnace Engineering pioneered new, lighter kilns, made with ceramic fibre instead of firebricks. 

 Most Hobby Ceramics businesses faded out when the Roger Douglas/David Lange government floated the NZ currency. Our dollar slumped against the $US, and the higher costs made it no longer viable to import materials. A few well-run outlets have survived, among them Paint the Earth on the North Shore and Splashy in Hamilton. 

Identifying Hobby Ceramics 

There are no hard and fast rules for identifying Hobby Ceramics but these guidelines may help: 

• Most, but not all hobby pieces are lighter in weight because they have been fired at a lower kiln temperature than commercial ceramics. 
• Most Hobby Ceramics glazes are quite distinctive. The lower kiln temperatures allow some quite spectacular colours and effects. 
• Older hobby pieces usually have a name or initials scratched into the base. This is to identify the person who decorated it. Glazes change colour when they’re fired and the class leader didn't want any confusion over who owned a particular piece. These days, most class leaders identify hobby pieces with a photo system and the base markings are no longer needed. 
• Most hobby pieces have three little dots in the glaze on the base. Hobby ware was usually glazed all over and fired sitting on stilts – little triangular ceramic supports that stop the glaze sticking to the kiln shelves. In contrast, almost all professionally made ware has an unglazed foot which is placed directly onto the kiln shelf. 
•  Hobby pieces are often made as gifts, with a personalised message included in the decoration. 
• Lastly, the quality of hobby ware varies widely. Ceramic decoration is not a skill you learn overnight and most, but not all, hobby pieces are obviously decorated by an amateur. 

There are, however, many exceptions to these guidelines. Some Hobby Ceramics decorators are very skilled and their work is of a high standard. A few have gone on to produce their own commercial lines, for example Beth Walker started at hobby classes and then joined forces with her husband Tom Walker to create quality New Zealand souvenirs and other products under the Forest Ware brand. There were national and international Hobby Ceramics competitions, with some quite exceptional entries. Although most hobby materials were imported, some glazes and shapes were made in New Zealand, and some hobby ware has the same weight as commercial pottery.

 Above: there is no doubt that this figurine is Hobby Ceramics. The original mould was from American supplier Arnels. The inscription on the base tells us it was decorated by EC on 20/9/ (the year is unclear). It is glazed all over in a green which is typical of hobby. And there are three tiny flaws in the glaze where it sat on triangular firing stilts in the kiln.

Where did Hobby Ceramics shapes come from? 

Each Hobby Ceramics class provided a range of blanks ready for decoration. Most original shapes were imported but a few came from New Zealand. Importantly, many New Zealand mainstream commercial pottery shapes found their way into the Hobby Ceramics field. 

 There are many cross-overs between Hobby Ceramics and mainstream commercial potteries. Below I have outlined the main sources of confusion. 

 Imported moulds 

 During its heyday, thousands of Hobby Ceramics moulds were imported from the US. Often the American mould was then replicated in-house. American suppliers included Arnels, Reward, Cerachrome, Mayco, Scioto and Duncans. The Browns were the NZ agents for Mayco. 

 Both the Browns and the Homers used imported Hobby Ceramics moulds in their mainstream ceramics range. 

At Terra Ceramics, human figurines plus animals including a horse, an elephant, a dolphin, a long-necked crane and several seals and dogs were made from imported moulds and decorated with Terra’s shiny brown Rockingham glaze. 

 At Orzel Industries, Cam and Beverley Brown produced many well-made animals and other figurines which were directly derived from American moulds. Cam and Beverley selected shapes from Chris Brown’s Hobby Ceramics catalogues and imported the moulds. Thus, you may find a Hobby Ceramics piece and an almost identical figurine made by Terra or by Orzel/Aquila - or, indeed, you may find a figurine in the same shape as an Orzel piece, but made and decorated in the US. 

The Orzel/Aquila pieces were skillfully decorated, usually by Beverley Brown. Other smaller manufacturers including Forest Ware also made quality pieces using Hobby Ceramics moulds.

Above: this Alsatian dog is from the Orzel Industries factory. It was cast from an imported mould and hand-decorated by Beverley Brown. A pair of flamingos made from American moulds were the most popular of the many animal figurines that came out of the Orzel factory. 

New Zealand commercial shapes used in Hobby Ceramics 

In my research, I have come across Hobby Ceramics pieces that are marked Clay Craft, Orzel, Aquila, Titian Potteries, and even Cameron Brown. We also see hobby pieces that still carry an original four-digit Crown Lynn shape number. 

 These crossovers arose because Hobby Ceramics providers often used mainstream NZ commercial moulds to make blanks for their classes. For example, John and Sandy Homer used moulds from their Terra Ceramics business, and Chris and Sharon Brown likewise used Orzel and Titian moulds. Chris Brown gathered up any moulds that were no longer popular, or were a bit worn, and included them in his hobby range. The hobby pieces that carry Crown Lynn and Clay Craft marks are most likely from moulds that were scooped up by hobby providers when the factories closed down.

This use of commercial moulds in Hobby Ceramics can mislead collectors. For example, a Crown Lynn piece with unusual glaze or decoration might be described as rare, collectable, 'a homer' or experimental - and often 'signed by the artist'. The seller - and sometimes the buyer - believe that they have a unique treasure. And yes, they are indeed Crown Lynn shapes but they have been decorated by an amateur at a hobby class. 

Above: these Hobby Ceramics pieces are all shapes from commercial potteries. Rear, from left, vase marked Cameron Brown Potteries, ewer marked Orzel, vase with Crown Lynn number 2033. Front, from left, Titian Potteries shell vase, Orzel shaped jug, colourful saucer with a pattern copied from Christine Harris, and a mug with Crown Lynn number 1318. The Cameron Brown mark is greatly sought after, but there is no way that Cameron or his wife Dorothy would have stuck these clumsy lumps of clay onto their work. Cam Brown Jnr has no idea how one of his father's moulds came to be used in Hobby Ceramics. Cameron Brown Snr owned Titian and Sherwood and his family established Orzel. Over the years the Brown family used the brands Titian, Orzel, Aquila and Adelaar, and all these are found on hobby pieces. 

Above: the Crown Lynn dish top centre was decorated at Crown Lynn by Frank Carpay. The others are from hobby classes. All these dishes still carry the 2142 shape number. It would have been so helpful if the hobby moulds had the original maker’s marks removed, but alas they often didn't! 

To add to the confusion, not all Hobby Ceramics ware is lightweight.  Some mainstream commercial makers held/hold classes for amateur decorators, using their standard undecorated bisque ware. For example, you often come across cups or bowls from the (now closed) Studio Ceramics factory which have been decorated by an amateur. These are quality ceramics, heavy and well made, but the decoration is obviously not from Studio Ceramics. 

Above: This bowl, mug and plate are all Studio Ceramics shapes, all commercially fired to a high temperature. The glaze is bright and clear but the decoration is amateur. I couldn't resist the quirky message on the little plate, painted by Bonnie's friend Sarah. 

Another Crown Lynn complication 

When Crown Lynn closed in 1989, warehouses of undecorated bisque ware were sold off at knockdown prices. Some were bought by commercial operators including Bob Steiner and Bruce and Sue Halliday. Steiner decorated a range of gravy jugs under his Eido brand, and the Hallidays decorated and sold Crown Lynn plates. These examples are professionally decorated and have a value, but there are also amateur pieces in circulation. If you see an amateur decoration on a Crown Lynn shape – buyer beware!

Above: Crown Lynn gravy jug decorated by Sharyn Maude at Bob Steiner’s workshop. 

 And lastly… the small operators 

 In opshops, we often see ware which has been decorated with varying degrees of skill and sold on the retail market. These are the work of small-time operators, often from a home workshop. Usually they use stock bisque ware, but some also have their own moulds, bought from a commercial supplier or picked up when a pottery closes. At the time of writing, suppliers of bisque ware include Greenware New Zealand Ltd, (Te Puke Ceramics) and Decopot in Palmerston North. Highly successful makers including Christine Harris and Catherine Anselmi also decorated and sold stock platter shapes during their early days.  

Above: these are all of semi-professional quality, made commercially by small operators. From left, rear: swan in a Crown Lynn shape, unmarked, unknown maker; Crown Lynn shape 2044 vase with a Cera-Rose sticker; jar from a Clay Craft mould. Front: colourful mug marked CMR NZ; pale pink vase with a Chelsea Crafts sticker, and a speckled vase with an Owl Cove sticker (this shape was used by many hobby providers as well as some commercial manufacturers). Front centre a dish derived from the Crown Lynn shape 2055. It’s a bit wonky but was made commercially for Whangarei florist Katie McCracken. 

 Sources

 Information for this post came from the following interviews: 

• The late Chris Brown and Cameron Brown (2016) 
• Sandy Homer (2024) 
• Di Kelly from Paint the Earth Ltd. (2024) 
• I have also drawn from an article in Ceramic World magazine, March-April 1983. 

 You will find more information and examples of Hobby Ceramics on the NZ Pottery site here. If you have not yet joined this site I strongly recommend that you do!