large planter

[kardinalisimo]

recent?

[Stan]

This looks like a fairly modern planter.

[peterp]

The fine spiral line on the bottom points to a metal tool or form used for making it. The lines are the result of turning a metal object on a lathe, thus a machine made object was used in the  production of this.

[kardinalisimo]

Thanks. I did not buy it and then regret it. Feel better now to know it was not old.

[Stan]

Peter, do the grooves on the bottom indicate that it is a modern potters wheel and is that true on all pots or vases with grooves?

[peterp]

Old wheels were made of wood. They would not leave such traces. I have no information on when metal potter's wheels were introduced first, but probably not before the 20th century. They had no motors to drive them anyway, even if some would have been imported.
Theoretically it would be possible that they would have installed an imported metal wheel on their devices, but until now I have seen neither items nor any proof of such a practice. Better assume that anything like that would not have been in use before the 2nd half of the 20th century.

[Stan]

Thanks Peter, it is amazing how many such items with bottoms similar to this one for sell on ebay, and they are selling them as antique.

[peterp]

I would be interested to know of the spiral line runs down the inside of the foot rim. It looks as if it is also present ON the very top of the foot rim, along the the inner edge. If it is present, then this could mean that the clay was injected into a mould of metal and there was no throwing on the wheel involved at all.

[Stan]

Thats interesting, it would have been a large mold, but it looks like the inside of the planter has slight impressions around the sides from the potter fingers as it was turned, or could that be caused by pressing it into a mould.

[kardinalisimo]

That is from a past auction and I cannot take other pictures. Have some blurry ones but don't know if they will help.

[peterp]

The lines are not visible on the rim, in these pictures, but the shape of the foot rim on the inside is. I would say that the clay was pressed/injected with such a rim shape.