Eva Zeisel, a rare large Platter with a test of the Fish and Fowl pattern from the Commercial Decal company (East Liverpool, Ohio), Eva Zeisel Fine Stoneware, Monmouth Pottery, Western Stoneware Company. Monmouth, Illinois, circa 1953-1954. Dia.: 13 3/4 in. (34.5 cm); height: 1 in. (3 cm). 1620-072
Provenance: Estate of Bette Cooper
Exhibited: San Diego, Mingei International Museum, “Eva Zeisel: Extraordinary Designer at 100,” 10 December 2006-12 April 2007; Los Angeles, Craft and Folk Art Museum, “Eva Zeisel: Extraordinary Designer at 100,” 9 September-30 December 2007.
Note: Bette Cooper, co-author of Monmouth Western Stoneware (1983), was an unofficial archivist for the factory and collected examples of these works, including test pieces, as they came off the line. Her collection included numerous rarities, such as this bird-form Casserole with an experimental decorative scheme that was never put into production. On this line, see Scott Vermillion, “Eva Zeisel Stoneware and Ironstone.” in Eva Zeisel: Life, Design, and Beauty, 2013, pp. 102-109.

Overall very good condition; the transfer printing with some small inherent flaws typical of a test piece.