I spent the past few days at the International Fine Art and Antiques Show at New York's Park Avenue Armory. The stand-out at the show, from my perspective, was John Howard's dazzling display of figures. It also had the crowd buzzing--so much so that lady at the fair's exit point came back to see what it was all about because she had heard so many raves and had handed out so very many pass-out passes to happy pottery purchasers. The figure display was dazzling, but the star of the show was the beast in this photograph.
No, no...defintely not me! Rather, it was the splendid sheep in my arms that attracted so very much attention. This pearlware figure is the largest pearlware sheep on record, and she measures a full 15 inches across.
As you see from this picture from John's site, she has an opening in her back.
We think this large figure was intended for a shop window display, and the opening held a sign. Could it have been "Lamb Chops Sold Here" in a butcher window? I like to think so, and I have named her Lamb Chop.
Lamb Chop has a very gentle yet riveting expression, and countless visitors to the show--even hardened exhibitors who have by now 'seen it all'--were drawn to her. I must admit I was smitten, and I wish I could have brought her home with me. I also loved the dog painting that you can see on the wall behind me, but at $280,000, alas it couldn't come home in my luggage either!!
I have seen one or two cows with similar openings in the back that were also intended for shop window purposes. In fact, a splendid cow and bull pair with just this feature sold a few years ago.
Lamb Chop has a very gentle yet riveting expression, and countless visitors to the show--even hardened exhibitors who have by now 'seen it all'--were drawn to her. I must admit I was smitten, and I wish I could have brought her home with me. I also loved the dog painting that you can see on the wall behind me, but at $280,000, alas it couldn't come home in my luggage either!!
I have seen one or two cows with similar openings in the back that were also intended for shop window purposes. In fact, a splendid cow and bull pair with just this feature sold a few years ago.
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As large as they are, these bovines are both a little smaller than Lamb Chop. They measure a mere 13.5 inches each way at most, whereas Lamb Chop is a good 15 inches-plus across. And of course they appear to have emanated from a quite different pot bank.
It goes without saying that Lamb Chop was not the only wonder that John displayed, and you can see just one of the cases of figures in this image.
It goes without saying that Lamb Chop was not the only wonder that John displayed, and you can see just one of the cases of figures in this image.
The show is on through Thursday, and if you give Lamb Chop a new home, please allow me to come and visit!
