Polonne Porcelain
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Ermine (Weasel in Winter Coat)
Doe with Fawn
Fox
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In the 1880s, following the discovery of high quality kaolin clay deposits, several ceramics factories were opened in the region of Polonne Novograd-Volynsky. The earliest, Zusman's Faience Factory, was built near the Polonne railroad station; the other factory of importance, founded in 1895, was a handicrafts enterprise in the suburb of Goroshki: Polonnoye, the Factory of Art Ceramics.
With the outbreak of WWI, ceramics manufacture in the Polonne area was interrupted. After the 1917 Revolution, Polonne's glass, porcelain, and faience enterprises were combined, resuming work in 1923 under the name Polonsky Porcelain Factory. In 1933, the factory, which had been producing a variety of products (including sanitary faience!), completely switched, or returned, to the production of porcelain. Production was again interrupted during WWII and the German occupation of Ukraine, but the Polonsky Factory escaped the catastrophic damage that troubled other Ukrainian porcelain-makers like Gorodnitska, which suffered direct hit bombing. October 1956 brought the establishment of the Polonsky Factory of Art Pottery, on the basis of the "Keramik artel." The plant was massively expanded during the 8th Five-Year Plan (1966 - 1970). In 1972 a museum of the history of the porcelain factory was opened. Ukraine regained its independence in 1991. By 2000, the plant had become the largest producer of porcelain tableware in Ukraine. The Factory of Art Pottery was terminated in 2006. Polonne is most admired for its lively folk figurines, with its animal figures coming in with a reputation distinctly below Lomonosov and the confident aesthetic of the Gorodnitska line of animal figures. This said, the Polonne work has an authentic, rough, playful quality which can be lacking from the Lomonosov figures. With Polonne, the variability of the hand painting is a significant factor. It's worth waiting for the "right" ermine or fox before choosing to own (that at least is my feeling). Last--Polonne's reputation suffers because of the confusion of attributions and occasional lack of marks. Adding to the confusion are the variant spellings: Polonsky, Polonnoye, Polonne, Polona, Polonnoe &c. |
Woodland
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Stoat (or Summer Coat Weasel)
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Roe Deer
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Roe Deer
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Pet & Farm
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Arching Cat
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Resting Foal
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Preening Duck
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Bull
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Rearing Horse
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Terrier Puppy
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Exotics
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Mountains
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Panther (or Mountain Lion)
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Bears
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Olympic Bear (Football Player)
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Olympic Bear (Shot Put)
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Olympic Bear (Weightlifter)
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Polonne Marks
The Polonne marks have changed through the decades. This is not something I know a lot about, but I've tried to compile some information here.
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Polonnoye Sculptors & Painters
This is another thing I don't know that much about, but I am learning. All information here is from the internet, so I cannot attest to the accuracy. I'm just trying to compile it here as a point of interest for myself.
Mikhail Motsak
Motsak's animal figurines: "Moose" (17.5 cm x 15.5 cm x 7.5 cm), "Roe Deer" (8 cm x 9 cm), "Stork" (10 cm x 18 cm), "Lynx on the Hunt" (12 cm), "Sitting Fox" (11 cm)
N. Bobik
Bobik's animal figurines: "Hunting Ermine," "Alert Weasel" {14 cm x 6 cm)
V. Melnik
Melnik's animal figurines: "Rabbit,"
Mikhail Motsak
Motsak's animal figurines: "Moose" (17.5 cm x 15.5 cm x 7.5 cm), "Roe Deer" (8 cm x 9 cm), "Stork" (10 cm x 18 cm), "Lynx on the Hunt" (12 cm), "Sitting Fox" (11 cm)
N. Bobik
Bobik's animal figurines: "Hunting Ermine," "Alert Weasel" {14 cm x 6 cm)
V. Melnik
Melnik's animal figurines: "Rabbit,"
