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08-029. David Gil
Covered casserole
Bennington Potters
USA, c. 1960
Glazed ceramic
Manufacturer's mark & facsimile signature
Lately I've been passing up more interesting items than I've been purchasing. Most of the things that fit in this category catch my eye as being "good design" but are damaged. This casserole fits that description perfectly.
This is one of the few Bennington Potter's pieces I've seen that actually includes David Gil's full signature in the mark. While not a hand signed studio piece, I see these items with the facsimile signature as belonging to a higher quality in some way or another than the cooperative designs being produced at Bennington at the same time.
This piece in particular reminds me of Ben Seibel's Raymor Modern Stoneware casserole forms, especially because of the protruding stick handle. Seibel's handles are attached to the base, however, while the handle of Gil's design is on the lid. The Seibel piece is particularly hefty, while Gil's is incredibly thin walled for stoneware. So thin, in fact, that the inevitable happened: it had been broken in several pieces that were subsequently glued back together. Unfortunately the repair was quite crude. Too bad, as if it were in better shape I probably would have bought it.
Left in situ on July 18, 2008 in Champaign, IL.
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