Very rare Art Deco geometric 'grotesque' face mask by Ron Birks, Newport Pottery, Burslem, England, late 1920s. There are only about 15 original grotesque mask known worldwide, and 8 of them are in one collection. A piece like this is highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts.
This mask is in immaculate condition, no chips, no restorations or damages.
Seen by the handpainted rust coloured signature on the back this piece has to be one of the earliest of the series grotesque face masks designed by Ron Birks. Ron Birks was apprenticed at the Newport Pottery factory by the world famous Clarice Cliff, who is well known for her vividly coloured Art Deco hand painted patterns. As she was not yet included in the signature, this can only be one the first ones ever manufactured by Ron Birks. In the following years, all documented masks wore the signature and paint designs by Clarice Cliff. Ron Birks received a small royalty for every mask sold.
Ron Birks was the son of Lawerence Birks, who worked at Minton with Louis Marc Solon. He worked briefly at his fathers factory before moving to Wilkininson where he studied modelling and hand painting as an apprentice under Clarice Cliff.
These masks went unrecorded until the 1980's when they were announced as an official design in the Clarice Cliff Collector's Club review and newsletter 'The Bizarre Affair.'
Since then a few masks have come to be known some of which have come on to the market in a variety patterns. It is believed that they were in production from around 1929 to at least 1936.
Ron Birks is said to have found inspiration for the design in the work of the Dutch Hieronymous Bosch (1450-1516), who's paintings were often filled with strangely animated objects, bizarre plants and animals, and monstrous, amusing, or diabolical figures. Also a precursor of cartoon/comic drawing. Which one could say for the design of this grotesque mask as well
