Featured A Superb Stoneware Cylinder ... but what does the signature say?

Ah here we are ...









I bought this in a French charity shop. At first I thought it was unsigned - until something caught my eye. If I get the light on the appropriate area I get a signature (which has been totally immersed in a lovely rich glaze!).

So, it is possibly French (Jean Pointu did similar glaze work - but this is newer (He died in 1943 I think). It is very well made.

As for the signature - I posted it on the French pottery forum but drew a blank - someone thought it might say "Rimini" but I don't think so. It is possibly R then maybe A followed by a straight line with a couple of tiny bend in it - finally I think there might be a Y at the end.

Of course, all the above is total speculation!! So, one of you may just recognise the style of work.

Thank you for reading this discourse ... don't mark it too low! Look forward to your answers flooding in!!

 

This is what I see:



The "i" at the end may just be an illusion

 

Maybe Rastafari?

 

All kidding aside, I think you would have a better chance of identifying the pot, or at least narrowing it down to country of origin/area by looking at the unglazed body at the foot.

This is not a type that I have seen - or at least a colour of fired grog that I am familiar with. Find another piece of known origin with that same clay and at least you'll be in the ballpark.
It doesn't look Dutch or Scandinavian to me and I haven't seen too much from French studio potters that go in for this type of work - but going on the idea that the piece is but a few years old (newish) ..anything is possible.
Good luck.

 

Thanks for the responses. Sabre123 - I like your approach - I might set up a stylus and do the same thing, because, although the signature photo does not show it, there are other lines that are impossible to photograph. Stay tuned and I'll try drawing what I perceive ...

Blooey - an interesting slant on identifying pots - unfortunately for me I do not know the technical side of this, such as what type of clay is used or what process has it gone through to get here. I can tell earthenware from stoneware, but I only found out two days ago that the Chinese teapot I have is made from zisha mud from Yixing! However, I will endeavour to learn to recognise things like grogged clay from a particular potter, or sigillata from a specific region ... just give me a few moments ... and lots of freshly ground Columbian ... mmm - where's that grinder?

 

Now I'm getting excited! I have been giving this the talc treatment and I can definitely see two words - I take it that they are 'first name' and 'second name'. The first is a cap R then a squiggle (which includes something like 'ph') followed by a line. The Second is a cap E then line then maybe a small 'i' then I'm sure it ends with a small 'y'. I'm going to use a dipping pen loaded with white and see if I can write what I cannot photograph ... à demain!

 

For what its worth - here is my rendition of the marks in and around the signature ... be warned, some of the marks may not be part of the signature! So ... here it is ... clear as mud ...

I definitely think this is R then E half way along ... possibly the initial of said potter!