Featured Vintage Hippo?

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas about my hippo. I purchased him from a junk shop. Is he vintage? The glaze has irregularities but no damage. There is a "1" engraved on the bottom and some drawn on number. He's is a large 16" long and clearly quite chubby!

 

Que muy precioso, Snowgirl... I have no other knowledge other than to encourage you to await the wisdom of the many ceramics brainiacs here.
Hola, and welcome to the Forums!

 

So cute! I love him!

 

Hi,
What a wonderful find. I would have bought him in a minute. He also looks like a fat Angora cat with mumps.
greg

 

Back in the 1970s, I believe, you could go to a certain type of craft store, pick out a pre-formed pottery shape, paint and decorate it yourself and then have the store fire it in their kiln. Instant work of art! It was fun and popular for awhile as passing fads are. That's what I think your hippo might be.

 

Welcome!

 

I was going to guess it's a craft piece, too. It wasn't just the 70s. There was one in the next town over until just a few years ago.

 

Here's my only hippo which was brought back home during WWII. I was told this at the estate sale where there were others and the desire to start a hippo collection right then and there not having any teeth ...I didn't buy them all.
She/he's suffered over time but had to buy it because that is where Mom's side is from.
~
Hippos...... Naples...... Makes sense to me?
~

 

I think there's one around here somewhere and I just saw one in Virginia in the DC area.

 

And for the next 40 years. Not as popular as it once was but there are still a few paint and bake shops around.

 

The pottery Christmas Trees are sooo popular here. They are the ones with the little holes in them where you place plastic "lights" and they have a light bulb in the base that shows off the lights. Many of those were made in the paint and bake shops.

 

Something about the glaze especially around the eyes reminds me of some very modern Asian pieces. (but I could be completely wrong)

 

Doesn't everyone go to Naples to visit the hippos?

 

Okay, sometimes I have to ask for extra help... Naples, FLA, or Naples Italy???
And whyyyyyy, please?????

 

Hi Gila,
Brenda has made a funny statement not one of fact.
greg

 

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... okay...... and the Naples Hippo above.
I getcha! Thanks.

 

That's just hippostourus!

 

Just watched WizardOfOz last night...

Tin Man - Would you be afraid of a Hippopotamus?
Cowardly Lion - Why, I'd whip him from top to bottomus!

 

And I'm sure lions go nowhere near hippos so that will work out just fine.