FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS A VERY HANDSOME GLOSSY GLAZED VASE WITH UNDERGLAZE OXIDE PENCIL DRAWING BY F. CARLTON BALL (1911 - 1992) AND HIS SECOND WIFE KATHRYN UHL BALL IN A INTERESTING COLLABORATION DEPICTING HUMAN TORSOS, BOTH MALE AND FEMALE, WHOSE BODIES REPRESENT TREE TRUNKS.  THEIR ARMS EVOLVE INTO BRANCHES AND THEIR LEGS INTO ROOTS.  QUITE IMAGINATIVE AND STRIKING.  IT IS UNSIGNED BUT VERY CHARACTERISTIC OF F. C. BALL'S WORK.  I HAVE FOUND THAT ABOUT 10% OF HIS WORK IS UNSIGNED AND QUITE A FEW OTHERS ARE SIGNED AFTER THE FIRING HAS BEEN COMPLETED IN PEN, PENCIL OR SOMETHING ELSE.   MY FEELING IS THAT MR. BALL THREW THE VESSEL AND ALSO GLAZED AND FIRED IT.  I WOULD SURMISE THAT KATHRYN UHL BALL PROBABLY DREW THE MAIN CHARACTERS AND MR. BALL COMPLETED THE LIMBS AND ROOTS.  BALL WAS ONE OF THE GREAT POWERHOUSES OF 20TH CENTURY POTTERY.  HE WORKED WITH MANY OTHER FAMOUS POTTERS FROM THIS PERIOD.  ONE EXAMPLE IS THAT HE ASSISTED MARGUERITE WILDENHAIN IN ESTABLISHING HER SCHOOL OF CERAMIC DESIGN, POND FARM, IN GUERNEVILLE, CALIFORNIA .  HE IS REPRESENTED IN MANY MUSEUMS INCLUDING THE SMITHSONIAN AND THE AMERICAN CRAFT MUSEUM.   THIS VASE HAS A DIAMETER OF 8 INCHES BY 12 1/2 INCHES  HIGH AND MAKES A STRONG IMPRESSION.   (I HAVE INCLUDED SOME ADDITIONAL PHOTOS OF OTHER WORK I HAVE LISTED.)    (C - 980)