FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS A VERY HANDSOME MUSEM LEVEL VASE BY F. CARLTON BALL(1911 - 1992) WITH SGRAFFITO CARVED LINES IN THE DESIGN MOTIF BY NOTED ARTIST AARON BOHROD (1907 - 1992).  THE DESIGN MOTIF CONSISTS OF 14 FISH, ORIENTED VERTICALLY, NOSE TO TAIL.  EACH FISH HAS A DIFFERENT PATTERN TO SCALES AND TREATMENT OF THE EYES. ONE SEEMES TO POSESS A HEART!  VERY INDICATIVE OF MR. BOHROD'S HUMOR!!   THIS IS A VERY LARGE VASE AT 11 1/2 INCHES TALL BY 9 5/8 INCHES IN DIAMETER AND WEIGHS A SUBSTANTIAL 10 LBS 3 OZ. THIS VERY HEAVY WEIGHT IS INDICATIVE OF THE PERIOD IT WAS MADE (MID 50'S).  THE COLORS CONSIST OF THE FISH BEING LIGHT BLUE AND WHITE WITH BROWN SGRAFFITO LINES BY BOHROD AND ARE QUITE DRAMATIC.  THE UPPER RIM HAS A BROWN 1 INCH WIDE BAND WHILE THE AREA AT THE BOTTOM IS COMPOSED OF 3 INCREASINGLY WIDE RIBS FOLLOWED BY 3 RIBS THAT DECREASE IN DIAMETER DOWN TO THE FOOT AND ARE ALSO BROWN.  THIS PROVIDES A VERY NICE DETAIL AS IT RESTS ON A SURFACE. 

  

THIS PIECE IS UNSIGNED BUT I HAVE INCLUDED A BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO (PHOTOS #2 AND #3) OF THE SAME VASE FROM 'CRAFT HORIZONS' NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 1955. THERE IS AN ARTICLE ON BALL AND BOHROD AND THEIR COLLABORATION STARTING ON PAGE 12 WITH THIS VASE APPEARING ON PAGE 17.  IT IS IN THE SAME POSITION AS MY PHOTO #1.  EACH FISH HAS A DISTINCTIVE PATTERN AND THEY MATCH PERFECTLY.  I THINK THIS IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO INDICATE IT IS BY BALL AND BOHROD WITHOUT QUESTION.  I DO NOT HAVE DOCUMENTATION BUT THIS VASE IS REPORTED TO BE FROM THE ESTATE OF A FRIEND OF BOHROD'S.  I WILL INCLUDE A HARDBOUND COPY OF 'A SKETCHBOOK' BY BOHROD ILLUSTRATING  HIS MANY POTTERY DESIGNS.  I HAVE INCLUDED ADDITIONAL PHOTOS OF THREE MORE BALL /BOHROD COLLABORATIVE PIECES I HAVE LISTED.    (B - 87)