Vintage Erwin Kalla for Hyalyn Porcelain Ashtray

Description

Kalla designed large Ceramic Stoneware ashtray for Hyalyn. Amazing huge porcelain space age ashtray from the 50's. This ashtray is … more Kalla designed large Ceramic Stoneware ashtray for Hyalyn. Amazing huge porcelain space age ashtray from the 50's. This ashtray is beyond rare and I haven't been able to find the same one. These were not mass produced and they're truly an art piece.

History:
Award-winning designer, Erwin Kalla (1924-2009) was a free-lance designer for Edwin M. Knowles during the fifties. Kalla, who studied under famed Swedish sculptor, Carl Miles and Eero Saarinen at the Cranbrook Academy, was propelled to design fame when he won first prize for his modern sterling silver coffee and tea service in the 1957 Sterling Today Holloware Design Competition.

Kalla felt that traditional dinnerware shapes were outmoded and that despite industry's attempts to produce better product, solutions were inadequate. He explained that we don't cook or serve food the same as in the past and that storage space during the 1950s had become limited.

When challenged that industry had responded to some of these problems with multi-purpose cookware and oven-to-table dinnerware, Kalla explained that cup handles are frequently inadequate and should permit a better grip. He felt that consumers had become accustomed to a certain size relationship between bowl and handle. It would be better if consumers would accept handles that were larger.
Edwin M. Knowles® is a registered trademark of the Edwin M. Knowles China Co.

Kalla stated that dinnerware decorations should flatter food and add to ware's aesthetic value. He suggested that more textured surfaces should be used on both earthenware and china. Decrying the sterile, all-white look, Kalla offered that dinnerware's form and decoration should be more light-hearted and playful.

Kalla felt that the designer has a responsibility to himself, the consumer, and the manufacturer, to push the design envelope within the limits of practicality. While designers often do try to introduce innovation, manufacturers often stand in the way of progress.

Kalla described Edwin M. Knowles China Company as a relatively small factory of only several hundred employees. It was, in fact, capable of providing advanced design that would appeal to a sector of the market.

Kalla Craft

Kalla Craft was designed by Erwin Kalla and introduced to the trade in 1958. This full-featured "hostess" group matched semi-vitreous china with walnut accessories. Kalla Craft was an interesting modern innovation demonstrated a simple geometry. All four canisters were frustrum-shaped-two upright and two inverted. Canisters A and C were topped with walnut lids on the wide base of the inverted, cut-off cone, while canisters B and D were lidded on the smaller diameter top. Cruets had a modified hourglass design and without their walnut stoppers, doubled as a pair of candleholders. The hourglass design was also shared by the wooden handle on the salt & pepper tray and the double server. The beverage server came with walnut trivet, the covered server with walnut warmer stand and candle, and the cheese and cracker set with a walnut tray.

Other interesting items in this line included a cup and buffet plate which comprised the snack set; two and three-tiered trays with walnut posts; a round ceramic cheese dish held in a rounded triangular walnut tray; ice lip pitcher; and a one-piece, boat-shaped bon bon and free form servers with handle hole.

Kalla Craft came in White, the contrast with walnut best displaying form; Silver Birch, brown-streaked wear that is only appealing with the walnut contrast; Weather Vane, a rooster on weather vane stylized decoration; and Delft, featuring geometric and stylized florals.

Kalla Craft's Delft decoration was later adopted into the Americana group, which featured wide-rimmed plates and a more traditional cup, saucer, cream and sugar-the Americana shape. The Americana line also borrowed the Kalla Craft-shaped coffee pot and salt and pepper shapes into the Americana group. It is unknown whether other Kalla Craft accessories were brought into the new line.

An interesting colorful geometric in Americana was called Fjord Yellow. It appears that some holloware in this line was solid-colored rather than decorated.

About Hyalyn-

The Hyalyn pottery was founded in Hickory, North Carolina, in 1947 by Leslie Moody (educated at Ohio State University in Columbus, then associated with Abingdon, San Jose Pottery, and Rookwood before starting his own company). Moody was general manager of Hyalyn Porcelain, Incorporated, until his death in 1973 (and president between 1965 and 1973). The name "Hyalyn" is Mrs. Frances Moody's spelling variation on the word "hyaline."

Hyalyn's first product line was made only about 2 years (in 1947-1948) and featured stylized underglaze freehand decorations. Until the mid 1970s,

Hyalyn pieces were high-fired with a white clay body. They often show the influence of Charles and Ray Eames and other designers of the Mid-Century Modern period. From the beginning, the company also made a complete line of decal-decorated products. Trademarks were periodically changed, and styles changed with the times. So these hints can be useful in dating many Hyalyn products.

Many of Hyalyn's most interesting dinnerware lines are illustrated in a highly recommended 2-volume book by Michael Pratt, called Mid-Century Modern Dinnerware: A Pictorial Guide, published by Schiffer in 2003. For Hyalyn, be sure to look for the one with the subtitle "Ak-Sar-Ben to Pope Gosser." Michael also has an interesting article about Hyalyn on his website. less