This big vase measures 13 1/4" high and about 10 1/4" in diameter at widest. Weighs 11 pounds.

The extremely heavily textured surface is glazed in off white and decorated with one large abstracted, op art design.

The interior of the top mirrors the dark brown.

The bottom inch is a light brown.

Base holds 3 original paper labels: (1) MADE IN ITALY   1976. (2) A MODERN in the TRADITION OF GOOD TASTE label with typed # 2222 and BIT (BITOSSI factory) in faded red ink. And (3) an important paper label with hand written: RAYMOR RICHARDS  45.95 (price).

Richards traveled constantly to his producers and made this pot while visiting Bitossi, one of his producers for Raymor.

Difficult to imagine a more important pot by Raymor than this magnificent art pottery piece by the hands of the man who created the company, RAYMOR   MODERN in the TRADITION of GOOD TASTE. 

According to an article written by Mark Hill:  Raymor | Irving Richards

Irving Richards (1907 - 2003) was born in New York and started a small rare book business at age 19. In 1930 he went to work traveling in Europe for Lightolier. In 1935 he met Russel Wright and incorporated with Wright to form Russel Wright Inc. This involved Richards with everything Wright produced with Richards until 1941 when Wright sold out to Richards and the company was renamed Raymor at that time. Wow, do American mid century design stories get more important that this? Irving Richards created the success of Russel Wright.

 Raymor was incorporated between 1941 and 1980 and in that time worked with many important designers including George Nelson, Donald Deskey, Gilbert Rhode, Walter Dorwin Teague, Ray and Charles Eames, Ben Seibel, Eva Zeisel, Hans Wegner and many other Scandinavian furniture designers.

Richards was integral in creating the  mid century modern movement.

 This big important pot has been well cared for and is in very, very good vintage condition. No negative condition issues and no repair.

Richards began creating more of his own art in the 1960s which was all sold after his death in 2003 but this example by him was made for and sold through his company, Raymor.

Please take a few minutes and read more about Raymor from the fascinating link above by Mark Hill, the British antique scholar and publisher. 

And..........it makes us feel good to buy something of beauty and value.