--Auction Details - #01

--Auction Details - #02

--Auction Details - #03

---We have a copy of this book and click on the picture for the details
and the following information on the backstamp is from Page 169

--Information on the Egg Cups #01--

An email from Sharon to Derek Eagles on Wednesday 16th July 2008
Hi Derek
Please find attached a picture of a set of six Wembley Ware egg cups that I recently purchased
As you can see, this set has six different colours
In my Paul Bisby Wembley Ware Price Guide there is a set that appears to have a mauve egg cup
There is no mauve in my set!!
I now have the opportunity to purchase a deep burgundy colour egg cup as well (refer to "Other Auctions #01" below)
My six colours plus the mauve and the burgundy - eight colours so far!!
So my questions are:-
#1 - does anyone know how many different colour egg cups were made?, and
#2 - were they only sold as sets or were individual cups also available?
Hope someone out there in 'Wembley Land' can help me!
Thanks, Sharon

...... and the reply
Hi Sharon
The Wembley Ware egg cups were sold in boxes of six but also individualy
The boxed sets were different colours therefore making it easy to replace a broken one because you could replace it with any colour
As for how many colours, I dont think that is known for sure
But I guess there would be twelve or more
And then there is also the two colour cups and also the ones with transfers
The different colours are known as 'harlequin'
Wembley was produced after the war using bright colours to brighten up the homes
As well as being very cheerful, it was relatively cheap
Sales tax on knick knacks, ornaments, etc, was higher than sales tax on items used in the home
So Wembley combined ornaments and ashtrays into one item so attracting the lower sales tax
Hope that helps, Derek

--Information on the Egg Cups #02--

An email from Geoff to Derek Eagles on Wednesday 30th July 2008
Hi Derek, and it's us from Cairns again!!
And also again, we are writing about Wembley Ware Egg Cups
In her previous note to you, my Wife Sharon mentions that a Burgundy colour had been listed on Ebay
We gave it a go, but were outbid ... it sold for $24.00 and our maximum bid was $23.50 ... can't win 'em all!! (refer to "Other Auctions #01" below)
Another different has now been listed ... and click here for the auction details (refer to "Other Auctions #03" below)
In your answer to Sharon, you mention "ones with transfers" ... would this be one of that type, do you think??
Or would it be "handpainted" as the seller describes??
It looks nice and it looks right
... but we just don't know if it is "dinky-di" and a genuine Wembley Ware piece ... it could have been painted by anybody!!
We are not asking you to certify that it's the real thing and are not trying or wanting to put you on a spot
Any decision to bid on and/or buy it will be ours and ours alone
We are just after the advice of whether Wembley did make this type of cup
By the way, Sharon has been slowly building up a Swan Toothpick Holder Collection
She now has five different colours of this Wembley item, and it's one she likes a lot!!
She will be adding to this total as different colours are advertised
Appreciate your time, and thanks again for you replies and advice in the past
Regards, Geoff

...... and the reply
Hi Sharon and Geoff - it's me, Lee, this time
I have just read your first email on Wednesday 16th July and see you don't have a mauve egg cup
We have a spare mauve/greyish one that I will pop in the post for you if you would kindly send your address
Love the sound of your different coloured little swans
We have been collecting for about four years now and and only have white, gold, pink, black and a very pale blue and green that you can hardly see the colour!!
Also, there are two sizes in the egg cups - it's only a slight difference so don't know whether it was intentional or just slightly different moulds
The transfers were applied to the item and then sometimes had hand painting done to compliment the design or just simply hand painted with brush and china painting paints
Most of the souvenier shops in Perth had hand painted items depicting Western Australia flora and fauna for sale and I would say a lot of egg cups were done as they were small and inexpensive gift to take back to a loved one for a pressie
Keep on collecting
Kind thoughts, Lee
PS - sorry, didn't answer your question - it is a hand painted one
Whether or not in the factory or privately we wouldn't know for sure
A lot of the hand painted pieces, like coffee sets, had the Wembley imprint on the base with 'hand painted' around the logo, but that is not to say that the factory painters did not do other cheaper pieces in the factory
#
Gosh, it's me again
Did you know that there are two different little swans
One has a tail that is shaped like a cigarette holder and the other little tail just pokes out
Kind thoughts again, Lee

An email from Sharon
Hi Lee
Thank you so much for the offer of the mauve egg cup - that is so kind of you!!
I have a spare yellow, green, tan and black eggcup - all in very good condition
I also have a pale blue one with a faint hairline crack in it
Can I send you one of these in exchange?
Our postal address is: PO Box 62 Trinity Beach Qld 4879
I have the same small swans as you! - and I also have a lovely lustreware yellow one
They all sit together on my beautiful red cedar colonial desk which has two small drawers that sit on top of the desk at each end
If I see one I don't have I might be able to squeeze one more on there!!
I knew about the difference in the swans
I prefer the little toothpick holders
And Geoff is a smoker and might mistake the other kind for an ashtray and I wouldn't like that!!
Thanks for taking the time to send us all the info on the painted egg cups - we really appreciate it
We are not experts and if we buy on Ebay it sometimes hard to know what is real and what is not quite right!!
We will keep an eye on the auction and see what happens
Regards, Sharon

...... and the reply
Hi Sharon
Your display of swans sounds lovely
Is your desk on your web site? - if so I will have a little peek
I will post off your egg cup this afternoon
And!!!!! ... thank you for your kind offer but we do have those colours
Please accept this one as a pressie from the West where they were made
Kind thoughts to you and yours, Lee

Another note from Sharon
Hi Lee
Attached are some pictures of my Swan Collection..........(and click here to see Sharon's Swan Collection)
And click here to see my desk and chair
Once again, thank you for the egg cup - I will gladly accept it!
My sister lives in Western Australia and I have spoken to her about Wembley Ware
I told her she had to keep an eye out for me - but she prefers looking around craft shops!!
Sharon

...... and the reply
Hi Sharon
My apologies for not letting you know sooner that I had received your pictures
We have just waved goodbye to our guests who have been staying for a few days and I haven't had the chance to sit down and write
Now my comments ...
----------WOW !!
----------JUST BEAUTIFUL !!
Your desk is lovely and the swan collection look so nice grouped together
I go to your web site and have a peek every now and then ...... you have such a lot of goodies to 'ohh and ahh' over
I am now going into collecting "Point of Sale Signs" and Derek has painted a small book case for me to put them into
We are enclosing our front porch at the moment and just waiting for the glass doors to be installed
Then I can start putting the furniture and mirrors etc up and around
I love having nice things displayed around our home - I derive so much pleaure from looking at them
Just the dusting here is a bit of a chore as we are in the wheatbelt!!
Kind thoughts to you and yours and hope to hear from you again, Lee

Another note from Sharon
Hi Lee
The egg cup arrived safe and sound
It is a pretty colour, the mauve ... and my little collection is looking good!!
Thanks, Sharon

...... and the reply
Hi Sharon
Pleased it arrived safely and that you like it
Hope you are having a nice weekend
Our weather here has been beautiful today ... too good to be inside watching the Olympics
We are having a glass door fitted to the porch tomorrw so I am looking forward to that as it gives me another room to fill!!
Kind thoughts, Lee

Other------Auctions for this set of Egg Cups

This egg cup was made in Australia by Wembley Ware - it is in a burgundy coloured glaze - it measures 5cm high and is 4.5cm across the top - the base has an impressed Wembley mark and it also has it's original sticker - the cup's condition is great and there are no chips, cracks or crazing - July 2008 Final selling price - $24.00 NOTE - after buying the two sets detailed above, Sharon now has six different coloured cups and this one would have given her seven colours - she placed a bid, with a maximum of $23.50 which is well over the recommended retail price as suggested in the Price Guide - but she was outbid!!

On offer is this beautiful Wembley Ware handpainted egg cup - decorated with Western Australia wildflowers and these handpainted flowers are vibrant and unworn and there is 'WA' painted at the base of the flowers - the cup is in excellent condition with no hairlines, chips or crazing - there is one small area at the base where the pink glaze does not cover but this is a manufacturing error and does not detract - it stands 4.5cm high and has a top diameter of 4.7cm - the base is impressed with Wembley and another word below I cannot distinguish - this would be a lovely addition to any Wembley or Australian pottery collection - August 2008 Final selling price - $25.00 NOTE - refer to the notes above listed under "Information #02"

This lot is for a blue Wembley Ware egg cup - it has no damage - the cup is clearly marked Wembley Ware with a stamped trademark - it is 4cm high and 4.5cm in diameter at the top - August 2008 Final selling price - $8.50

This lot is for a brown/apricot Wembley Ware egg cup - it has a very small hairline crack to the side - the cup is clearly marked Wembley Ware with an embossed trademark - it is 4cm high and 4.5cm in diameter at the top - August 2008 Final selling price - $2.25 Damaged - hairline crack

This lot is for a green Wembley Ware egg cup - it has no damage - the cup is not marked but is the same as the two other marked egg cups I am listing at the moment (see above two auctions) - it is 4cm high and 4.5cm in diameter at the top - August 2008 Final selling price - $7.50 Unmarked

Wembley Ware egg cup - in good condition - it has Wembley impressed underneath - the cup's height is 5cm and it is 4.9cm in diameter - August 2008 There were no bids @ $19.99 This item was relisted during October 2008 There were no bids @ $19.99

Wembley Ware egg cup - in good condition - it has Wembley impressed underneath - the cup's height is 5cm and it is 4.9cm in diameter - August 2008 There were no bids @ $19.99 This item was relisted during October 2008 There were no bids @ $19.99

Retro vintage Wembley vitrified egg cup - in a peachy shade - measures 4.6cm high - impressed underneath - this item is in perfect condition - November 2008 There were no bids @ $4.99 This item was relisted during January 2009 Final selling price - $5.50

Wembley Ware black egg cup - up for auction I have this georgeous piece - it is an egg cup which is in really good condition and has the makers mark label on the front - this is dated 1940's to early 50's - it looks stunning on display and is a black glossy colour - a great addition to your Wembley collection - the label is very clear and in good condition - December 2008 Final selling price - $15.50

Three old Wembley Ware egg cups - Australian pottery - they measure 2 inches tall - there are no chips or cracks and all are in very good condition for their age - December 2008 Final selling price - $36.00 NOTE - Sharon does not have a cup in the maroon colour as shown on the left of the photo - the colour looks to be the same as the one shown in Auction #01 above - I was going to bid and increase her collection to nine colours ... but ... had already spent too much money over the Christmas period - plus, another single cup will come up for auction one day - hopefully!!