Barsony Lamps

Barsony Ceramics, synonymous with the production of matt black coloured ceramics from the 1950s and 1960s, was an Australian ceramics manufacturing company operated by George Barsony (1917-2010) and his wife Jean Barsony, from the early 1950s to the early 1970s out of Sydney.
 

George Barsony, a sculptor from Hungary had arrived in Australia as a refugee in 1949 and shortly after, met his future wife Jean who had come to Australia from England and worked in a Sydney pottery. Together they set up Barsony Ceramics, and the company's operations were conducted from a factory in Guernsey Street, Guildford in Western Sydney from the 1950s to 1970s. As well as manufacturing under the Barsony name, Barsony Ceramics also produced items under the Silver Cloud and Venice labels, but items under these labels very rarely come onto the market.

Decorative items produced by Barsony included candlesticks, figurines, lamp bases, ashtrays, wall hangings, bookends, figure vases, bowls, lustre ware, etc.

Most Barsony products were marked, although there are some that have no markings. As well there are copies of Barsony products that are unmarked, and a range of similar items were made by Kalmar. Genuine Barsony can be identified by the numbering system on the base of the item: 'H' indicated head, 'V' indicated vase', and 'L' indicated 'lamp'. Thus 'FL' indicated a figural lamp and 'HL' indicated a head lamp. These letters are followed by the model or mould number. Many of the lamps and figures are named models, such as 'Drumbeat of Trinidad' (FL-41), 'Beauty of the Beach' (F-19) and 'Sitting Black Lady' (FL39). Kalmar items had a similar marking system and it is often difficult to distinguish between the two manufacturers. Some say that Kalmar figures tend to have the eyes outlined in white but in truth many Barsony figures also have this feature so it is not a failsafe method of identification. I believe Barsony also onsold items to studios for them to mount and put their own labels on. I own such a lamp, I have the Barsony version, which is signed and labelled and also another version mounted on a wooden base with a different studio name attached. 

The most recognisable Barsony products are the "black lady" lamps, featuring scantily dressed figures with red and white highlights, and collectors are able to distinguish between original shades that came with the lamp, and later replacements. The price of a lamp will be boosted if it has the original shade which, often were of plastic ribbon and raffia trimmed with thin velvet ribbon. Some of the lamp bases even had built in ash trays but the inclusion of the ashtray was a monetary not a design consideration. At that time a high sales tax was levied on ornamental items, while utilitarian items such as cups, plates and ashtrays attracted a reduced sales tax. Barsony lamps and figurines are distinguished from other similar products produced in the UK, Australia, Germany and the USA, by their superior modelling and elegance. They are truly beautiful timeless pieces.

​

The German company Cortendorf also produced items that were copies of Barsony pieces or perhaps it was the other way around! A piece in question is the ponytail girl wall plaque. The Barsony version has a white with red or red with white head band. The Cortendorf version which is bigger has the typical blue headband shown on many of their wall plaques.

​

There is a world of difference between the earliest Barsony lamps, the first of which is quite primitive with mis-proportioned limbs and crude facial features and hair and the later ones produced in the 70's that are quite abstract in nature. I even have a leopard print 50's triangular shaped plate that is signed Barsony on the base. I'm not sure that it is even a genuine Barsony piece but it is very cool nevertheless!

​

Left picture shows Cortendorf ponytail girl

wall plaque and right picture shows Barsony

ponytail girl wall plaque. Which came first?  

​

​

​

​

​