Description
This one is a REPLICA / FAKE (Made In China, estimate of age- c. 2010)
The purpose of this listing / post is make people aware that fakes exist, that they’re worth a LOT less than the originals from the 1950’s and 1960’s and that there have been MANY sales on ebay where sellers have been aware they had a FAKE and continued selling it as GENUINE (with a price tag to match the rarity and value of genuine ones.) Ebay take NO responsibility for their listings even if it’s pointed out to them that the listing is purposely misleading their buyers! Please BEWARE!
The photos of the girl with the yellow shade and bright yellow paint are photos of a FAKE, made in China c. 2010.
TOP 10 BEST WAYS OF RECOGNISING A FAKE (IN ORDER)
(After reading this list you’ll be 100% sure of whether you have a real one of these or a fake. Actually, you’ll be sure by the time you get to number 6! DON’T BE A SUCKER! DON’T BE THE ONE TO BUY A FAKE ON EBAY!)
- 1. The yellow paint used in the skirt was never used in the originals. That bright yellow colour was ONLY used on the FAKES!
- 2. The paint lines are clumsy and unsophisticated. The real ones have a series of PARALLEL (mainly) thinner lines painted in the skirt section. The FAKE ones are thicker lines and don’t extend for as long (and there are more of them).
- 3. The pointed toe in the FAKE ones is pointed outwards. The real ones, the toe points DOWN AND touches the ground. The toe in the FAKE ones does NOT the ground.
- 4. The pole in the top is very obviously FAKE (MODERN). The genuine ones have a completely different light fixture
- 5. The shade is too “perfect”. It is obviously not an original shade. The genuine shades (after 60 years are FADED in places, dirty in places, discoloured and just don’t look shiny and new (and will have a build-up of dust in the obvious places
- 6. The black finish is too shiny and new. With the genuine ones the black finish is over 60 years old and there will always be some losses. A scuff here or there, a small speck of paint missing, etc. With this fake one, the finish is close to perfect
- 7. There will be a dust build-up in crevices in the genuine ones. The fakes are newer and don’t show 60 years of dust and dirt build up in crevices
- 8. The hole in the base is LARGER in a FAKE one and there is NO SURROUND around the hole. The hole in the genuine ones is much tidier and better finished all round. (See the photos in the listing.)
- 9. The word Barsony USUALLY shows up in the underside on the genuine ones. For the FAKES (c. 2010) the word Barsony never appears
- 10. The original cords are very obviously different. The black cord and inline switch is c. 2010. An original one could have later had the electrics changed though- if the cord is black be very wary!
Value of a GENUINE FL-27 Black Lady Hawaiian Lamp = $880
Value of a NEW FL-27 Black Lady Hawaiian Lamp = maybe about $250. The vendor is now seriously considering keeping this one.
Provenance and Background Info about the piece on offer
Barsony Hawaiian Lady Lamp with yellow/black shade
Designer: George and Jean Barsony
Maker: FAKE Made in China c. 2010
Barsony Ceramics was operated by George and Jean Barsony in Australia from the 1950’s to 1970’s. George was a sculptor from Hungary who arrived in Australia as a refugee in 1949 and met his wife Jean, an English potter, working in a Sydney factory, shortly after. Together they set up Barsony ceramics in Guildford in Western Sydney and produced the iconic matt black ceramic ladies under the Barsony label, but also produced items under the Silver Cloud and Venice labels.
Barsony FL 27 Hawaiian Black Lady Lamp with yellow and black shade. This is one of George and Jean’s most recognisable figural lamp designs- complete with ashtray – a practical ruse to avoid the tax on decorative items in place at the time.
More information about Barsony Ceramics (Written in 2022)
Barsony ceramics is one of Australia’s most celebrated decorative arts companies to ever operate and the matt-black pieces in this style are the most collectable of their designs. Barsony Ceramics produced decorative ceramic wares in the 1950’s and 1960’s, operating in Sydney by George Barsony (1917-2010) and Jean Barsony from the early 1950’s to the early 1970’s. Ellis pottery is the only Australian pottery firm I can think of that is probably more celebrated- in my eyes Barsony comes in a close second. This piece is one of the most iconic Barsony ceramic designs I’ve come across for some years.
It is also clearly marked to the base which further adds to it’s collector appeal and value. FL in Barsony pieces stands for Figural Lamp. L is for Lamp, H for Head and F- Figurine.
Barsony products became so popular in the 1950’s and 60’s that the factory in Guildford, Western Sydney operated 24 hours a day to satisfy demand. Barsony ceramics became unfashionable in the late-70’s and 1980’s when Chinese-made items started to flood the Australian market. Most vintage pieces at this time were seen as being “daggy” and “for poor people”. Many people thought of items such as Barsony pieces as junk and threw them out. Numbers have diminished over the years. Around 2002, fashions changed and vintage pieces slowly started to become more sought-after. Kitsch items became cool in the early noughties- Barsony black lady lamps started to feature in the upmarket vintage shops in our Capital cities. At around 2003 black lady lamps in good condition were being sold for around $300. Since COVID all things vintage reached a height of popularity never before experienced. Today in 2022, vintage pieces made in Australia have become extremely sought after and hotly contested when they come onto the market. Barsony ceramics have become amongst the most highly-prized vintage decorative arts pieces in Australia. Good examples are now consistently fetching over $1200 each- I’ve seen many bid up in auction to over $1500 (written 2022).
I think the appeal is because of the seamless melding of retro kitsch with timeless elegance. Many are stylish, elegant pieces of design- the hand-painted decoration on the other hand is often the epitome of kitsch and retro. This contrast creates an intriguing look that draws you in. Well-placed, they work in any interior but in those cool retro spaces with vintage Kartell pieces, Guzzini lamps and the like, Barsony pieces meld in brilliantly.
I love the hand-painted detailing on the originals. Genuine Barsony pieces often stand apart because of the level of sophistication seen in the hand-painted decoration. It is said that Jean Barsony often sat at her kitchen table at night, surrounded by grandchildren, painting these pieces. The nostalgia this scene conjures up is heart-warming and it is my hope that visions like this will encourage more Australians today to try their hand at something creative. A resurgence in valuing locally-produced creative endeavours will surely bring about a positive effect in our communities.
George Barsony, a sculptor from Hungary arrived in Australia as a refugee after WWII. Soon after, George met his future wife Jean who had come to Australia from England and worked as a potter in Sydney. They established Barsony Ceramics together in 1950’s which operated in a factory in Guernsey Street, Guildford (Western Sydney) until the 1970’s.
Most Barsony products were marked, although there are some with no markings. As with anything that became popular, copies of Barsony items were made at the time. Many copies were unmarked however there was a range of similar items made by Kalmar which adopted a similar marking system to Barsony.
The most recognisable Barsony product are the “black lady” lamps, featuring a scantily dressed figure with highlights in red and other colours. Some lamps incorporated an ash tray as well. 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.
The story of Barsony ceramics is yet another of resilience and success that has coloured Australia’s rich history in the Arts. Australia’s indigenous artists are regarded as some of the best in the world. On top of this, many artists who fled Europe and settled in Australia as a result of political unrest / World War II, went on to become some of Australia’s most celebrated artists ever, including George Barsony. In my time setting up and running iNVISeDGE, I have read time and time again stories of refugees who set up industries in their garages in the 1950’s and went on to achieve success they could only dream of. Many of these people came to Australia with no physical assets and the trauma of having to flee home and venture into the unknown. We can all learn from their industriousness and resilience.
Barsony ceramic pieces are now one for the history books. These items, that have now inspired us for 70 years, have leapt in value in recent times and I see no reason why this trend won’t continue. After modern, mass-produced items are no longer in trend and end up landfill, vintage Barsony pieces will be passed on to yet another owner and then another new generation. These pieces are set to be passed on through the generations, gathering more stories as they go. Investing in vintage pieces is a great way to invest in your home, reduce landfill and support Australian small businesses of today.
2312
