Wally Bird
Illustration — Martin Brothers Wally Bird, 1896. A Wally Bird is a tobacco jar or vase in the style of a grotesque owl or bird, first termed for the sculptural productions in this form by Robert Wallace Martin. These were typical examples of Martinware — salt-glazed stoneware which was produced by the Martin Brothers in their pottery; first in Fulham and then in Southall.
Wally Bird
Creator:R. W. Martin and Brothers · This file was donated to Wikimedia Commons as part of a project by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. See the Image and Data Resources Open Access Policy · CC0
- Field
- vase · tobacco jar
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Illustration — Martin Brothers Wally Bird, 1896. A Wally Bird is a tobacco jar or vase in the style of a grotesque owl or bird, first termed for the sculptural productions in this form by Robert Wallace Martin. These were typical examples of Martinware — salt-glazed stoneware which was produced by the Martin Brothers in their pottery; first in Fulham and then in Southall.
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Overview
The Wally Birds were popular but did not make the Martins wealthy; the pottery closed in 1914. Kate Holterhoff considered that they were successful with consumers because of their anthropomorphic features and cited an example in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, "This bird's upright posture, leer, arched eyebrows, and impish smile psychologize its supreme and delightful acuity. It was returned to Ealing council on 2020 and 2021 and were returned to their rightful households. Examples of these birds now sell at auction for large sums of money.
Wally Bird is a vase or tobacco jar.
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Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Kate Holterhoff. Illustration in Fin-de-Siècle Transatlantic Romance Fiction. Taylor & Francis. 88. 2022. 9781000544657.
- 2.Metropolitacn Museum of Art. Jar in the form of a bird : 1888 : R. W. Martin and Brothers. 2013.239.5a, b. 2013.
- 3.Jonathan Oates. Southall and Hanwell. 67. 2003.
- 4.Fiona Gallagher. Christie's art nouveau. 2000.
- 5.Thorpe, Vanessa. Martin brothers' quirky bird jar expected to fetch up to £50,000 at auction. The Observer. 2019-11-10. 0029-7712.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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