with Van Briggle, there is no such thing as the "usual marks"
We need pics!
And....what else did you buy???

Here is a link that might be useful: van briggle

Hey Linda,

Well, what I meant by that was a version of the logo and the handwritten "Van Briggle Colo Spgs Colo" that indicate date etc. The MLP supposedly indicates Marge Pope, but the piece is in matte white, so it's before 1968 when she supposedly started using gloss black.

I also bought two weed pots (handthrown, with a chop mark that's there but not as yet identifiable, with exceedingly tiny openings and subtle glazes, but they're not Toshiko Takaezu...need to find out who they are), another really cool signed small pot, haven't traced the sig yet...

I'll take pics and try to post them, but I had loads of trouble just posting the one pic on the baths forum of my bathroom mosaic WIP. It took this old dog a long time to blunder my way through to actually posting something. Maybe tonight I'll try again :) Do you have a Van Briggle book? I've looked everywhere online and can't find a ref to a unicorn -- it's much more detailed than the other animals I've seen, btw.

I've found some stallions now, on eBay and elsewhere...the basic pose is like this but instead of the wavecrest underneath it, it's flowers, and the unicorn has a horn (duh :))and a garland of large flower petals around its neck. I *still* am waiting for enough time to photograph this dear thing, but in the meantime, here's a regular old stallion to compare with :)

Here is a link that might be useful: the color is the same, it's just a unicorn with flowers instead

I have the Collector's Encyclopedia of Van Briggle Art Pottery that was published in 1993 and updated in 1995. It has many pictures but after checking through twice, I found no unicorns but I did see the stallion that you've linked. If I were to guess, I would think that your unicorn would have been made in the late 1980's or later. I'd base that guess primarily on the glaze color (if your glaze color closely resembles the stallion's).

For a little further info on the white colored glazes. "Moonglow" was introduced in 1946. "Moonglow" was altered in 1979 to a whiter shade and was still being produced when the book was published. There were two variations, "Moonglow Mist" (1987-1988) which was a white glaze with blue shading and "Iceberg" (1983-1988) that had a similar color format.

Have you considered Photobucket for your pics? I've found it to be very user friendly and I'm technically challenged. :-) I'd particularly like to see pics of the bottom of your unicorn.

Thank you, lk! I have my eye on that book and just want to get it at a probably unrealistically low price :)

It's not the online issue with the pics, it's getting them uploaded at all on this new computer. But it's raining cats and dogs today, so I'll probably have some inside time (I was out gardening all day yesterday, literally) to figure this out.

I'll post pics of the bottom too. I really appreciate your help. Is there something specific you're looking for? When did MLP (Marge Pope) work? Is she still working?

flyleft, You're very welcome.

The bottom in several ways will have more clues. For instance: the color, placement & shape of the markings and initials, or glaze. I find no mention of Marge Pope "MLP" in the book so I can't help you with that but then again, I was skimming since I'm short of time today. One thing that you mentioned in your original post that confuses me is "hand decorated". What do you mean by that? Of course, if you get a pic up, that might answer my question.

I'm trying, lk, trying :)

I found the MLP diagonally written in the top right to denote "Marge Pope", on an online VB marks site. Underneath that is written "hand decorated", which I don't find anywhere online.

fly - don't know a thing about your Van Briggle unicorn. OT - As for posting pics, someone on Dec. Forum posted about using something called Tinypic.com. No signing up, just upload and post. I hated my photobucket as it became hard to keep photos I didn't want to share private. Couldn't figure that one out so I started to use tinypic. Worked like a charm. HTH

Argh, *finally* had the time to begin to figure out this new photo program. Here's a link to my flickr file with pics of the dear thing :)

Here is a link that might be useful: side and bottom pics

Anyone feel like taking a look? Pretty please?

I'm looking....but don't have anything concrete to say....
I think it's one of the newer glazes. It hi9nk there aren't too many people buying matte glaze pots so they went to white unicorns and horses and the like.
All I know is older type Van Briggle....and I never say animals in the old ware.

Thanks, Linda. Wish I had some older type Van Briggle to show you :) but I appreciate your input, even if it is to say that you don't have any input. I do wish the Van Briggle folks would reply to my question. I'll try it again today.