A rare and very lovely Charles Wileman Foley Intarsio Art Nouveau pedestal bowl c1905. The bowl is of shallow form with flared rim, raised on three scroll supports enclosing a central waisted column on a circular foot. Attractive stylised Art Nouveau design encircling the bowl and central pillar. Decorated to rim. CW Foley Intarsio mark used 1894 to 1910 and pattern number 3567. The bowl measures 17.5 cm in height and 20.5 cm diameter.
 
The origins of Shelley (Foley) pottery were in the district known as Foley in the potteries and goes back to pre-1829. By 1872 several changes in ownership resulted in the company being known as Wileman & Co but using Foley mark. The appointment of Frederick Rhead as Art Director in 1896 had a dramatic influence on the style and variety of earthenware products produced. This included the introduction of ‘Intarsio’ ware, which became one of their most popular ranges of art pottery produced by Wileman & Co – exhibited by Liberty’s, one of the main trend-setters of the time. Rhead left the company in 1905. In 1910 the trade name was changed to Shelley Potteries Ltd. and a new mark bearing the name ‘Shelley’ was introduced.