Frank Carpay...

The Artist....

Jim and Manos have told me that it was common for Carpay to sign only the main piece "Handwerk" if it was a set, ie coffee pot and mugs. You will see on the bottom of this mug the letters hand painted, these numbers represent the shape number of the mug, and it was Carpay's practice to paint these numbers on the base.

Any idea if those numbers on the bases relate to their shape numbers Heather?

Yes Ev, I believe they do.

Thought they might after seeing the catalogue and checking the shape gallery

I found this interesting "piece" in the collection at Te Papa

http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/objectdetails.aspx?oid=785183&page=4

I love that person. Is it a decanter? I have never seen one of those before?

Cam

I've enlarged the base of the mug above to see if the numbers are different to how I and Art & Object read them, which is 772 - 10.
What do you read them as?
There is a 772 Fruit Dish which fits better into the shapes surrounding it.

The mug isn't a 772 unless the number was reused, as I found a 772 in the Modellers notes refering to a cover for it with an outside fit - a lid.
Removing the mug from the Shapes Gallery now.