Male Swans ??? Nah !!!

Val has received comment on her blog that I am passing on for discussion.

Subject: [New Zealand Pottery and Crown Lynn with Valerie ] New comment on Wonderful whiteware.

Noelene has left a new comment on your post "Wonderful whiteware":

No male swan. Both female - one is in the water and one is on the land hence the same numbers as they are the same swan in differing poses. I used to cut Sir Tom Clark's hair and we'd chat about when he used to work in the studio after it had shifted to New Lynn. I used to collect then and had several swans and he told me that - both ladies. So, I'm thinking he would know as it's his Dad that started the company.

Oh my goodness .... we need Heather's thoughts

I have often seen them referred to 'land' and 'swimming' swans, and as they both have the same number I guess that makes sense, but the land one is not as attractive, so I guess that goes against nature if we are to call it a male, as the male is usually the more attractive in the bird kingdom (well more colourful).

My two cents.

The ‘Male’ swan is referred to as such by collectors to differentiate between that and the other ‘female’ swan. This theory has referenced them being the same swan but in different poses, but to look at they are radically different and come from very different periods of Crown Lynn manufacture. It’s fair to say, and rightly so, they will still be referred to as a male or female swans amongst collectors for an eternity.

There are other examples of this in Crown Lynn, ‘Fat Bum’ cups are one example which comes to mind.