Pottery-Shopping With a Rooster
Most of my Joburg-themed posts are about eating, hiking, and sight-seeing (with some news and sports mixed in). Those are the topics that fit within my comfort zone.
But with the exception of some posts about African folk art and groceries, I’ve written almost nothing about shopping. There are a few reasons why: 1) I’m not a good shopper; 2) Joe, my tour guide and chauffeur, hates shopping; 3) I don’t really want to accumulate stuff; and 4) I’m broke.
Yesterday I spent the afternoon with a new friend who is great at shopping. I’m not sure if she wants to be mentioned or not so she’ll remain nameless for now. But she knows the best places to shop and makes shopping fun.
Liebermann Pottery was one of our stops. Liebermann’s is a pottery wonderland – a massive warehouse built on the site of an old gas works, stacked floor to ceiling with handmade tableware and garden pots.
Liebermann Pottery was founded by Sammy Liebermann in 1952, but is now run by Sammy’s nephew, Adriaan Turgel (a.k.a. the Pottery Detective). When he’s not in Joburg, Adriaan is traveling around the Far East looking for unique pottery to sell at Liebermann’s. But most of Liebermann’s pottery is made in South Africa and shockingly affordable considering how cool it is.
I hadn’t planned to purchase anything on this shopping trip. But Joe and I own only four bowls, which can be inconvenient in a house with no dishwasher. I purchased two pasta bowls for R70 ($10) each. My friend bought some delicate white espresso cups and a striking blue-back serving platter.
Bags in hand, we wandered into the yard to look at the outdoor stuff. We soon realized weren’t the only ones browsing the planters and flower pots.
I used to buy a lot more stuff back when I was a DC suburbanite. Now that I don’t have much money to spend and don’t shop as often, I think I get a lot more enjoyment out of the things I do buy.
Liebermann Pottery is in Aukland Park, just a couple of miles from Melville. If you’re in Joburg and in need of dishes or garden pots, I can’t see a reason to go anywhere else.
More shopping posts to come.
Great catchy title! lol ! I’m not much of a shopper either, except when it comes to handmade pieces and then I get tempted. I mourn the passing of the Arts and Crafts movement….. Beautiful form on the bowl and nice glaze.
Now the rooster…..! He seems to be protecting those orange ‘hens’ and looks a little the worse for wear for his troubles…..poor thing…..congrats on your courage in getting this ‘wildlife’ shot:-)))
Yeah, I wasn’t sure if he was some kind of special rooster that’s bred to have a featherless neck, or if he just lost his feathers. Probably the latter I guess. He didn’t seem bothered by the condition though.
Yep! sure not something you would see walking around a pottery place in the suburbs of DC huh? (I used to live in Arlington when I was a kid) That is one ugly rooster! My wife would go nuts in that place…..our house would quickly be overflowing with pottery. :)
Cool, where in Arlington did you live? I don’t know how that rooster got into the middle of Joburg either. But hey, TIA (this is Africa).
I love pottery of all shapes and uses. Those are great looking and the quality show. The rooster look like he escaped some tight situations in the past. Can definitively and truly be called a genuine redneck :)
That’s so true!
I love that pic of the Rooster!!!!
What a weird bird.
Yep. He’s perfect for this city.
Okay, now I know where you’re taking my on my next visit. I’ve loved pottery since my time in Japan, and I love that bowl you bought. That rooster is definitely a special breed - he looks like a strung-out rock star…
Oh man, you’ll go crazy in this place.
The rooster is what Afrikaners call a “Kaalnek”. It’s a great breed that are good layers and good meat ( and fewer feathers to pluck) They are called Turkens (nickname) in the US but the breed is called something like Transylvanian bare neck. These are the chickens I want to get :)
Oh! I’m so glad to know that he is actually designed to be that way. Thanks for the info.