b'68Pottery326NELSON ILLINGWORTH VULCANA antique Australian fired plaster life-sized bust,incised Vulcana and Nelson Illingwoth, 1904.,57cm highVULCANA ne MIRIAM KATE WILLIAMS (1874-1946), a Welsh strongwoman and body builder, first appeared on stage with William Hedley Roberts in London in 1892, billed as Atlas and Vulcana. They had six children but represented themselves as brother and sister (Roberts was married). The couple were contracted in 1903 by Harry Rickards to tour the Australian Tivoli Theatre circuit following his recent successful sponsorship of the Australian tour of German strongman Eugen Sandow. Rickards publicised the duo as Madane Vulcana, a female327Sandow and Atlas, an athlete. The act opened in Melbourne in late 1903 and then moved to Sydney. Vulcana inspired the name of the current Brisbane-based Vulcana Womens Circus. 327Mr Nelson Illingworth, the well-known Sydney sculptor,EDITH STERLING LEVIS (Sydney) two handled blue glazed has just completed in clay a portrait bust of Vulcana, the ladypottery vase with koala decoration,whose feats of strength at the Tivoli a few months ago excitedsigned to base Sterling Levis with remains of early paper the wonder of all who witnessed them . The work wasexhibition label,executed to Vulcanas commission, and will, when put into7cm high, 17cm widemarble, find its way to the London Pavilion . The bust is to be seen at the sculptors studio, 482 George-street, opposite thePROVENANCEQueen Victoria Markets. [Evening News, 22 June 1904]. Bargain Hunt Auctions, Thornleigh, 23rd October, 2017$400600EDITH STERLING LEVIS ne Edith Frances Sunderland Carr-Boyd (1881-1971), potter, painter, metalworker, playwright, poet, radio presenter, and amateur musician, was born at Glen Innis, N.S.W. She and her husband Dr. James Miles Sterling Levis, lived in Sydney at Cuan Dair, Parsley Rd, Vaucluse, where Edith had a studio with a kiln. In December 1925 Sterling Levis, with Ada Carlill and three other Australian women potters, exhibited at Anthony Horderns & Sons Art Gallery, Sydney: The exhibits are mostly in the form of vases and bowls, and the decoration is confined to designs worked from Australian flora and fauna (Evening News, 19 Dec 1925).In 1928 she was among potters and china painters who held an exhibition at the Sydney depot of the Society of Arts & Crafts of NSW (SMH 28 Aug 1928). Peter Timms describes her oeuvre as domestic earthenwares with painted under-glaze decoration of Australian animals, also garden urns. J. Sterling Levis, whose signature is inscribed on the elephant bookend, is presumed to be her daughter Joan Sterling Levis, rather than her husband, well-known Macquarie Street doctor James M. Sterling Levis (d.1966).$8001,200328EDITH STERLING LEVIS (Sydney) blue and green glazed Art Nouveau vase with stylised leaf and berry decoration,incised Levis to base,23cm highPROVENANCEBargain Hunt Auctions, Thornleigh, 23rd October, 2017$6001,000 329EDITH STERLING LEVIS (attributed) blue glazed squat pottery vase with Art Nouveau floral decoration,12cm high, 26cm widePROVENANCEBargain Hunt Auctions, Thornleigh, 23rd October, 2017328 $300500 '