Vintage Ceramic Fish with Brass Scales

[KevinM]

I bought these 2 ceramic fish with brass scales at the thrift store this week but can't find out anything about them other than what is marked on back of them and would like to find out more information about them. It's my best guess they are from somewhere about the mid 1900's time period, perhaps 1950's or later. They may have been made to sell mainly to tourist during that time period.

Each fish is made of ceramic with a brass scale plate attached to them with 3 brass bands through holes in the ceramic. The ceramic is painted and glazed and has some crazing to it. On the back of each fish is written "Palopo Guatemala" then a circle with the initials "KE" in it and I am guessing a makers mark with looks to me to be a bug, possibly a Roach. The fish are both about 5 1/4 inches long, 4 1/2 inches high and about 3/4 of an inch thick.

Anyone have any ideas about the time period these were made, who the maker and/or artist was and perhaps the value of them or anything else?

Thanks,
Kevin

[KC]

It definitely says Guatemala!

[KevinB]

Are you sure thats brass? In front of the scales is that a gold colored chain? I never seen a brass chain before. The bands holding the scales on looks more gold colored than brass to me.

[wendy177]

I think I have found your artists   worth looking into
http://www.mission-guatemala.org/artisans/ceramica-palopo.html

This  fish looks close
http://www.atitlancommunity.com/atitlan/community-page-atitlan/image-gallery/category/2-ceramics-san-antonio-palopo.html

[KevinM]

KevinB, I think what looks like a chain is two pieces of twisted wire. I'm not certain if the wire has gold content to it or not. I don't think the scales or the straps holding them on have any cold content (coloring, plate, etc...) but I guess it's possible. There are no markings that I see to identify the metal content.

wendy177 you found out who made it, thanks! Looks like the initials KE might be Ken Edwards. Seems he may have been amongst the pioneers of the making of stoneware in Mexico along with Jorge Wilmont in the 1950's and 1960s. I will have to look around some more now that I have this info.