Pottery Marks of Prince Edward Island - Pieter Ijsselstein - White Gables at Hope River & Birchtree Gallery

Pieter Ijsselstein produced a line of items that incorporated his flock of hens in the decorating process. The video of his flock at work tells the story of  Hen Pecked Pottery. The hens are no longer part of the operation as Pieter's pottery has evolved.

Operating an art and craft studio in Hope River, PEI with his wife Geraldine, a painter and weaver - the combined family efforts operated under the name White Gables at Hope River.

In 2018 his potter's mark included the first two initials of his surname ij as well as PEI.

In 2022 they moved to Victoria-by-the-Sea where they reside and operate a gallery studio, Birchtree Gallery. Their Facebook page provides additional information.

In June of 2025, when visiting their gallery, I noticed that his pots were unsigned and asked why. He indicated that he stopped signing his pottery about two years ago, and considers it a production product with no need to add a potter's mark or signature. He indicated that he had been using a marker to sign the pots prior to that and he felt that it eventually wore off anyway and that he simply stopped signing them at that time.

Pieter Ijsselstein at Farm Days in the City, 2018 Charlottetown, PEI

Potter's Mark of Pieter Ijsselstein, 2018