In a new series of blog posts, Crafts Study Centre Curator, Greta Bertram, gives us an insight into each of the Centre’s collections in a bit more detail.

Crafts Study Centre Curator, Greta Bertram

The Crafts Study Centre is internationally renowned for its collection of 20th century British studio ceramics – we have large numbers of works by Bernard Leach, Lucie Rie, Hans Coper, Katharine Pleydell-Bouverie and many more. Other key figures include: Paul Barron, Richard Batterham, Norah Braden, Michael Cardew, Simon Caroll, Philip Eglin, T.S. (Sam) Haile, Henry Hammond, Gillian Lowndes, William Staite Murray, and Denise Wren.

Lucie Rie Button Selection (P_95) Crafts Study Centre Collection

The ceramics collection dates broadly from c.1920 to the present day, with many pioneer and leading studio potters represented. In 1974, our first year of collecting, alone we acquired around 250 ceramics. One of our most significant early acquisitions was a gift from Bernard Leach of 85 of his pots; a few years later he donated what we refer to as his ‘source collection’ – his personal collection of pots that he amassed from China, Japan and Korea which informed his own work – and he subsequently bequeathed his personal archive to us. We also received a substantial collection of pots by Katharine Pleydell-Bouverie, one of Leach’s first students at St Ives, together with fine examples of work by her friends and contemporaries Michael Cardew and Norah Braden. Henry Hammond, who from 1946 to 1979 was a teacher in and subsequently head of the ceramics department at Farnham School of Art (now UCA), bequeathed his archive together with pieces from his collection.

Professor Felicity Aylieff is a ceramicist and Professor of Ceramics & Glass at the Royal College of Art, and is also a ceramics adviser on the CSC’s Acquisitions Committee. Describing the collection, she writes: “The early pioneers of studio pottery are well represented, but as a member of the Acquisitions Committee I wanted to see the next group of influential makers, whose interest was to expand the notion of the vessel and push our understanding of tradition. The collection now includes Gillian Lowndes, Alison Britton (Chair of the CSC Trustees), Carol McNicoll, Philip Eglin, Simon Carroll, Wally Keeler, Takeshi Yasuda with others on a growing list. There is an explosion of colour and pattern, a wealth of surface treatments and techniques and an extraordinary richness in the way that clay can be used as an expressive material. A recent exhibition of Martin Smith’s work at Marsden Woo Gallery made me realise that he is missing – as Head of Ceramics and glass at the RCA for many years, many of the future generation would have worked under his guidance with myself and Alison as tutors. The CSC’s collection remains crucial in many ways, not least for the next generation of makers to understand whose shoulders they are standing on.”

Inspired by a visit to the ceramics galleries at the V&A in London (and motivated by an urgent need for additional shelf space in our store) we decided to convert the display cases on the second floor of the Crafts Study Centre to ‘open storage’ for ceramics. While these cases may seem more full than is usual for a display at the CSC I find there is something most pleasing about seeing the ceramics as a ‘whole’ rather than as individual pieces. We have grouped each shelf together by maker where possible and failing that, by ‘theme’ or ‘style’ (while bearing in mind what cleared the most space in the store).

I have to admit that I know very little about ceramics and, in contrast to Felicity, am often struck by how ‘brown’ the collection is. I’m not a fan of the colour brown at the best of times and find it gets in the way of appreciating the forms of the vessels. But I have to say that the collection is starting to grow on me, and probing the shelves more carefully it is possible to find some hidden gems – be they smaller, more delicate items (such as a small and fragile bowl by Elspeth Owen); or ones with particularly pleasing shapes or patterns (I find the brushed bird on one of Michael Cardew’s plates incredibly elegant); ones with fascinating histories (the Korean ‘lotus’ cup and saucer from Leach’s source collection, dating from the 12th or 13th century) or colours that appeal (I love the lusterware pieces by Alan Caiger-Smith and the buttons by Lucie Rie). And maybe one day I will be converted to ceramics...!