A.W.N Pugin, John Moyr-Smith, William De Morgan, The Martin Brothers, Doulton, Charles Vyse, Wedgwood Fairyland, Moorcroft, Goldschneider, Pilkington Royal Lancastrian, Bernard Moore and Elton

One of the UK’s leading independent publishers of art books, Richard Dennis O.B.E will sell his private collection of ceramics at Bonhams in New Bond Street on Wednesday 12 March 2008. Dennis’ magnificent collection encompasses pottery by established and emerging designers from the Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods through to the modern day.

Richard Dennis championed artists from these periods for many years and the sale of his collection celebrates more than four decades of Richard Dennis’s presence in his Kensington Church Street Gallery, which was also the base for his company Richard Dennis Publications.

Mark Oliver, Director of Design at Bonhams, says, “Richard Dennis has always been regarded by collectors and dealers alike as a true pioneer in the field of Art Pottery. Without his enthusiasm and considerable knowledge, such names as Doulton, Moorcroft, William De Morgan and Martin Ware would never have gained the modern day exposure and collectability that they now enjoy. The exhibitions that have taken place in his Galleries in London’s Kensington Church St have always been `must see’ events and would often sell out within the first few days.”

The Collection includes fine examples from the following factories and artists: AWN Pugin, John Moyr-Smith, William De Morgan, The Martin Brothers, Doulton, Clarice Cliff, Charles Vyse, Wedgwood Fairyland, Moorcroft, Goldschneider, Pilkington Royal Lancastrian, Bernard Moore and Elton.

Highlights include: George Tinworth for Doulton Lambeth An Important (Lost) Stoneware Figural Fountain for the 1878 Paris Exposition
£20,000-30,000

William De Morgan and A.Farini for Cantagalli
An Impressive Galleon Charger, 1901
£15,000-20,000

William S. Mycock and Walter Crane for Pilkington Royal Lancastrian
A Yellow Lustre Vase, 1909
£5,000-7,000

Martin Brothers
‘Sgrafitto’ A Framed Terracotta Portrait Plaque of Edwin Martin by Robert Wallace Martin, circa 1880
£5,000-6,000

Charles Vyse
`Barnet Fair’A Painted Earthenware Study, circa 1935
£5,000-7,000

Richard Dennis has also continued to showcase the work of modern-day potters such as David Burnham Smith, Amanda Popham, Roger Cockram and Emma Bridgewater, all of whom are contributing one-off examples of their work to the Bonhams sale. Hence collectors will be able to admire a range of ceramic wares from Pugin in the 1860’s right up to pieces produced in 2007 in this amazing sale, the first to ever celebrate the career of Richard Dennis O.B.E.

BIOGRAPHY

Following a steep learning curve in the rough and tumble of the London antique markets and a year in Paris exporting art glass to the USA, Richard took a job sweeping up at Sothebys in 1959. He went on to fill a vacancy in the ceramic and glass department under the legendary Jim Kiddell. Richard feels that his most significant contribution during his time at the auction house was to persuade the hierarchy to accept Tiffany and Galle glass for auction.

In 1965 he branched out on his own and embarked on an extended a trip to South America selling Edwardian silver, returning with antique French glass paperweights. This gave him the means to open the shop in Kensington Church Street selling antique glass. Gradually Richard’s interest in Victorian ceramics took over and with the first exhibition Doulton Stoneware in 1971 his catalogues evolved into books which were accompanied by specialised exhibitions.

Discovering unappreciated Moorcroft pottery in the 1960s inspired the publication of the first book with Paul Atterbury in 1973, and helping to run Moorcroft Pottery from 1986-92 was a defining period for him, manufacturing pottery for the collectors’ market. He now helps to run Dennis Chinaworks, his wife, Sally Tuffin’s Pottery, utilising their Victorian stables and nurturing talent in rural Somerset - a longheld dream.

Richard Dennis says, “It is a privilege to be asked by Mark Oliver to help curate this auction. I do hope the fountain finds a good home and I’m so pleased to include the work of my potter colleagues who I feel deserve a wider appreciation.’ What of the future? ‘More books and more pots!”

Wherever there was a neglected area of collecting, or a need to publish original research, Richard was eager to fill the void. Some of the eighty-odd Dennis catalogues and books are labours of love for both author and publisher, some are standard reference books and, inevitably, there were those ‘which got away’. ‘I was building up to a Clarice Cliff catalogue but was beaten to the post by the Brighton Exhibition. Wrongly I thought, “too late” - how many books on Clarice since then?’

Richard sees each book as a jigsaw of information and illustrations written for the collector, the dealer and the auctioneer. The tradition of Dennis Publications’ comprehensive photography has been continued by his son, Magnus, a professional photographer who, because he is a family member, has been persuaded to balance precariously on ladders, work in freezing factories and, memorably, in rain-sodden Paris.

Each book holds special memories: introducing the Martin brothers’ descendants to each other; filling Chelsea Town Hall with parian; discovering that ‘WM’ at the base of a vase stood for William Moorcroft; being astonished by the Burgess and Leigh archive; spending thirty years searching for Moyr Smith tile designs et al.

He has the eye of the collector - recording the different colourways of Rex Whistler’s ‘Clovelly’, or reproducing all known De Morgan designs. The next printing of Poole Pottery will be the fourth, each an updated edition; The Martin Brothers, a fascinating story by Malcolm Haslam, is still in stock after thirty years, much to the frustration of Richard’s accountant!

The Kensington Church Street Gallery became a mecca for collectors of art pottery: Charles Handley-Read in the 60s, waves of Japanese and American dealers in the 70s and 80s and passionate English collectors have all found their way to the shop during the past 40 years. The doors are still open today and will find Richard’s son, Buchan, an artist, holding the fort.

Encouraging existing British pottery factories and studios is now what interests him most: publicising the importance of conserving the Burgess & Leigh Pottery (England’s last chance to save a working Victorian Pottery); recently publishing Emma Bridgewater, an uplifting story of a thriving pottery, already a collectable; promoting the work of Studio potters such as Maureen Minchin, Amanda Popham, Laurence McGowan who have each had Richard Dennis exhibitions.

For further information and/or images, please contact Michelle Gonsalves or press@bonhams.com

Posted: 02|22|08 at 10:23 am. Filed under: Press Release.