- The first publication to focus on individual designersin ceramics spanning the twentieth century
- Covers all the major female designers such as Clarice Cliff and Susie Cooper with up-to-date findings
- New research on highly collectable designers who have not previously been studied in depth, including Keith Murray, Eric Ravilious and John Clappison
- The product of many years of intensive original research which has included numerous unpublished primary sources such as family archives and museum material
Throughout the twentieth century certain British ceramic designers have made an outstandingly influential contribution to the pottery industry. Against a backdrop of great artistic, economic and social change their ability to anticipate and to respond to the latest trends in art and design enabled them to lead the pottery market, rather than follow. In responding to the practical needs of the customer their work proved popular and commercial in its day and is now much sought after by collectors. Whilst many of the featured designers were most prolific and celebrated during the period between the wars, this publication also covers the austerity years of the forties and fifties. It then takes us through the innovative and expansive sixties and seventies, right up to the end of the century.
This work, the first major study of its kind, concentrates on those pioneering designers who attempted to improve the quality of both shape and decoration by creating modern tableware designs that were contemporary, practical and attractive. Some of the designers such as Clarice Cliff and Susie Cooper have established reputations and there are many other important figures such as Keith Murray, John Clappison and Truda Carter.
Each chapter gives an individual detailed account of each particular designer's contribution to pottery design and discusses their background, influences and how they attained the position. The text is supported by high quality color and black and white archive images, some hitherto unpublished.
Andrew Casey has been a collector of ceramics for over twenty years and has curated several exhibitions of decorative arts in both London and East Anglia. His first book Susie Cooper Ceramics - A Collectors Guide was published in 1992. He is a consultant for Christie's, South Kensington.
