Hilary Calvert's richly illustrated book traces the history of this village industry and is the first account of the diversity and heritage of this unusual pottery.
Availability: From local outlets, or from the Watts Gallery as below
Compton Pottery
Hilary Calvert
|
|
Hilary Calvert's richly illustrated book traces the history of this village industry and is the first account of the diversity and heritage of this unusual pottery. Availability: From local outlets, or from the Watts Gallery as below |
Front cover: Plaque 32x20cm, Girl collecting fruit.
Paperback £5.95 (excluding P&P); 36pp; full-colour illustrations
throughout – ISBN, none
Published by Watts Gallery, Down Lane, Compton, GU3 1DQ – order via their
website or phone 01483 810235
Background Information . Contents
The Compton Pottery evolved at the end of the 19th century from an evening class run by Mary Seton Watts (1849–1938), wife of the Victorian painter George Frederic Watts (1817–1904) at their home, Limnerslease in the village of Compton, Surrey.
She had encouraged local people to come together to make, under her guidance, terracotta panels for the new cemetery chapel, which was GF Watts's gift to the village in which he made his final home. With the completion of the Chapel in 1898 a pottery guild was formed which developed into a small village industry. The pottery thrived and its red clay garden pots, a mixture of Celtic and Art Nouveau styles, were sold in London by Liberty & Co.
Hilary Calvert first visited Watts Gallery in 1991. The realisation that the collection included art pottery as well as pictures was the start of her interest in Compton Pottery. She began collecting the coloured ware as well as photographing other collections with the long-term aim of recording every piece made. At the same time she has been researching the origins and working methods of the pottery and is pleased to have been able to produce this book on behalf of Watts Gallery.
The book is published by Watts Gallery with the kind support of The Albert Dawson Education Trust, Ellie Packer and Robert Freidus and Grayshott Pottery. It is on sale at Watts Gallery, Down Lane, Compton, GU3 1DQ at Grayshott Pottery, Hindhead GU26 6LR and at all good suppliers
Compton Pottery, p.4
Mary Seton Watts (1849–1938), p.5
The Home Arts and Industries Association, p.6
Watts Cemetery Chapel, p.7
The Pottery, p.9
Aldourie, p12
The Potters' Arts Guild, p.13
Compton Potteries Ltd, p.16
The People, p.18
Making the Pottery, p.20
Garden Pots & Ornaments, p.23
Memorials & Gravestones, p.24
Hand-Coloured Compton Pieces, p.25
Identifying Compton Pottery, p.34
Compton Pottery at Watts Gallery, p.36
Please feel free to contact the webmaster if you would like to share information on any of the books in this list. See address details on Home Page