This elegantly sculptural, hand-built, and glazed studio art ceramic lamp is of British Modernist design by Peter Ellery for his Cornish pottery studio Tremaen Pottery (1965 - 1988). Ellery's work features a heavy influence from the Cornish environment where the Tremaen studio was based. Influences such as sea-washed pebbles, rocks, and boulder-shaped forms, and Cow Parsley from abundant hedgerows inspired the décor, as are traces of rough-hewn stone harbour walls and whitewashed fishermen's cottages. Many pieces have an organic feel, being deliberately weathered or textured.
This particular piece comes from the Cow Parsley series, reflecting the influences and textural references from the Cornish coastal and countryside landscape. The overall composition is characterised by its exceptionally tactile and organic qualities, shaped like a pebble worn smooth by the ocean tide to reveal the Cow Parsley fossil impression. The glaze is silky and touch-inviting, with the colour palette comprising of a rich, semi-matte Dark Chocolate, Mocha browns blended with Cappuccino, Flat White creams.
This stunning piece brings to life many key principles of Modernist design, with a focus on combining function with bringing forth the beauty in the natural material.
CONDITION
Excellent. No chips, cracks, or repairs. There is faint wear to the protective felting on the underside of the base that is commensurate with the age of the piece. Please see photographs as they form part of the condition report. The underside of the base is fitted with protective felting and also bears Tremaen's original label. The lamp takes standard A-series Bayonet bulb.
MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 7.9" / 20 cm high (excluding bulb holder) c. 9.8" / 25 cm (including bulb holder). Width c. 4.5" / 11.5 cm (across the widest point) x depth: c. 3.1" / 8 cm. Base measurements: c. 4.9" / 12.5 cm x c. 3.3" / 8.5 cm. Weight: c. 1 kg / 970 g. The lamp takes a standard A-series Bayonet bulb with a British plug fitting.
A BIT OF HISTORY
Peter Ellery, Tremaen Pottery (1965 - 1988)
Tremaen Pottery was founded by Peter Ellery in Marazion, UK in 1965, typically creating large-scale pieces using unconventional techniques in both construction and glazing. His work quickly gained appreciation and popularity, and within 2 years Tremaen Pottery moved to larger premises in Newlyn with the workforce expanding to twelve to cope with demand.
Although work continued to be by hand, the range of pieces produced by Tremaen expanded to include smaller-scale and figural pieces. Tremaen's work maintained its popularity but sadly, the recession of the early 1980s created increasing economic difficulties. Ellery sustained Tremaen's production until 1988 when he made the decision to close the pottery.