Ash glazed Leach tankard
Ash glazed Leach tankard (mark)
Banded Corser vase
Bernard Leach bottle vase
Bernard Leach character plate
Bernard Leach character plate (mark)
Bernard Leach covered pot
Bernard Leach covered pot (marks)
Bernard Leach faceted pot
Bernard Leach jar
Bernard Leach owl plate
Bernard Leach owl plate (mark)
Bernard Leach plate
Bernard Leach pot
Bernard Leach urn
Bernard Leach Vase
Bill Marshall jug
Bill Marshall jug (mark)
Corser covered pot
Corser covered pot (mark)
Corser jug
Corser vase
Corser vase with lugs
Corser yunomi
Dark Janet Leach vase
David Leach jar
David Leach jar (mark)
Decorated Corser bowl
Decorated Corser lidded jar
Decorated Hamada pot
Full Leach coffee set
Green Corser vase
Hamada drinking bowl
Hamada yunomi
Janet Leach lidded jar
Janet Leach vase
Joanna Wason bottle
Joanna Wason bottle vase
Joanna Wason bottle vase (mark)
Joanna Wason vase
Large Janet Leach vase
Large Leach covered pot
Large Leach covered pot (mark)
Leach bottle vase
Leach bowl
Leach bowl (mark)
Leach celadon condiment set
Leach celadon condiment set (mark)
Leach coffee pot
Leach dishes
Leach dishes (mark)
Leach Eggcup
Leach handled bowl
Leach handled bowl (mark)
Leach jugs
Leach jugs (mark)
Leach lemonade beaker
Leach lemonade beaker (mark)
Leach mug
Leach mug (mark)
Leach mug II
Leach mug II (mark)
Leach mustard pot
Leach mustard pot (mark)
Leach porcelain pepper and salt
Leach porcelain pepper and salt (mark)
Leach porcelain plate
Leach porcelain plate (mark)
Leach porcelain vase
Leach porcelain vase (mark)
Leach Pottery Bill Marshall vase
Leach Pottery Bill Marshall vase (marks)
Leach Pottery tile
Leach Pottery tile (mark)
Leach standard ware mugs
Leach standard ware mugs (mark)
Leach standardware dishes
Leach standardware dishes (mark)
Leach standardware salt-cellar
Leach standardware salt-cellar (mark)
Leach stardard ware bowl
Leach stardard ware bowl (mark)
Leach tankard
Leach tankard (mark)
Leach tenmoku cylinder pot
Leach tenmoku cylinder pot (mark)
Leach tenmoku cylinder pot II
Leach tenmoku cylinder pot II (mark)
Leach tenmoku tankard
Leach tenmoku tankard (mark)
Lidded bowl by Bernard Leach
Lidded pot by David and Bernard Leach
Michael Cardew flagon
Michael Cardew flagon (mark)
Round Janet Leach bowl
Small Leach dish
Small Leach dish (mark)
Small Leach mug
Small Leach mug (mark)
Small Leach porcelain dish
Small Leach porcelain dish (mark)
Square Janet Leach bowl
Standard ware jug
Standard ware jug (mark)
Standard ware mug
Standard ware mug (mark)
Tall Leach cylinder vase
Tall Leach cylinder vase (mark)
Trevor Corser tenmoku jug
Trevor Corser tenmoku jug (mark)
Trevor Corser vase
Two Leach standard ware bowls
Two Leach standard ware bowls (mark)
Two-handled Bernard Leach jar
Unusual Leach pot
Unusual Leach pot (marks)

Leach Pottery

In 1920 Leach and Hamada made the journey half-way around the world to set up a pottery at St Ives in Cornwall. St Ives had long been an artists' colony, and the pottery was built with the aid of a grant from the Handicrafts Guild.

The first kiln, which was wood-fired, was made with three climbing chambers, each six feet high, six feet wide and four feet deep. This was the first of its type to be built in Britain, and was a disaster. In 1922 Leach had to ask Tsuronosuke Matsubayashi to come from the Asahi Pottery in Japan to re-build it. Matsu stayed for two years and was a tremendous influence on the St Ives potters. His knowledge of the chemistry of ceramics was a great help and something of an innovation to Leach who had been concerned primarily with the aesthetics of pottery rather than the technical aspects.

Leach and Hamada were like-minded and worked and relaxed well together. Their ideal was a fusion of arts-and-crafts principles and a desire to make pots of classic, simple beauty. Early English and Eastern designs in pottery were their paradigm.

The early years were fraught with failures. Many firings were unsuccessful, and expenses were high. There was also a lack of acceptance in many quarters of the work, which often appeared crude by the standards of the day. Even so, there were successful exhibitions in St Ives and in London, and many pots found an eager welcome in Japan. Hamada returned to Japan in 1928, but frequently visited St Ives.

The pottery was home to a succession of students and apprentices that almost comprise a complete who's who of studio pottery, Michael Cardew heading the list. Every student and apprentice was taught that his first aim should be to throw to a standard; to be able to execute repetitive work accurately. Only when this was achieved, said Leach, could a potter call himself a thrower rather than an improviser. Leach's sons, David and Michael learnt their craft at the Leach Pottery before taking part in regular production and management.

The post-war years brought more success and critical acclaim, perhaps helped by Leach's writing. He continued potting until 1972 with the help of William Marshall, his very first apprentice, and died in 1979. The pottery remained open under the direction of Bernard's wife, Janet Leach. After her death in 1999 it was bought by businessman Alan Gillam, owner of the Western Hotel in St Ives. Trevor Corser and Joanna Wason are the main potters. The Pottery Cottage, next to the pottery, is now open as a museum, showing many examples of work of the fine potters who have contributed to the astounding reputation of the Leach.


Further Reading:
Bernard Leach, Hamada and Their Circle by Cornelia Wingfield Digby and Tony Birks
 
 A Potter's Book by Bernard Leach
 
  Bernard Leach by Edmund de Waal
 
  The Leach Legacy by Marion Whybrow

 
You can buy this book on line
North America
 
North America
Bernard Leach, Hamada and Their Circle - Choose your bookseller Europe
 
Europe
Bernard Leach, Hamada and Their Circle by Conrnelia Wingfield Digby and Tony Birks

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