— Stella’s Ark by Paul Hughes

This long-awaited book is the culmination of six years work by the author, Paul Hughes, resulting in the most comprehensive study to date of the artist-potter, Stella R. Crofts.

This book is a short-run limited edition in hardback. A must-have publication for any collector of Stella Crofts’ work or for any studio pottery enthusiast or academic.

The book runs to 204 pages and is visually rich, printed in full-colour throughout, with over 400 images included. It contains a biography of Stella’s life, her art education at the London Central School and Royal College of Art and her career, focusing on her exhibiting with over 200 exhibitions being well documented. As such this book provides an insight into how such a freelance studio potter went about their daily business.

Exhibitions covered include: the Guild of Potters, the Red Rose Guild and events at the Royal Horticultural Halls as just three examples, all of which have only been sparingly covered in other publications... so should be of interest to the wider field of ceramics collectors/curators/academics etc.

Over twenty international events are also studied in detail. These include: the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition in Dunedin 1925, the Leipzig exhibition of 1927, a travelling exhibition in America by the American Federation of Arts in 1928 and Stella’s one-woman show in New York at the Belmont Galleries (1928).

Camel and Arab (undated) 23 cm

The book includes material taken from several archives which include Crofts' family photographs, correspondence and artworks/sketches. It includes many original photographs of pieces which have never previously been published. The reader will gain an insight into what inspired this artist and how she went about her modelling.

The book also covers her associations with those who acquired her work, including Frank Pick, Elsie De Wolfe, Dorothy Paget and even members of the Royal family.

Bactrian camel (1927) 16.5 cm

Vase with sculpted monkeys, 16.5 cm

For Crofts collectors, this book provides the most comprehensive catalogue of works to date listing over 300 models, the majority of which have an associated image. Collectors can search comprehensive exhibition records to see just where their piece might have been exhibited. Her work for Royal Worcester is also covered in great detail.

Book dimensions (approx): 20.5 cm (w) x 25.5 cm (h) x 1.8 cm (d).

You can purchase Stella's Ark for just £25 plus £4 UK postage (Royal Mail, Second Class Signed-for). International buyers, please enquire for postage costs. All purchase enquiries or for more details please contact us.