This is a very collectable lamp made by Peter Ellery at his Tremaen Studio Pottery in Newlyn, Cornwall, established in 1965.
He produced large scale pieces, employing unconventional techniques in both construction and glazing. Sadly, the recession of the early 1980s created increasing economic difficulties for the pottery and in 1988 Peter Ellery decided to close his wonderful pottery.
This lamp is one of the largest lamp bases that he made. It is 20 1/2 inches in height (to the top of the bulb holder) and 8 1/2 inches wide and with a depth of 5 1/4 inches.
It comes compete with its original olive green hessian shade which measures 16 inches in height x 15 inches in diameter. This is a rare survivor. To keep it safe in transit, it will have to be sent in a separate box.
This lamp is in such great condition and looks like it has hardly been used.
This particular example is a very early one having the impressed stamp above the cable aperture - this represents the Lanyon Quoit near Morvah in Cornwall. The lamp base is in excellent condition with no chips or cracks. Due to its exceptional size and this more unusual pattern, it is particularly sought-after by collectors and enthusiasts of retro Cornish studio pottery.
The lamps were the most popular and desirable items produced by the pottery. They remain highly decorative but, more importantly, functional.
Designs for lamp bases were sometimes produced in a range of sizes, colours or glazes. On occasions, two moulds were joined together to make a taller lamp base. The lamp bases were given names with Cornish links like Lanyon, Jizal, Boscawen and Zennor. The pattern on my lamp is very abstract in design - but is similar to more naturalistic "cow parsley" ones. The decoration is certainly very organic and it reminds me of crispy pieces of black seaweed that Ellery might have seen on Cornish beaches. It is from the "Gwarra" series and has lots of applied slipware trails.
The lamp is in excellent vintage condition with no damages. It has its original paper label on the base, the felt on the base is original to the lamp. I am listing the lamp at £295 - and the hessian shade will be £60 (which is a far price due to its large size, it you do not wish the shade - please get in touch and I can remove the costs and reference to it from the listing). Postage for both items in separate boxes is going to be about £25. This will be a fully insured service.
As you can see from my photographs - this lamp and its original 70s shade is very much of a showstopper - and a perfect piece of lighting for a modern Cornish interior - or mid-century living room. These very large "Gwarra" examples do not come up for sale very often - so my asking price is a fair one for this lovely vintage lamp.