SAT 9 JUNE - SUN 6 JANUARY 2002
Post-war Britain saw factory glass increasingly affected by both Scandinavian design and the studio glass movement. This exhibition, which features a comprehensive private collection, examines this influence through the work of three key designers of the period: Geoffrey Baxter at Whitefriars Glass; Ronald Stennett-Willson of King's Lynn and Wedgwood Glass and Frank Thrower of Dartington Glass.
Compton Drive, Kingswinford, West Midlands, DY6 9NS.
Tel: 01384 812745 Fax: 01384 812746
e-mail glass.pls@mbc.dudley.gov.uk
Internet: www.dudley.gov.uk and Broadfield House pages
LOCATION MAP
Tuesday to Sunday 2pm-5pm
Bank Holiday Mondays 12noon-5pm
Telephone for Christmas & New Year opening times
Free Admission, Free Parking, Tea & Coffee Facilities
Wheelchair access to ground floor, glassmaking studio and toilets.
School and coach parties welcome, please book in advance.
Information taken from Broadfield House exhibition guide 2001 leaflet.
Review by Anna Greene
Superb exhibition of Baxter glass. Displays show off design themes and colours in a very
complimentary way.
The best part about it is that the exhibition does not necessarily focus on the best known of
Baxter's designs, but highlights the depth of his expertise by showing off some of his less well
known, but equally impressive work.
Highly recommended exhibition - make the time to see and digest it.
Review by Joseph Wang – a collector of 20th C glass & ceramics
Everyone with an interest in Post-War British glass, and design, should see Graham Cooley’s exhibition of part of his glass collection at the Broadfield House Glass Museum. The Exhibition features the work of three important designers of the period – Geoffrey Baxter at Whitefriars, Ronald Stennett- Willson at King’s Lynn and Wedgewood and Frank Thrower from Dartington Glass.
Although unique in its own right, there is no doubt that British Glass was influenced by Scandinavian and other design movements, but all designers throughout history have been influenced by previous design either consciously or otherwise. What this exhibition shows is that Post –War British glass is not only as interesting as Scandinavian and other glass but in many cases more exciting and better. Personally, I find much Scandinavian glass too “cold” and clinical. Although the pieces shown here were made in either small or reasonable quantities each piece seems slightly different and hand made. What’s great about the glass in this exhibition is that it has a English “feel” to it – you can see how it was made to fit into the context of a modern home in the 1950s and 60s. It both draws from and coordinates with the kind of modern British house design, furniture, textiles, ceramics and even environment of the period. That’s why the best of Post – War British design is so unique and so good – not just in glass but in the other areas too. It is progressive yet classical, tactile, aesthetically pleasing, still contemporary and feels “right”.
At Graham’s exhibition you will see a great range from the three designers featured – almost “one of everything”. Baxter’s work shows his breadth of design skills and inventiveness. The austere “Bat-Wing” vases, minimalist and diaphanous in nature are wonderful and it’s great to see so many together – these are very rare !! The heavily cased vases have an almost “floating”, hypnotic and translucent quality anchored by the sheer weight of the external casing. The Soda glass has wonderful elegance and clean lines and the pieces with the white enamel rims and which were difficult to produce show Baxter’s experimental streak. There are also examples from the other ranges such as the streaky vases and those with the applied spots and studio like pieces.
And of course, there’s a good showing of the famous
textured range with Banjos, Drunken Bricklayers, Cucumbers and so on in every
colour made- including Banjos in rare one-off colours such as Ruby. Tactile,
visually powerful and organic the textured range was unique. The subtlety of the
original range in Cinnamon, Indigo and Willow was followed by the brighter,
vibrant psychedelic colours of
Tangerine, Kingfisher and others as Britain headed towards the “Pop” age.
And great it was too !! And of course – we all have our favourite colours and
shapes – just as Baxter did !!
Frank Thrower’s work at Dartington is probably not so exciting visually, but it shows his interest in modern design and bringing elements of this into hand-made yet functional, affordable items such as tableware and related items. I’m sure many of us have- or have had- the ubiquitous Dartington avocado dishes and Irish Coffee glasses !
To see so many examples of Ronald Stennett-Willson’s work was a real treat. These pieces are very scarce and this is a one-off chance to view an important collection. Whereas many of Baxter’s pieces are more fluid, “loose” and weighty Stennet-Willson was a perfectionist and precise. His designs show intense attention to detail. Like Baxter, many of his vases are beautiful and of studio quality and even his large pieces show precision and delicacy. His “Sheringham” candlesticks are amazing being both architectural and sculptural in nature. They have a structural quality with their composite disc-upon-disc stems in wonderful colours, looking like some futuristic towers. I found his work very satisfying.
In summary – this is a great and unique exhibition – do see it and view the other special and rare pieces from the Museum’s collection at the same time.
Thank you Graham and Broadfield House for staging this.