For anyone wanting to learn more about modern and contemporary ceramics, we've picked a selection of books that provide surveys and overviews of the studio pottery movement as well as in-depth studies of contemporary makers.
Whether you're new to ceramics or want to expand your existing library, here are our top 10 recommendations to add to your shelves.
Happy reading!
1.
British Studio Potters' Marks
Eric Yates-Owen & Robert Fournier
A directory of 20th Century British Studio Potters marks, arranged alphabetically and including short biographies of makers. Indexes at the back also allow you to search by mark in various categories such as creatures and monograms.
2.
The Crafts in Britain in the 20th Century
Tanya Harrod
A survey of craft disciplines and makers, including a detailed section on ceramics, that examines craft in Britain within its artistic, social and cultural contexts.
3.
The Potter's Art
Garth Clark
First published in 1995, one of the first books to provide a survey of British ceramics, from early medieval ceramics to contemporary studio pottery.
4.
British Studio Ceramics
Paul Rice
A survey of British ceramics from 1900 up to contemporary 21st Century makers, it also includes an index with biographies and marks.
5.
Contemporary British Ceramics
Ashley Thorpe
A detailed review of the work of 22 contemporary ceramic makers, and how they can be appreciated and situated within the wider field of contemporary art.
6.
Pioneer Studio Pottery
Sarah Riddick
A catalogue of the Milner-White Collection, predominantly focused on the 'pioneers' of studio pottery; Bernard Leach, William Staite Murray, and Hamada Shoji amongst others.
7.
Things of Beauty Growing: British Studio Pottery
Glenn Adamson, Martina Droth, and Simon Olding
The catalogue that accompanied the 2017-2018 exhibition at the Yale Center for British Art and then at The Fitzwilliam Museum, the largest of its kind showcasing over 100 ceramics by leading makers of the studio pottery movement.
8.
Modern Pots - Hans Coper, Lucie Rie and Their Contemporaries
Cyril Frankel
Catalogue of the Lisa Sainsbury Collection at the Sainsbury Centre, University of East Anglia, including most notably an important group of Hans Coper and Lucie Rie.
9.
Contemporary British Studio Ceramics
Annie Carlano
This survey focuses on British studio ceramics from the 1980s onwards, drawing from the Diane and Marc Grainer Collection, and highlighting makers such as Allison Britton, Edmund de Waal, Kate Malone, and Julian Stair.
10.
Studio Ceramics
Alun Graves
Published earlier this year, this work provides an updated catalogue of the collection of British ceramics from 1900 to the present day at the V&A, and includes an extensive index of 20th Century and contemporary British makers.