Brutalist Midcentury Stoneware Vase by Bernard Rooke

A monumental blue red and clear Murano art glass vase made by Ercole Barovier for Barovier e Toso. Italy, circa 1990s. This elegant, yet still whimsical vase features a gorgeous wavy / curvy design and a fantastic graduated shape. The body of this Barovier e Toso Murano vase...

An absolutely gorgeous antique Moroccan vase from Fez. This vase features intricate nickel filigree and hand painted blues, teals and yellows. It...

Available right now we have this increasingly rare, mid century modern, brutalist disc bar by Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates. This brutalist wall mounted disc cabinet is definitely a conversation piece-- stretching a whopping 48" in diameter, this disc dar opens to reveal a mirrored back as well as 2 shelf inserts. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and this entire brutalist line of furniture appears to have (pretty obviously) been inspired by American craft movement designer Paul Evans, who designed nearly identical pieces which were available through Directional Furniture to the trade in the 1960's and 1970's. While this piece doesn't have the pedigree of an original Paul Evans piece, what is does have is an abundance of over-the-top maximalist style with a much more palatable price tag. Without being mounted to the wall, this piece was a little tougher than an average piece to photograph, but for scale purposes we photographed it resting on the floor alongside a Fabricius and Kastholm grasshopper...

This sculpture is provocative and gorgeous. When we acquired this piece, we were told it was called "Study on a Female Body" and that it had been in the gentleman's office since he first opened in the 1970's. The sculpture is anatomically correct and features a female torso arching back and has large pieces of attached brutalist bronze pieces that protrude almost evocative of wings to create some sort of angelic aspect to the piece. It's both brutal / crude, but so elegantly executed and really is just a stunning piece. From the naval to the articulated spine, the attention to detail was masterfully executed on this sculpture. The sculpture sits upon a steel rod, which is mounted to a stone block. The piece is signed illegibly on the stone. A wonderful piece that would really look great in any type of modern environment. Would be great as an entryway sculpture...

This table is absolutely gorgeous. It's a cast metal body with what a cold cast bronze outer shell. This one of a kind, custom piece came out of an estate in the Pacific Palisades filled with the most incredible furniture by Paul Evans, Daniel Gluck and Italian designer pieces. Unfortunately we have been unable to identify the creator of this piece, but it is very much in the style of Paul Evans and his cold cast bronze line for Directional. The table base measures 56" L x 24" D x 28.25" T. The glass on the table base is also custom, 3/4" thick with docked corners for a very unique look when up close and personal. This table is remarkably sturdy, and very heavy. This unique table would also look incredible as a writing desk. This incredible table is currently in the gallery paired with like designer pieces by Paul Evans, and Silas Seandel, but would also look wonderful paired with more contemporary pieces like Milo Baughman thin line chairs...

A gorgeous table lamp from the mid 50's. The lamp is partially glazed and was created by hand. Incredible design! Comes with fiberglass shade pictured, shade is not original to the l...

Brutalist ceramic vase by Bernard Rooke, England, 1970s. In 1960 he set up his own workshop in Forest Hill, London. Progressive designs were rea...

A large 1960s vintage Studio Pottery early brutalist cylindrical ceramic vase by British ceramicist Bernard Rooke. The upper two-thirds features an incised abstract design which is ...

Bernard Rooke Studio Pottery Chalice is a rare vintage example from the 1960s. Made by the renowned British artist and potter, Bernard Rooke, this piece is a true testament to his ar...

A very nice Brutalist earthenware pottery vase by Bernard Rooke, circa 1970s. The piece is in very good vintage condition with no chips, cracks or crazing and measures 5.5" W x 4" D ...

An organic and Brutalist style vase with Medallion motif on front and verso. Bernard Rooke (born 1938) is a British artist and studio potter. Rooke has exhibited his "Brutalist" ceramics and painting both in the UK and abroad with work in many collections both public and private including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Cleveland Museum of Art, Nuffield Foundation, Röhsska Museum in Sweden and the Trondheim Kunstmuseum in Norway. Bernard Rooke attended Ipswich School of Art studying painting and lithography before going on to study at Goldsmiths College of Art. It was while studying here that he decided to take up pottery. Although unfamiliar with this craft and tradition, he found that working with clay provided new opportunities for freedom of interpretation and creativity. In 1960 Rooke set up his first pottery in Forest Hill in South London along with Alan Wallwork. It was a very small room with enough space for a small electric kiln. He was initially using mainly hand building, coiling, blocking and slabbing techniques. While researching ideas, he was supporting himself by part-time lecturing at London University, Goldsmiths College and St Mary's College. In addition, Rooke's membership of 'The Craftsman Potters' Association' enabled him to show his work in a shop in Carnaby Street in London. In 1967, both the need for a larger working space and becoming disillusioned with living in London spurred Rooke into moving out of the city and to an old mill building in Swilland in Suffolk. Rooke wanted to widen the range of work so as to become more commercial. With the birth of his son, Aaron, and much needed work to be done on the mill, it was important to be able to make a living. In 1968, the Grand Metropolitan Hotel commissioned Rooke to make 120 standard lamps, 120 table lamps as well as a 24 foot long ceramic mural and another 9 foot high, which incorporated interior lighting. The money from the commission helped to pay for much needed restoration work on the mill. By the 1970s, a gallery space was opened in the windmill and run by Susan Rooke, Bernard's wife, selling work to locals and tourists as well as to American airmen based nearby. The vision for Mill Gallery was beginning to develop and alongside this a reputation was building bringing in a good source of income. Sons Aaron and Felix were becoming more involved with the running of the pottery, giving Bernard more time to develop new ideas and designs and more time to continue with his painting. In 2004, the Rooke family decided not to sell to the public through the gallery anymore and close the pottery to concentrate more on painting and printmaking. In 2017 Bernard's lighting was featured in the Exhibition: “Glass, Light, Paint & Clay” at the Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery. The exhibition featured four artists: Bernard Rooke, John Maltby...

Bernard Rooke Studio Pottery vase . A rare vintage 1960s example. Made by the renowned British artist, potter, Bernard Rooke, this piece is a wonderful example of his work . Be...